Solo Aging Group Support for Adults

​​Living a Healthy Life when Aging and Living Alone

To live a healthy life as a solo ager during the mid-to advanced years, it takes an expansive social network of friends, enhanced health care and a well being plan, retirement planning for solo living options, having purpose, knowledge of one's health risks and reducing them, and creating a support community.
Baby Boomers have the highest need for retirement planning for solo lifestyles since this cohort has the highest divorce rates, fewest number of children, and continue to care for parents. Many are primed to become a solo ager. Boomers typically do not have a large retirement savings however, others factors must be planned for to plan well when no family member is around to help.

The Lessons of the Caregivers Experience 

This was my chance to reflect on the aging care of a loved one. For years my sisters and I helped our parents and was involved in their health care. I saw firsthand what I will face in the future. What disturbed me the most was that I had no children to watch out for me. No spouse or a partner either.

I was a woman aging alone and realized I needed to spend more time planning for solo agers circumstances. At the time I journaled and took notes on the lessons learned helping my loved ones while being their patient advocate. It was a good thing because later, when faced with retirement planning for solo living, and thinking about the essential retirement planning... the lessons and hardships families lived through — will be all individuals launching point to a new way of life. 

Tips for initiating the aging strategies and roles

• Do not force action. Just have willingness to think about the retirement planning for solo seniors. 
• Start with a wish list about your health, care, friends, and living options. Give permission to feel hope and describe what you prefer to experience in the future. 
• Be grateful for the family and health you currently have and people who care about you. 
• Understand that any lifestyle change will take effort, time, and consistency.
• Admit this is not a one-time thing, it's the first in a series of actions. 
• Be open to changes. 

Seniors Planning for the Solo Agers Lifestyle

The Solo Aging Master Group Coaching will give members the needed information when aging alone. Members will create a social network when they sign up for and participate in the solo aging group. When aging alone without children nearby, living alone can put a person's long term care at risk.

The best thing about the group coaching it shows that people are not alone, even though we don't have loved ones who live close by. Each member will be a significant part of a support group of online friends and peers in search of opportunities for care, patient advocate, community, purpose, solving the health care proxy dilemma, retirement savings, designing affordable retirement communities with personal and health care needs in mind. The solo aging group will meet online two to three times a month--depending on the assigned tasks.  

LIVE Coaching 

The LIVE sessions are led by me, Carol Marak, a solo agers advocate and advisor. Each week I will present a new topic to discuss. At the end of the session, you'll be given homework. But while in the LIVE session, each member will have time to share, ask questions, and collaborate with one another all the while addressing their top solo aging concerns. It will be enjoyable and enlightening. Aging alone does not have to be a dreaded essential retirement planning effort. You won't learn just from me, but from each group member. 

Even though an adult does not have family members or children to count on, they can create necessary steps for better health, well being, and a family of choice. What adults need the most is information on the tough topics of developing a circe of care and caregivers, support, and solutions and living options that set our lifestyle on a better path.

Guided Planning for Solo Agers

My guided action steps give participants who are baby boomers and the generation x individual who identifies with the term solo ager. Members may live in a family of one but that does not mean they have to live in isolation, loneliness and without support of other people.

Joining and participating in the solo aging group coaching and information sessions, will build confidence to create a life to your liking. The tools given in the class will equip participants; widowed, single or divorced--to easily navigate for the years ahead and share our experience as a solo ager. Participants will learn strategies to avoid living like orphans.

Solo Aging Needs

• The Need for Planning as Solo Agers and Reasons Why Boomers don't
• The Stumbling Blocks that Impact Solo Agers Planning Ahead
• Accurately Assess the Top Concerns and Opportunities of Solo Agers
• Shift Mindset from Aging Problems to Aging Possibilities
• Learn Your Strengths and Weaknesses 
• Find living options that avoid loneliness and isolation
• Creating community and a social network
• Navigating the health care
• Avoid multiple doctors visits and the nursing home
• and explore the many best roles to take on!

The Solo Aging Master Group Coaching

For me the essence of coaching is change, improvement, and finding essential retirement planning resources and information, whether it's something we plan to do - or shifting the way we think - or becoming more resourceful. It's essential that an individual leave the group sessions with at least one action - and new perspectives that enhance aging alone. From the very beginning the coaching tools and worksheets applied in workshops - handouts where people document what they learn about themselves, the self care, the need for community, and identifying their health risks, will equip them to better manage their long term care needs.

Years ago, knee deep in retirement planning for solo living, I did it alone with no group or coach for guidance. However, I was a member of a counseling group and benefited very much. Group coaching works the same way - it's powerful and effective for improving health, wellbeing, personal strengths, self-efficacy, self-reliance, and beyond. All the tools for developing essential retirement planning as a solo ager.

Additional Benefits of Group Coaching

Individuals can benefit from:

• Shared wisdom of the other members
• Working toward common goals as part of a structured, step-by-step program
• Positive effect of social facilitation
• Increased self awareness from helping others within the group
• Development of advocacy and trust
• Improved conflict resolution
• Heightened emotional intelligence
• More affordable value

The Planning for Solo Agers and Baby Boomers

The Solo Aging Master Group Coaching begins March 24th at 5:00 pm CDT and is ongoing for as long as you choose. You can opt out any time but I doubt you will want to (because that's how delightful it will be for boomers.)  The planning for solo agers group coaching will be based on my upcoming book, SOLO and SMART, out in 2022 or earlier.

Planning for Solo Agers with Carol Marak

Family caregiving taught me about the challenges I will encounter in the years ahead.  It's that knowledge I share with solo agers who face growing older without a spouse or adult children to rely on. 

SOLO and SMART Masterclass Group Coaching 

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