What a great post. I too live on my own. I managed to care for myself through stage 4 appendix cancer treatment (2 major surgeries plus chemo and immunotherapy). I have trouble asking for help so thank goodness I could. It was fortuitous I had put hand rails in for my father when he stayed with me briefly while his own home was being renovated for his own pressing safety needs (like removing the tub and putting in a walk in shower, changing out his gas cooker top to a safer one, moving his bedroom downstairs, decluttering, installing handrails etc).

He and we are very fortunate that one of his granddaughters and her fiancé live on the upper floor while attending university close by then while saving to buy a home. It works brilliantly for everyone - for the time being. Dad is coming up for 90 and wants to stay in the family home as long as he can. His health is good but he can’t leave the house by himself. He’d get lost quickly and confused, and unable to get home. There are many of us children and grand children who take him out and either do or organise anything he needs done around the house or yard. He wears an emergency necklace and we have security cameras outside so we know if he goes out the front or back door and can keep an eye on him. So far he has his privacy inside and we don’t have cameras inside. He’s proactive about his safety and will tell us when he would like us to install them and where.

This post has got me thinking hard about getting ready myself while I have time. Ready for a recurrence or for older age.

Thank you everyone.