Without Safety Net of Kids or Spouse, 'Elder Orphans' Need Fearless Fallback Plan

A 2016 study published in Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research found about 22 percent of U.S. seniors are "elder orphans," or older people without a spouse or children whom they can rely on for care, reports Kaiser Health News . "This is an often overlooked, poorly understood group that needs more attention from the medical community," says Maria Carney with Northwell Health. A 500-person survey also found 70 percent of respondents had not identified a caregiver who would help if they became ill or disabled, while 35 percent did not have "friends or family to help them cope with life's challenges." Financial insecurity and health concerns were common among respondents, with 25 percent saying they feared losing their housing, 23 percent noting they lacked money to meet basic needs at least once in the past year, and 31 percent citing insecurity about their financial future. Moreover, 40 percent admitted to depression, 37 percent to anxiety, and 52 percent to loneliness. Retirement coach Sara Zeff Geber says planning for challenges that can arise with advancing age is imperative for people who go it alone, and a good starting point is thinking about things that adult children do for older parents and how they are going to do all of that themselves or with outside assistance.