As we age, most of us claim we want to age in place—to stay in the familiar homes we love throughout the rest of our lives. But many seniors don’t think this decision through and wind up unsafe, unsupported, lonely and even housebound.
“Elder orphans” is the phrase du jour in the elder care industry. It describes seniors who are single or widowed and have no children (at least locally) and no support system. They find themselves living alone in the community with no one to help care for them should they need it. This group of “orphans” will increase sharply as baby boomers age and as average life expectancy in the United States continues to stretch toward 80 and beyond.
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