Getting older...and living alone

[Deecee]

Do you worry about aging, and how you are going to cope being on your own?
If you get sick?

Do you worry that you might have to move to a retirement village?
Or go and live with family?

Is the pension enough for you to survive on your own, if you're keeping good health?
(not meant to be a personal question, about other monies you might have)

Will you have to downsize?
What will happen to all your things, that take up space?

Will your family take care of you?

I owned a house but for various reasons wanted to move.  One of my sons wanted to get into the housing market but couldn't afford to buy.  We pooled our money and bought a house together, but we live apart.  We divided the house in two, so he has an apartment downstairs and I have an apartment upstairs.  I have to go downstairs to do my washing but apart from that try not to intrude.  He gets invited to dinner maybe once a fortnight.  He only has a shower and since he loves a bath, comes upstairs for one nightly, which means he gets to check I'm still alive.  It works well for us, but I think the secret is to respect the limits and stay out of each other's lives.  I try not to say 'Who was that?  Where did you go?'  but can't resist it occasionally.  I try to bear in mind that if we weren't living in this arrangement, I wouldn't know a lot about what was happening in his life, so I shouldn't be nosey (oh, the temptation!)  At the same time, the advantage for me is that if I had a fall, or a health problem, he is nearby.

I had to downsize from a three bedroom house, but I was happy to dispose of a lot of stuff that wasn't really my choice, and buy new stuff to fit the apartment, and I loved that.  I also got rid of a lot of the clutter we all collect, some of which I regret a little, but not too much.

Financially I could almost manage on just the pension if I had to, but I'd have to reign in the small pleasures of life such as a daily coffee and glass of wine, which would be a bit miserable.  I could do it if I had to, but don't want to.

I'm mid seventies, and so far it's working well.  Fingers crossed.