How Seniors Can Live Independently Without Going Broke

Who says you can’t be on your own when you’re older? For seniors living alone, adjustments may need to be made every few years, to mitigate common fall risks and to prevent isolation, but staying in one’s home well into old age is a real possibility. Daily chores, like meal prep, grocery shopping and other activities may need to be simplified and steps need to be taken to stay connected with others. Here are ways seniors can make changes so as to live independently as long as possible.

On This Page

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  These 14 Home Modifications Can Prevent Mishaps

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  12 Tips on Getting the Right Insurance Before It’s Too Late

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  Eat Right With Nutrition and Meal Assistance

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  5 Driving Safety Tips and Help With Transportation

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  Take Care of Healthcare and Wellness in 6 Ways

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  5 Technology Tools To Connect & Stay Safe

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  5 Ways To Connect With Others and Stay Active

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  4 Financial and Legal Preparation Tasks

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  4 Ways To Create a Robust Social Network

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  Getting Help With Daily Living

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  Seniors Living Alone FAQs

These 14 Home Modifications Can Prevent Mishaps

1. Install grab bars in bathrooms and showers to feel more secure and to prevent falls.

2. Use sticky tiles on the bath floor so it’s less slippery in the shower.

3. Convert a bathtub to a stand-up shower, walk-in tub or curbless shower, if a conventional tub is all you have and climbing in and out becomes dangerous.

4. Make sure the seating in a stand-up shower is sturdy and won’t move or fall back from sitting and standing. A built-in bench is preferred.

5. Sitting down during showers and using a handheld shower head is safer than standing under water and possibly slipping and falling.

6. Add stairlifts or ramps if you have steps. You can also buy refurbished stairlifts if a new one is out of your range. Even cheaper is the stair climber, which helps you reach up to get you up the stairs, but you’ll still need ambulatory use of the legs.

7. Use non-slip flooring and mats

8. Add more lighting, especially in hallways and staircases. Make sure to use lights at night time.

9. Widening doorways may be helpful for walkers and other equipment.

10. Use smart home technology for voice-controlled lights and thermostats

11. Remote access to home security systems and other systems.

12. Install a single lever faucet to prevent burns.

13. Modify cabinets and knobs, door knobs and any handles for easy access, especially for arthritic hands.

14. Lowering kitchen cabinets may be costly but your only other option is to only use the ones that are comfortable to reach, using the top ones to store things you don’t ever use but want to store. Always make sure to ask for help if you do need the items in the top cabinets.

12 Tips on Getting the Right Insurance Before It’s Too Late

1. Combine Medicare Parts A, B and D and get vision, hearing and dental too by switching to the right Medicare Advantage (MA) plan after comparing rates.

2. Buy Medicare supplements (Medigap) to lower your out-of-pocket costs if you remain on original Medicare. Compare rates for the best deal.

3. Sign up for Medicare as soon as you qualify to avoid lifelong penalties to Parts B and D (even Part A, if you switch to an MA plan)

4. Consider a long-term care plan as early as possible to get coverage with at-home-care and caregiving. It may also pay for assisted living down the line, if you need it.

5. You can also pay for long-term care at home by adding a rider to a life insurance policy. Be aware that if you use the coverage, it may be deducted from your death benefit, leaving your beneficiaries with less money after you pass.

6. If you don’t have a life insurance policy, buy one, even if it’s more expensive. You’ll want burial insurance at the very least, to help pay for funeral expenses. It’ll be costly to buy a term or permanent life insurance policy in your later years so the earlier you buy life insurance, the better. Do the math to see if it’s worth it: look at what the payout would be to beneficiaries and weigh it against the total in premiums you anticipate paying in the future.

7. Even if your home is paid off, keep your homeowners insurance or condo insurance active or else you may have to spend thousands out-of-pocket, which may be a struggle with a limited budget. Consider adding flood insurance too, especially if you live in an area that experiences flooding. Floods are never covered with home insurance.

8. If you’re still driving and do so very rarely, tell your agent that you’re a low-mileage driver. Also see if pay-per-mile may get you the lowest rate. Compare car insurance rates to find the lowest prices.

9. If you’ve sold your home and now live in an apartment or other dwelling that you rent, don’t skimp on buying renters insurance, which will cover your personal possessions. If you’re renting out your home to pay for an apartment and in-home care, buy landlord insurance. Landlord coverage never covers losses to personal property.

