Living alone and health

[officerripley]

Find the telephone number of your local office of the aging. They will help you. I call there all the time and whatever I need they will find out the information for you. These agencies are usually run by your state and should not have broken links. If they do, check for a phone number.

I would look for you if you are having trouble finding the numbers. You would have to give me your location though.

The trouble is with places in this part of the state, in some cases the closest Aging Agency office is sometimes 2 hours away. Another thread here on SF was talking about loneliness (and unfortunately there was a real "people are only as lonely as they want to be, nobody to blame but themselves, they just need to get out & volunteer & look harder for services, etc." vibe) and I spoke about someone I know who is lonely not by choice due to being stranded (for a lot of reasons) in a miniscule town and the closest Aging Agency office to her is 3 hours away. So it can be hard sometimes; I wish the very best of luck for all who are struggling with this here; sometimes it makes it hard this country just being so darn big.

 

[Autumn72]

My neighbors recently had to spend the day at the hospital. The husband was having a procedure done which would take a bit of time. They said he could not drive afterwards. His wife is unable to drive now but he wanted her to be there with him. A man from their church drove them to the appointment which was about 35 miles away. He had to pick them up here around 5:30 AM to get there by 6:30. Then he left them off there and said he was going to go somewhere to eat and then shop or something till they were ready to leave.

This procedure took a long time. The man said he did not mind the wait at all. That he liked doing this for people to help them. I forgot to mention it was on a morning when we had a lot of snow and they said to only drive on the roads if you had to. People who do things like this for others are such a blessing. I feel like I can't do anything for anyone else and it makes me so mad at myself.

There must be a way to get the plan to help all seniors who do live alone. With jobs disappearing this could be a job for people who have a driving record that the state would setup vans or cars for younger people to aide in all these appointments and household needs to help with laundry or dishes too bad teenagers were not allowed to make extra spending money as they would in babysitting jobs. Numbers are needed.

 

[Autumn72]

There use to be a van rtp that took folks to their appointments.
Then another charged may have closed down due to covid-19
Taxi one needs cash. Disability keeps my bank too far away
The ATM just across the street from my door, yet 5he sidewalks are EXTRA ICY while the sidewalk dip downwards on both sides make it impossible for me to take that extra step that had kept me as a hostage until a young lady pleasantly helped me cross over the sidewalk where the restaurant driveway intercepts with icy water yhrown out the back door of said restaurant. The ATM is across at the corner of my street and side by side with restaurants only a yard away from my doorway! Good God.......what does it take?
A city full of conveniences galore.

 

[katlupe]

The trouble is with places in this part of the state, in some cases the closest Aging Agency office is sometimes 2 hours away. Another thread here on SF was talking about loneliness (and unfortunately there was a real "people are only as lonely as they want to be, nobody to blame but themselves, they just need to get out & volunteer & look harder for services, etc." vibe) and I spoke about someone I know who is lonely not by choice due to being stranded (for a lot of reasons) in a miniscule town and the closest Aging Agency office to her is 3 hours away. So it can be hard sometimes; I wish the very best of luck for all who are struggling with this here; sometimes it makes it hard this country just being so darn big.

My office of the aging is about a block away. But I live downtown so close to everything.

 

[Tabby Ann]

The health system is great in Canada albeit with the delays of a social system and bureaucracy but my biggest concern is the small things such as having a someone drive me treatment , cooking meals etc while ill.

The health system isn’t great in the U. S. and many elderly seniors have the same concerns you do for surviving in their own homes. There’s a public misperception that all sorts of free social services are available to help the elderly stay in their homes but when most elderly seniors need those services they aren’t there. When you mention household needs for the elderly, someone always jumps up and says Meals on Wheels, as though that is the solution to all elderly problems. I’ve had to hire a housekeeper and yard man to help me stay in my home and drive me to my appointments and neither will work for a meal on a wheel. They want money.

 

[Leann]

In hindsight I regret not choosing a retirement home in a larger centre where there are more medical facilities. My husband’s specialists are out of town and I have limited driving skills now. He will eventually will be considerably disabled. There’s no support system.

I completely understand what you're saying @Jules. I chose a small town because it offers a wonderful quality of life in many regards but medical facilities that offer specialized care are a long distance away. I'd love to think I could age out in my home here but I also accept that it may not be possible. Best to you and your husband.

 

[officerripley]

The health system isn’t great in the U. S. and many elderly seniors have the same concerns you do for surviving in their own homes. There’s a public misperception that all sorts of free social services are available to help the elderly stay in their homes but when most elderly seniors need those services they aren’t there. When you mention household needs for the elderly, someone always jumps up and says Meals on Wheels, as though that is the solution to all elderly problems. I’ve had to hire a housekeeper and yard man to help me stay in my home and drive me to my appointments and neither will work for a meal on a wheel. They want money.

So true.

 

[boliverchadsworth]

Isn't it great to belong to a forum for someone to text you for opening up and telling your truth, just to be not a helping; bridge to give solutions instead of being a lack of solutions.
I find it insulting, that advice is always given without any empathy or compassion as the retirement crew csn wallow in their over privileged comfort zones while living alone seniors struggle to get things done.
Shame on you.

good for you- lots of small minded thoughtless folks everywhere- generally makes me feel good about myself ..(falsely I guess) people who do not realize that there is a box to think out of.hahha