When you imagine an elderly person living alone, what kind of images enter your mind?
Perhaps you imagine an old woman sitting in a dark, quiet room, fiddling her fingers and wishing for something to do, somewhere to go, some energy to get up and make herself a hot tea…
Surprisingly, there are many senior citizens who are living home alone and yet their lives don’t even remotely match that imaginary woman.
Here are several true examples of older people who not only survive living alone, but enjoy it to its fullest (in whatever way they see that to be).
One elderly man, Pete, says, “I love the freedom of retired life.”
He keeps himself busy with books, social media, taking walks in the park, meeting with friends, meditating, playing music and more. “I never feel lonely,” Pete shares, “I enjoy my time with other people, but most of the time I’m at home by myself, doing things I enjoy.”
Jason, a 77 year old living in his Florida condo, similarly busies himself with reading, enjoying the scenery, checking the news, going for a drive in his sports car or a bike ride along the lake near his home, doing grocery shopping and meeting fellow writers and musicians.
In Jason’s words, his routine characterizes “typical senior life.”
Another senior citizen, Tim, says:
Elderly people living alone will do the things they enjoy. If they used to write, they’ll continue to write. If they used to knit, they’ll continue to knit. If they used to sit around all day watching TV, they’ll most likely to continue to do that.
Leslie, whose mother-in-law is 88, confirms this: “My mother-in-law’s main hobby has always been quilting, and with great-grandchildren being born now, every baby gets a quilt.”
Another woman, who prefers to go anonymous, says she spends the vast majority of her time watching TV – up to 20 hours a day, in fact. She does read books and care for her cats, as well, but that’s all while the TV is up and running. As for sleep, she does some of that between 11 PM and 12 AM, and then again from 3 AM to 5:45 AM.
David, a self-proclaimed ‘grumpy old man,’ says he gets up, bathes, eats and then does whatever he pleases. He enjoys the news, social media, playing with dogs, writing, gardening, video games, cleaning, cooking, baking, napping and whatever else he might fancy. He’ll go shopping, sightseeing and spend time with friends and family.
“In short,” David says, aptly summing up life alone for the elderly, “it is a good life if you make it good.”
Yet another elderly citizen, Audrey, is very active despite her age, with a schedule filled with activities such as line dancing, cardio fitness, hiking, and multiple courses including art, French, history and current events.
“I love my life,” she says, “I feel like I’m finally pursuing all the things I wanted to learn about for years. I am more understanding and empathetic to others and more grateful than I have ever been in my life.”
And then there’s Sylvia, a woman approaching seventy who teaches full time and has no immediate plans of retiring… the list goes on.
Michael Fitzjohn, as usual, says it in the perfect words:
My last chapter of life is ending. I enjoy every moment. Every sunrise, sunset, and rain is beautiful.
I smile and laugh with people in stores. I see friends.
I live alone but I’m never by myself. Memories and my cat live with me.
