Many adult children and other family caregivers worry (and for good reason) about if and when the day comes that one elderly parent passes away and the other one is left to live alone. Truth is, the chances of one of your aging parents ending up living alone is fairly high.

How many elderly people live alone in the United States?

In the USA, over 13 million elderly adults are living alone. According to MerckManuals, “In the US, nearly 29% of the 46 million community-dwelling elderly live alone. About half of the community-dwelling oldest old (≥ 85 yr) live alone. About 70% of elderly people living alone are women, and 46% of all women age ≥ 75 yr live alone.

What do you need to know about living alone?

Bringing a furry friend home can relieve the loneliness you may experience living alone. Pets fulfill our natural need for touch and companionship, which can help you manage stress. Studies show that people with pets are healthier and live longer lives.

What happens to older adults without a family?

Throughout human history, elders have been cared for by families, but people are living longer today. Families are spread across long distances, and more adults are choosing not to have children.

What happens to your parents as you get older?

As we get older, so do our parents and other loved ones. Difficult as it is to consider, they may one day need our help — just as we once needed theirs. Our relationship with our elders can be complex, and sometimes we still carry the burden of familial resentments long past.

Is it true that people get older as they get older?

That whole circle-of-life thing isn’t just for cartoon lions and gazelles; we humans are bound to it just as firmly. As we get older, so do our parents and other loved ones. Difficult as it is to consider, they may one day need our help — just as we once needed theirs.

Can a child take care of an elderly parent?

Adult children are not built in safety nets for the elderly parent. Elderly parents must take some responsibility toward their care as they age and not assume their children will do it all for them. In today’s economy it is selfish and unrealistic for the elderly to meet their…