Old And Alone

Social isolation and loneliness are serious yet underappreciated public health risks that affect a significant portion of the older adult population. Approximately one-quarter of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, and a significant proportion of adults in the United States report feeling lonely. People who are 50 years of age or older are more likely to experience many of the risk factors that can cause or exacerbate social isolation or loneliness, such as living alone, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and sensory impairments. Over a life course, social isolation and loneliness may be episodic or chronic, depending upon an individual's circumstances and perceptions. A substantial body of evidence demonstrates that social isolation presents a major risk for premature mortality, comparable to other risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, or obesity. As older adults are particularly high-volume and high-frequency users of the health care system, there is an opportunity for health care professionals to identify, prevent, and mitigate the adverse health impacts of social isolation and loneliness in older adults. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults summarizes the evidence base and explores how social isolation and loneliness affect health and quality of life in adults aged 50 and older, particularly among low income, underserved, and vulnerable populations. This report makes recommendations specifically for clinical settings of health care to identify those who suffer the resultant negative health impacts of social isolation and loneliness and target interventions to improve their social conditions. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults considers clinical tools and methodologies, better education and training for the health care workforce, and dissemination and implementation that will be important for translating research into practice, especially as the evidence base for effective interventions continues to flourish.

A practical yet humorous guide to aging solo gracefully and achieving a happy retirement. In Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers, certified retirement coach Sara Zeff Geber coins the term “Solo Ager” to refer to the segment of society that either does not have adult children or is single and believes they will be on their own as they grow older. This book explores the path ahead for this group. That includes choices in housing, relationships, legal arrangements, finances, and more. Geber reviews the role of adult children in an aging parent’s world and suggests ways in which Solo Agers can mitigate the absence of adult children by relationship building and rigorous planning for their future. Geber shares her expertise on what constitutes a fulfilling older life and how Solo Agers can maximize their opportunities for financial security, physical health, meaning and purpose in the second half of life, and, finally, planning for the end game. Through real-life stories and anecdotes, the author explores housing choices, relationships, and building a support system. You will learn about: · different levels of care and independence in various types of living arrangements · how to initiate discussions among friends and relatives about end-of-life treatment · “what if” scenarios · who to talk to about legal and financial decisions And it’s not just the Solo Ager that can learn from this book. Financial advisors, elder law and estate attorneys, senior care managers, and others whose clientele is on the far side of sixty will benefit as well.

What concerns do you have as you grow older without a spouse or partner by your side? Are you worried that you might outlive your money, or have nowhere to turn if you become seriously ill or hurt or want to make new friends in your age group? This book will help you find answers to those questions and more. Ms. Alvarez also is the author of CCRCs: Find the Right Continuing Care Retirement Community for Yourself Or a Loved One

This book offers a concise, comprehensive resource for middle-aged readers who are facing the prospects of their own aging and of caring for elderly relatives—an often overwhelming task for which little in life prepares us. Everyone ages, and nearly everyone will also experience having to support aging relatives. Being prepared is the best way to handle this inevitable life stage. This book addresses a breadth of topics that are relevant to aging and caring for the elderly, analyzing each thoroughly and providing up-to-date, practical advice. It can serve as a concise and comprehensive resource read start-to-finish to plan for an individual's own old age or to anticipate the needs of aging relatives, or as a quick-reference guide on specific issues and topics as relevant to each reader's situation and needs. Using an interdisciplinary approach, Aging with a Plan: How a Little Thought Today Can Vastly Improve Your Tomorrow develops recommendations for building sustainable social, legal, medical, and financial support systems that can promote a good quality of life throughout the aging process. Chapters address critical topics such as retirement savings and expenses, residential settings, legal planning, the elderly and driving, long-term care, and end-of-life decisions. The author combines analysis of recent research on the challenges of aging with engaging anecdotes and personal observations. By following the recommendations in this book, readers in their 40s, 50s, and early 60s will greatly benefit from learning about the issues regarding aging in the 21st century—and from investing some effort in planning for their old age and that of their loved ones.

As the median age of the population increases, the care and housing of the elderly in the U.S. are of increasing concern. Jeanie Kayser-Jones compares a typical private institution in the U.S. with a government-owned home in Scotland. Her analysis compels attention to the systematic abuse of the institutionalized elderly in the U.S.

