As a single senior living alone, what frightens you the most and how do you cope with that fear?

TabbyAnn said:
I have long thought there should be a local Forum like this where the elderly living alone with mobility issues could communicate with others on-line in their own town or city and meet local friends to share mutual help, ideas and information with. Much of the angst of old age is caused by isolation. If I was younger and had more energy, I would set up such a website myself, but alas I can no longer take on such a chore.
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A site like that would make everyone vulnerable to con artists. It’s better to have a local organization set up something in a senior Center.
 

TabbyAnn said:
How would a local Senior Forum be more vulnerable to con artists than this national one?
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If it’s a local forum, they’ll know where you are. There‘re lots of vulnerable people everywhere.
 

Teacher Terry said:
I bought an Apple Watch so if I need an ambulance I can just hit the button on the phone. Won’t help if I just die of course.
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That’s what I have right now too.

Honestly, if we both died suddenly I doubt anyone in the neighbourhood would notice for weeks. Maybe that’s exaggeration. It’s a small area. Everyone makes an effort to respect each others privacy. Maybe too much. For those singles, we keep an eye open for something unusual. For couples there’s less worry about us.
 
TabbyAnn said:
I have long thought there should be a local Forum like this where the elderly living alone with mobility issues could communicate with others on-line in their own town or city and meet local friends to share mutual help, ideas and information with. Much of the angst of old age is caused by isolation. If I was younger and had more energy, I would set up such a website myself, but alas I can no longer take on such a chore.
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There is one. It is called "Nextdoor.com". "It is an app for neighborhoods where you can get local tips", news, exchange ideas, ask for help, buy/sell, get references, etc.
Description: "It is password protected and can only be accessed by neighbors who have joined and then verified their address".
You can google it and get more details on it.
For safety your address will not be shown, only your neighborhood. This app is very popular and useful. Neighbors are helping neighbors in all sort of ways.
You might like to check with your local police, or sheriff, or senior centers as well. In Florida, the police will do a free welfare check on seniors living alone. You just have to enroll in their program.
I hope this can help you.
 
Jules said:
Honestly, if we both died suddenly I doubt anyone in the neighbourhood would notice for weeks. Maybe that’s exaggeration. It’s a small area. Everyone makes an effort to respect each others privacy. Maybe too much. For those singles, we keep an eye open for something unusual. For couples there’s less worry about us.
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Same here.
 
I live alone, there are no close friends or family and the nearest neighbors, amiable though they are, live about 100 yards away.
I could die somehow and rot away on the floor for weeks, maybe until the next Communion Sunday when the church would want to know why I'm not there with the bread I baked for the service.
So I eat healthily, exercise regularly and stay fit, but it's only a matter of time before I age into deterioration......
I should probably keep my phone on me at all times to call for help if I have to.
OK, I'll do that.....have to get a belt pouch for it.
 
Repondering said:
I should probably keep my phone on me at all times to call for help if I have to.
OK, I'll do that.....have to get a belt pouch for it.
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Check out this company, especially if you have a larger phone. My husband just replaced his first one; it had lasted for years.

When you shower, keep the phone close by. That’s a common place for a fall.

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I'm surprised that there isn't a service that contacts seniors once or more a day. If no answer the service has the number(s) of the people to call on the customer's behalf, at the very least local authorities.
 
Rossana said:
There is one. It is called "Nextdoor.com". "It is an app for neighborhoods where you can get local tips", news, exchange ideas, ask for help, buy/sell, get references, etc.
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Nextdoor.com bears no resemblance to this Senior Forum. Nextdoor.com isn’t a forum for the elderly to communicate with each other regarding problems of the elderly. It is for all neighbors of all ages to post messages about evemts and services of all kinds, most of which aren’t relevant to elderly seniors.
 
I have received tons of help from nextdoor neighbor forum...
mostly tho it is for a lot of folks to exchange info, get word
out about lost dogs//cats, even kids...our local sheriff posts
urgent news on the forum also......
 
TabbyAnn said:
Nextdoor.com bears no resemblance to this Senior Forum. Nextdoor.com isn’t a forum for the elderly to communicate with each other regarding problems of the elderly. It is for all neighbors of all ages to post messages about evemts and services of all kinds, most of which aren’t relevant to elderly seniors.
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I am sorry but you are incorrect on your description of Nextdoor. People offer to volunteer their time to help people, especially seniors. Perhaps your Nextdoor Forum addresses itself to a younger generation.
I wrote these ideas to help you out. I did not think you needed to come back at me this way. Good to know for future reference!
 
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JustBonee said:
I cope with it by having an alert on my phone that will contact my daughter if I don't respond to it each morning.
It's a program called 'Snug'
.... it gives me enough security to get by, without worrying that I die and leave my dog to fend for himself.
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Gardenlover said:
I'm surprised that there isn't a service that contacts seniors once or more a day. If no answer the service has the number(s) of the people to call on the customer's behalf, at the very least local authorities.
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I was talking about my Snug service in the post at the top. That is the purpose of the service. They will contact someone for you if you don't respond each morning to their alert on your phone. . It works great!

It's totally FREE ... and no one will ever bother you with anything else.
I've had this on my phone for three years now.
 
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Jules said:
A site like that would make everyone vulnerable to con artists. It’s better to have a local organization set up something in a senior Center.
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Jules said:
If it’s a local forum, they’ll know where you are. There‘re lots of vulnerable people everywhere.
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I'm not sure how I got these 2 quotes on this post or how to reply to them. But here goes trying..
How would a local Elderly Forum be more vulnerable to con artists than this Senior Forum? People wouldn’t have to list their house address just like they don’t have to list it here. However there are a thousand other strangers in your home town that do have all your data, including all those associated with your doctor, dentist, pharmacist, bank, credit card, internet provider, phone provider, and so on.
 
Rossana said:
I am sorry but you are incorrect on your description of Nextdoor. People offer to volunteer their time to help people, especially seniors. Perhaps your Nextdoor Forum addresses itself to a younger generation.
I wrote these ideas to help you out. I did not think you needed to come back at me this way. Good to know for future reference!
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I agree with you. People offer to help others all the time. This winter seniors asked for volunteers to shovel for them because they couldn’t afford to pay and people helped. One woman was moving into an apartment with nothing and myself and others furnished it with things we had in our house. Many pets have gotten home because of this app. Your real name and part of town show up so people tend to be nicer because they aren’t anonymous.
 
TabbyAnn said:
Nextdoor.com bears no resemblance to this Senior Forum. Nextdoor.com isn’t a forum for the elderly to communicate with each other regarding problems of the elderly. It is for all neighbors of all ages to post messages about evemts and services of all kinds, most of which aren’t relevant to elderly seniors.
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that's very true.. however I can only speak fr ours Nextdoor App.. and they regualrly post about club or small meetings opening up for various members of the community. Just the other day someone opend up a small club to meet once a week for people bewteen 25 and 50.. I have no idea why that's limited to that particular age, but it's the kind of thing that happens all the time. ..so it may be worth just asking on the Nextdoor app.. if people know of any local meetings or clubs for elderly and disabled..
 

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