When Carol Marak contacted me about sharing these resources with my Self Help Daily visitors, I jumped at the chance and considered it an honor to do so. I have always had a ridiculously soft spot in my heart for “older” people… even as I creep closer and closer to them with each passing year! In addition to a soft spot for seniors, I have endless, overflowing respect for them.
Let’s fact it, life’s tough! Seniors have weathered the storm and – guess, what – they’re still standing.
The resources listed are for people over 65 years old who happen to live alone – without a spouse, adult children, or live-in help. There are millions of these individuals who now have to learn to live with a whole new set of life’s rules and play a whole new game.
After I replied, telling Carol that it’d be my pleasure to share these resources, I got to thinking about a few ladies in our family who would have been prime candidates to take advantage of these very resources. My mom and my mother-in-law were each the “last one standing” in their marriages. I spent an hour or so thinking about these ladies (who have, since, gone on to reunite with their husbands in Heaven) and I realized a few things.
Each one hammered home the truth of one of my favorite quotes (by Ralph Abernathy),”It’s not the name they call you, it’s the name you answer to.” My mom and mother-in-law didn’t cling to words like “lonely, helpless, widow, alone…” – instead they identified themselves (by not having to say a word) as “independent, strong, proud…” They took on an air of, “I got this! I can still enjoy life, laugh, have fun, and enjoy peace and happiness.”
And that they did.
The resources, below, are for what these very groups good-naturedly refer to as “elder orphans.” Some seniors who now live alone may have adult children or other family members who live near them, while others may have family that lives far away. Still others may not have any family whatsoever.
Whatever group these special people fall into, they can find comfort in the fact that they are not alone – there are millions out there in the same boat. Millions who are also learning how to navigate around what must feel like a whole new world.
Senior Guides: http://www.seniorcare.com/
Elder Orphan Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/
If you happen to fit into this group, I hope and pray that you’ll click through the links and check things out for yourself. For someone to be truly “alone,” they have to be the only one in a particular situation. You most certainly are not! You are part of a large force and these resources can help you connect with others and gain strength from them.
If you have someone in your life who could benefit from these groups, please pass the information along to them. And, while you’re at it, give them a hug from me, okay?
Resource for Adults with Autism:
The seniors deserve to have all the care that they can get. They have reached a milestone that many of us could not surpass. Our elders need to be treat with dignity because of what they are going through right now. The seniors will always have a place in our hearts.