News reports indicate that “elder orphans” are in a potentially difficult place right now, especially as they enter their advanced senior years. This population is vulnerable because they face a higher risk of isolation, thus making access to high quality care much more difficult than it is for other portions of the senior population.
An “elder orphan” is a senior that doesn’t have any family members that they can rely on, either because they do not have any children of their own, or the children and other family members that they are related to by blood are geographically distant or otherwise unable to care for them. Because many more of today’s seniors chose not to have families than generations in the past, there are far more elder orphans in today’s population than there have been at other points in history.
Thanks to the fact that adult children are usually the ones that help their older parents get connected to care, the growing elder orphan population poses a unique issue when it comes to public health. There are a lot of older adults out there that need assistance getting through each day safely that are not connected with the help that they need to thrive.
This is a tricky situation. Many seniors don’t want senior care, so they don’t pursue it. Sometimes, it is family members that direct them to care or help convince them that it’s necessary before it’s accepted. While many seniors are resistant to care, there’s a fine line between not needing care and not wanting it. When someone is on the fence about it, having a loved one to talk through options and guide can be valuable. Those seniors that don’t have family to do so can potentially miss out on care designed to improve the quality of their life simply because they don’t have a support system.
If you’re a senior citizen (or approaching that phase of life) without a large social network, you might not technically be considered an “orphan” but you still might be up against some unique challenges when it comes to your health. The first thing you can do is to be honest with yourself about your needs. If you’re not able to meet your needs, it’s important to reach out and get the help that you need. A trained care service won’t necessarily tell you that you need to move. An in-home caregiver might be perfect for meeting your needs without any hassle.
You might find it worthwhile to create an advance directive to legally ensure that your wishes are carried out as you age. Because of the fact that there are fewer people in your life that you’re close to, it will be more difficult to find someone to act with power of attorney to speak for you if you’re unable to do so. Advance directives are documents that speak for you if you’re unable to because of injury or illness so that your wishes are carried out. Please speak with an attorney to learn more about how this can happen.
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