3 Secrets to Thriving as a Single Senior

An increasing number of senior women are choosing to live alone after a divorce or death of a spouse instead of moving to a senior community or co-habitating. Many women are realizing that they don’t need to be in a romantic relationship to be happy and that they are fully capable of thriving as they live alone.

Even if you are healthy and independent, though, there are a few strategies you can employ to help make the most of spending your golden years solo.

Adapt Your Living Space

If you are used to living with someone else, you may need to make a few tweaks to your living space to make sure you’re safe. Look around your house for potential hazards that can be eliminated. For example, remove or fix items that are easily tripped on, such as cords, curled rugs and oddly shaped furniture. You don’t want to have an accidental fall and hurt yourself with no one around to help.

Make sure you have things you use all the time in easy-to-reach spots. Avoid using ladders and step stools and don’t strain your muscles or put yourself in a dangerous situation to get something off of a high shelf.

To make sure you’re safe living on your own, ask a family member, friend or neighbor to check on you at least once a day. You also may want to invest in a medical alert system, especially if you have a chronic illness. For example, the Lively Mobile, a medical alert device, can detect if you fall or are injured and will send help to your location. This will give both you and your loved ones peace of mind about living alone.

Find Ways to Socialize

Just because you’re single doesn’t mean you’re lonely. Make an effort to get together with family and friends to avoid feeling isolated. Whether you love to plan fun activities or you just get together to hang out, being around other people is important for your physical and mental well-being.

If you are looking to make some new friends, there are a lot of options for seniors. Join a retirement community to find a wide range of people and activities. You also can join a club or group for one of your hobbies, such as cooking, hiking, sports, painting or pretty much anything else you can think of. If you still want more to do, check out Meetup.com to join groups in your area or start your own meetup for something you love to do.

Stay Active

Staying fit and active is essential for people of all ages, but it becomes even more important as you get older. According to the National Institute of Health, regular exercise can prevent or delay many illnesses and help treat chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. In addition to the physical benefits, exercise can boost your mood, decrease your stress levels and lessen feelings of depression. Find ways to stay fit that work for your body and lifestyle. Join a gym or sports team to workout on a regular basis. There also are walking, hiking and running clubs that will keep you in shape and provide an opportunity to make new friends at the same time.

Just because you’re a single woman doesn’t mean you’re alone. If you adapt your living space and meet up with other people, you are sure to thrive in your senior years.