As the population ages, more adults are entering their golden years alone.
“We know that solo teenagers are just as healthy and happy as other seniors and live just as long,” says Aging expert and author of Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Teenagers. Dr. Sarah Zeff Geber told FOX News Digital.
However, some of them face unique challenges that can significantly impact their quality of life and well-being.
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Below, experts offer advice on how to succeed as a solo teenager.
What is solo aging?
“My definition of a solo teenager is someone who is able and willing to intervene in a crisis and who does not have a family nearby who can provide support if the solo teenager needs it,” Geber said.
More and more adults are entering their solo years, and they can face unique challenges. (St. Petersburg)
Some people end up living alone, for example through choosing not to have children, or due to circumstances such as the death of a spouse or a child moving away, experts added.
According to 2023 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 28% of people age 65 and older, or 22 million seniors, live alone.
According to the 2021 AARP report, about 12% of adults age 50 and older are considered “solo teenagers.”
“We know that older adults living alone are just as healthy and happy as other older adults and live just as long.”
“The idea of aging without family support has always existed, especially for widows and childless people, but aging alone as a separate concept with its own challenges and considerations is here. It has become more prominent over the decades,” said Dr. Bei Wu. New York University’s Rory Myers College of Nursing associate dean for research told Fox News Digital.
Solo-ageers are likely to lack support from friends and family, which can make it difficult to obtain social, emotional, and practical support. (St. Petersburg)
As adults age, different cultures view autonomy differently.
Wu, who studies social isolation and aging, said, “In China, the ‘three nos’ of the elderly – childless, incapable of working, and lack of income – face significant challenges, and aging “It is attracting a lot of attention in academic research.”
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Solo-ageers are more likely to lack support from friends and family, which can make it difficult to access social, emotional and practical support, experts added.
Not having a caregiver to help you when you are sick can also delay getting the medical care you need.
Not having a caregiver to help you when you are sick can delay getting the medical care you need. (St. Petersburg)
According to the AARP report, only an estimated one-third of solo seniors have someone to manage their finances or handle daily expenses when they are unable to do so.
Solo seniors also face increased financial vulnerability as they age, as they have fewer resources to manage medical, housing and daily living expenses, Wu noted. .
The importance of advance planning
Eileen Gerhardt, Massachusetts Single Seniors Educator and Patient Advocate, says, “For single seniors, the key resources I suggest are community involvement, financial and estate planning, and medical advocacy.” “We propose to focus on three key areas:”
According to the 2021 AARP report, about 12% of adults age 50 and older are considered “solo teenagers.” (St. Petersburg)
Gerhardt, who is also the founder of The Navigating Solo Network, a free resource library aimed at fostering a sense of belonging in older adults, recommends developing two types of networks.
It should be made up of experts who can advocate for your legal and medical needs. Another may include friends and acquaintances who provide additional support.
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“People who live alone should prioritize making daily and long-term plans, including reviewing what kind of care and support they do and do not want if they are unable to advocate for themselves.” Gerhardt advised.
Experts say that could mean filling out a will that specifies in detail how assets will be distributed and creating advance directives that detail wishes for life-sustaining treatment if you are too ill to make decisions. The house said.
“In China, elderly people with the ‘three no’s” of childlessness, inability to work, and lack of income face serious challenges, the experts said. (St. Petersburg)
According to AARP, about half of solo adults have an advance directive, but only 44% share it with their doctor.
Part of creating an advance directive includes designating a Durable Power of Attorney (DPA) to act on your behalf during a period of illness or incapacity.
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Experts recommend choosing someone you can trust who is a generation younger, someone who is mature enough to handle serious end-of-life issues but young enough to have not yet experienced similar aging issues. I am.
foster social connections
Past research has shown that people who value friendships are often healthier and happier.
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Previous research has shown that older adults who do not develop friendships are less likely to receive support from friends and are therefore more likely to be exposed to negative emotions caused by life changes.
A natural way to foster social connections is to move to an area with an existing support system, experts recommend.
Experts encourage solo seniors to participate in community activities, such as at senior centers, community organizations, and churches, as a way to stay active and socially connected. (St. Petersburg)
One example is the Village to Village Network, a national organization that provides resources and support to help older adults age in their communities.
Members become part of a local “village” that provides support services and opportunities to make social connections.
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“These services range from social and educational programs to health and wellness activities to practical assistance such as transportation, home maintenance, and technical guidance,” said Barbara Sullivan, national director of the New Jersey Village Network. It’s a wide range of things,” he told Fox News Digital.
“By providing a variety of resources and services, we help foster a sense of belonging and independence.”
Technology can help the solo generation foster connections with others. (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
Technology can also help enable these connections, said Wu, a gerontologist at New York University.
“Thanks to video calls and social media platforms, older adults can stay connected with family and friends regardless of distance,” she told Fox News Digital.
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Wu encourages solo-agers to get involved in community activities such as senior centers, community organizations, and churches as a way to stay active and socially connected.