What Keeps Us from Flourishing? We all long to live out our faith with daily joy, but so often that joy eludes us. Why is that? More often than we realize, it’s because we’ve absorbed messages that curve us in on ourselves. These messages have even crept into the church, disguised as truth. It’s time we learn to discern teaching that’s toxic from that which is true and pure. Flourish equips us with tools to identify the lies that come at us about where to find real life. As we dig deep into what God says in his Word, we will learn to discern the worldly influences that threaten to warp our understanding of what it really means to be a Christian, and emerge with a faith that flourishes—full of the abundant life Jesus promises.

When the echo of one's heartbeat is the sole intimate companion, one is trapped within the confines of hollow loneliness, unable to communicate fears, yearnings and pain. The Three Secrets of Living Alone, written for seniors, reveals this lonely inner world and offers proven solutions to the silent suffering. This book silences the suffering. A crisp blueprint for managing the sorrow, the book illuminates the darkness seniors reluctantly enter at the intersection of aging, and, simultaneously, losing a partner. Struggling with the staggering vision of facing the future alone is a wrenching experience. The unique suffering requires unique assistance. The Three Secrets of Living Alone guides readers from the sorrowful beginnings through the process of renewal and recovery. In detailed steps it shows how to: eradicate loneliness, deal with uncertainty, face fears, regain independence, and find fulfillment.

You Don't Have to Do It Alone Whether you're prepared for it or not, chances are you'll take on the role of caregiver when a family member or friend is affected by a serious illness or injury, or when you find your elderly parent needs help. As you'll soon discover, the range of tasks and responsibilities involved are overwhelming. Share The Care offers a sensible and loving solution: a unique group approach that can turn a circle of ordinary people into a powerful caregiving team. Share The Care shows you how to: Create a caregiver "family" from friends, real family members, neighbors, coworkers, and acquaintances. Hold a meeting to organize your group, and introduce members to the Share The Care systems that guarantee every job will be done and no one person will have to do too much. Discover the hidden talents within the group, make the most of their resources, cope with group issues, and stay together in the face of adversity. Included here are valuable guidelines, compassionate suggestions, and a simple-to-use workbook section that together offer support to free the patient from worry and the caregivers from burnout. Share The Care offers friends and family the best answer ever to the frequently asked question "What can I do?"

THE BEST SELLING NOVEL WHICH CREATED A WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON 'A perfect bedside companion for the post-Bridget Jones generation' DAILY TELEGRAPH (CANADA) 'Hillis's book gave rise to 'Live Alone' accessories, including cocktail shakers, china dogs and negligees' WALL STREET JOURNAL 'She was boldly leading a vanguard of young women into a self-reliant, judgment-free future' NATIONAL This 1936 bestseller sold over 100,000 copies in the first two months of its release. Marjorie Hillis, a 1930s Vogue editor, provides a stylish, no-nonsense guide to living and loving single life. Written with wisdom, humour and panache, this is advice that will never go out of fashion. She takes women through the fundamentals of living alone by showing them how to create a welcoming environment and cultivate home-friendly hobbies, 'for no woman can accept an invitation every night without coming to grief.' 'Chances are that at sometime in your life, possibly only now and then between husbands, you will find yourself settling down to a solitary existence. You may do it from choice. Lots of people do ... Whether you view your one-woman menage as Doom or Adventure (and whether you are twenty-six or sixty-six), you need a plan.' Who can resist a book with chapters such as 'A Lady and Her Liquor', 'Pleasures of a Single Bed' and 'Solitary Refinement'? Live Alone and Like It is sure to appeal to live-aloners' and those considering taking the plunge. With beautiful and stylish line drawings by a Vogue illustrator.

This open access book provides a comprehensive perspective on the concept of ageism, its origins, the manifestation and consequences of ageism, as well as ways to respond to and research ageism. The book represents a collaborative effort of researchers from over 20 countries and a variety of disciplines, including, psychology, sociology, gerontology, geriatrics, pharmacology, law, geography, design, engineering, policy and media studies. The contributors have collaborated to produce a truly stimulating and educating book on ageism which brings a clear overview of the state of the art in the field. The book serves as a catalyst to generate research, policy and public interest in the field of ageism and to reconstruct the image of old age and will be of interest to researchers and students in gerontology and geriatrics.