Solo Aging

Earlier this year, we reported on the growing evidence that loneliness is not only a deeply subjective feeling of being unsatisfied with, or unfulfilled by, the relationships in your life, but that it can have deeper implications for your physical and mental health. You may remember that in another previous…

Ossie Davis, the American actor and activist, who was married for more than 50 years to his wife, actress Ruby Dee, once said, “There is no secret to a long marriage – it’s hard work…It’s serious business, and certainly not for cowards.” There’s no doubt that the work of sustaining…

When asked about the secret behind his long marriage, comedian Henny Youngman once remarked, “Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays.” That…

If you were to buy into our youth-oriented culture, you might think there’s nothing to be happy about as you get older. Whether it’s your physical decline, the loss of friends or loved ones, or the finite number of days ahead of you, the prevailing ethos seems to suggest there’s…

The headlines are jarring, heralding a crisis that already exists for all too many of us. Aging solo, whether you’re single, a widow or widower, divorced, without children or close relatives, or estranged from loved ones, is a tough row to hoe, especially as costs are rising, affordable and appropriate…

Data has shown that there’s an ever-growing community of people aging on their own, without the support or companionship of a partner, adult child, or other loved ones. According to a recent AARP survey, 21% of US adults age 50 and above live alone, representing 24 million people, including one…