People value their independence, especially as they age. It feels like an achievement if you are older than 60 and are still able to live alone. According to the data, more than 27 percent of Americans over retirement age are living alone. A sizable number of these solo seniors are women. Thanks to changes in demographics, a lot more older women are financially independent, and they want to stay that way. However, living alone as a woman can already be dangerous. It is even worse as you grow older. Here are some tips that should help out.
Keep Yourself Healthy
The critical thing about living alone is health. When you are alone, it can be tempting to let yourself go physically. You don’t want to go out of the house, and you eat what you want. Enforce some discipline in yourself so that you can stay fit. For example, you should plan to exercise for at least 150 minutes every week. It should be a moderate activity that should build up a bit of a sweat. It doesn’t have to make your muscles ache. You can do it in 10 to 15-minute chunks every day until you get the feel of it. Basic walks and simple bodyweight exercises should be enough to challenge you.
Stay in Touch
Similar to staying in good physical condition, you should also try your best to keep yourself mentally grounded. The problem with living alone is that it can be depressing. The isolation makes you feel lonely and separate from people. However, living alone doesn’t mean that you have to stay away from people. Thanks to modern technology, you can get in touch with people with ease. Call friends or family every day. E-mail can also be a great help. You can also participate in dozens of online communities without leaving the house. You should also physically meet up with people. Make friends or join a club to expand your social circle.
Get Some Gadgets
Your home would be a lot easier to handle if you had a variety of gadgets to help. For example, you can install a smart device hub in your home. This allows you to control various parts of your house with ease. Change the brightness of the lights with a voice command or turn on the heater even if you are far away from the thermostat. Several safety devices can better protect you. A security system is a great investment since you are alone and you might need police help called in automatically. Another excellent investment would be emergency medical alert devices for seniors. These devices can call an ambulance if your vitals ever signal something is wrong.
Commission Some Home Improvements
Besides devices, several home improvements would benefit seniors a lot. For those who are starting to find it difficult to walk, handlebars on the stairs are a necessity since it lowers the risk of falls. There are other excellent additions like ramps on the outside of your building to accommodate easy access. Your bathroom and kitchen might also get a few improvements so that seniors don’t have to worry so much about slipping and falling.
Have Extra Medication
There might be times that you can’t go out or your grocery delivery is late. If this happens, you might face problems if you have to take emergency medication. Having a stash of extra medical supplies can be a big help. This can prevent a lot of stress on your part and keep you healthy, too. Have a week or so of extra doses so that you have the necessary time to replace them.
Prepare an Emergency Kit
Disasters happen every day, and even seniors aren’t immune to them. You need to have an emergency kit in handy in case you need something. Depending on the disaster, you might be even more isolated. Having a stay-at-home emergency kit that has survival basics should be a priority. This includes food and water for a week, a means to communicate, senior medical supplies, and some cash. You should also have important documents handy like medical records and identification, in case you need to leave.
While aging alone can be lonely, it can also feel great. There is a sense that you are doing things for yourself, which is better than having someone take care of you. You still make all the decisions in your life, which can be vital as you face your twilight years. The tips above should help ease a few worries and make things easier.
