Dear What Am I Going to Do
Dear M,
What am I going to do as I get older without a spouse or partner or children? It worries me that I may be in need of care and maybe someone to advocate for me. I don’t want to dread my aging. Will I have a place to live other than a nursing home? I sure don’t want that!
Dear What Am I Going to Do,
You are among a large ever-growing group of aging adults who we now refer to as
“Solo Agers.” In essence, that is a person, unpartnered and without children. For many, this can be a concern and for others, it is terribly anxiety-provoking. Whatever degree of anticipation you are feeling, it is justified. But you can do something about it! It is doable in your circumstance to grow older with thought, intention, choice and contingency plans. While we may not know exactly what is going to change in our mind and body and what options there may be over the years, it is possible to consider various options now.
So, let’s all take a deep breath while recognizing that there are a plethora of programs, services and technology to get you through your later years. The best part is to continue to imagine that you will have more say about will happen if you take this thinking and planning on now and not wait until you are possibly thrown into an “unplanned” or “not thought about” event.
You can have open conversations about your values, your interests and your desires in life with professionals who do this every day. Inquire. Schedule time to take care of this incredibly important business of life. Get rid of the bucket list. You should just keep on living!!! In that process, you will do what you want.
While we may not be in control of our genetics and the medical conditions which pop up in our lives, we do hold a tremendous amount of power to maintain health, wellness and independence. Each of us are ultimately responsible for our body and our mind.
Talk, listen, plan and feel rest assured that you are ready to focus on LIVING life to its fullest.