10. If you drive a golf cart in your community, be sure to insure it, even if it’s not required.

11. If you have a collector car in your garage but you never drive it, buy comprehensive coverage, in case of theft or vandalism or any type of damage the car may incur from a storm, fire, flood or other disaster.

12. Review your home inventory, especially if you have not done so in a while. Get familiar with how much each item is worth today and what it costs to buy it new. If you decide you want a more comprehensive policy that will pay you enough to replace the item with a new one rather than the depreciated price, buy a replacement cost value policy versus an actual cost value policy. It will cost more

Eat Right With Nutrition and Meal Assistance

Always follow a senior-friendly diet recommended by your primary care physician. 

1. Use meal delivery services such as Meals on Wheels, CookUnity, Mom’s Meals or Silver Cuisine by bistroMD.

2. If you don’t have the budget to buy prepared meals and have to cook, prepare a week’s worth of meals ahead of time and freeze them.

3. Sign up for a home delivery service, like Amazon Fresh, for groceries to avoid driving.

4. Get assistance from family or caregivers for grocery shopping and cooking, when possible. It’s always better to have someone there when you do your weekly meal prep in case of an emergency like a kitchen fire or injury.

5. Practice food safety when cooking, especially when cutting with sharp knives and other utensils

5 Driving Safety Tips and Help With Transportation

1. If you’re still driving, avoid driving at night time and make sure your car insurance only charges you for the few miles you drive.

2. Use senior ride programs or local shuttle services that may take you to the grocery store or into town, depending on where you live.

3. Sign up for a ride-share program with senior assistance services.

4. Use public transportation, like buses, which offer discounted fares for seniors.

5. Schedule errands when you know you’ll have transportation help from family members, caregivers or neighbors.

Take Care of Healthcare and Wellness in 6 Ways

1. Use telemedicine services for virtual doctor visits if you have trouble securing rides to the doctor’s office.

2. Hire caregivers or home health aides for medical or daily living support. You may be able to pay for these services with a long-term care plan or a rider on a permanent life insurance policy. Some medically necessary home visits will be covered by Medicare or Medicare Advantage, with doctor clearance.

3. Use pill organizers or automatic dispensers to manage medications. If the senior has memory loss, an Alexa reminder, a timer, alarm or other audio alerts may help.

4. Using emergency alert systems like Life Alert can help seniors feel more confident being on their own, knowing that help is just a press of a button away.

5. Make sure to be up-to-date with screenings, annual checkups and in managing any existing conditions. The right Medicare plan or supplement can help pay for tests, test strips and other items, including medically necessary equipment.

6. Get a pet! There are medical alert dogs that can retrieve emergency medical supplies or detect issues with diabetes, seizures and asthma attacks before they happen, allergies, and they can even detect certain cancers. Plus, many people simply love the companionship of pets, which can reduce stress and feelings of loneliness.

5 Technology Tools To Connect & Stay Safe

1. Use smartphones with voice control and interfaces that are easy to navigate.

2. Wear medical alert or fall-detection devices.

3. Use video calling apps to stay connected.

4. Install apps for medication reminders and calendar alerts.

5. Use voice control for lights, thermostats and medication reminders.

5 Ways To Connect With Others and Stay Active

1. Join senior centers or local community programs to stay social and avoid isolation.

2. Take part in adult education, exercise or other types of learning courses to keep the mind active and to connect with others. Learn a language or how to play an instrument.

3. Stay active in hobbies such as gardening, reading, drawing, painting or puzzles.

4. Volunteer or join religious or club activities. Get involved in the local church, mosque or synagogue. Find out about coffee shop book clubs or hiking groups.

5. Engage in online communities for seniors.

4 Financial and Legal Preparation Tasks

1. Set up automatic bill payments and online banking

2. Consult a financial advisor or trusted family member for help with budgeting

3. Keep legal documents up to date (will, power of attorney, etc.)

4. Explore options like long-term care insurance or government benefits

4 Ways To Create a Robust Social Network

1. Establish regular check-ins with family and friends so people are aware of your situation and can help with any problems or needs.

2. Participate in a neighbor or buddy system for conversations, tea/coffee and connection.

3. Join local or virtual exercise or walking groups for seniors.

4. Consider hiring a part-time caregiver for additional companionship.

Getting Help With Daily Living

1. Hire help for housekeeping, lawn care, or errands. Some caregivers will do light cleaning, laundry and dishes.

2. Hire a caregiver if you’re challenged with toileting, grooming and bathing independently.

3. Use assistive tools like reachers or dressing aids.

4. Set up laundry pickup or cleaning services if you don’t have a caregiver.