June 23, 2025—If you live alone and don't have family nearby, it might be time to make a wise move: Start thinking about how you can age well on your own.
Solo aging is on the rise. Whether they're divorced, widowed or never married, an increasing number of older adults have no partner, adult children or other family to care for them. In fact, among people age 65 and older in the U.S., 33% are solo women, and about 22% are solo men, reports AARP.
If you're living alone, considering your options for assistance later in life can be stressful. That's why it's best to begin before you need support.
Tips for aging alone
Get your affairs in order. This includes making a will, planning for your future healthcare needs and organizing essential legal documents. You should also talk with trusted family and friends, as well as your doctor, about care and treatment decisions you may need to make. Review and change your plans as needed, advises the NIA.
Prepare for problems. If you live alone, it's a good idea to have a plan in place for sudden emergencies. You might consider investing in a medical alert system in case of a fall or other injury. Or you might coordinate with friends in the area or hire someone to help take care of pets and household tasks during an illness.
Strengthen social ties. According to the National Institute on Aging (NIA), being lonely or socially isolated can increase your risk for conditions such as heart disease, anxiety, depression and dementia. Lonely and isolated people are also less likely to get enough exercise or healthy sleep.
Try these tactics to stay socially connected:
- Explore an interest. Have you always wanted to start birding or take up tai chi? Sign up for a class. Deepen your knowledge on a topic by joining a lecture series or discussion group. You can meet other people who have the same interests.
- Volunteer. This is a rewarding way to make new friends while getting involved in your community.
- Reach out regularly. Make it a habit to check in with family and friends. Face-to-face contact is great, but email, text, social media, phone calls, letters and online meetings work too.
Want to grow your friend group? It's never too late. Learn some ways to build social bonds—at any age.
Sources
- AARP. "Solo Agers Facing the Future Need a Network of Friends." https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/basics/solo-agers/.
- American Red Cross. "Older Adults Preparedness Checklist." https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/get-help/how-to-prepare/Older_Adults_Disaster_Prep_1Pager_11012022.pdf.
- National Institute on Aging. "Aging in Place: Growing Older at Home." https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/aging-place/aging-place-growing-older-home.
- National Institute on Aging. "Getting Your Affairs in Order Checklist: Documents to Prepare for the Future." https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/advance-care-planning/getting-your-affairs-order-checklist-documents-prepare-future.
- National Institute on Aging. "Loneliness and Social Isolation—Tips for Staying Connected." https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/loneliness-and-social-isolation/loneliness-and-social-isolation-tips-staying-connected.