Power Ballads

ALONE -- Sung by Heart
​
I hear the ticking of the clock
I'm lying here the room's pitch dark
I wonder where you are tonight
No answer on the telephone
And the night goes by so very slow
Oh I hope that it won't end though
Alone

Till now I always got by on my own
I never really cared until I met you
And now it chills me to the bone
How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone

You don't know how long I have wanted
To touch your lips and hold you tight, oh
You don't know how long I have waited
and I was going to tell you tonight
But the secret is still my own
and my love for you is still unknown
Alone
Till now I always got by on my own
I never really cared until I met you
And now it chills me to the bone
How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone

How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone
Alone, alone
Writer(s): STEINBERG WILLIAM E, KELLY THOMAS F

This song came out in the late 1980's and I have to admit, every time I hear it, it takes me back to the days when I had a 1966 Mustang, candy apple red with gold underhighlights and a black base coat.  I would ride around the streets of Fort Worth Texas and cruise with the windows down and the radio way too loud, and blast this song (and others) from a cassette tape (yes, the Mustang had an aftermarket cassette deck).  What a song.  I did not know until a few weeks ago that the line was "How do I get you alone" and not "How do I get through alone"--I guess you learn something new every day.

How will you get through, alone, indeed?  Let's pretend that the line was what I thought it was.  This Heart song is quite sad, I will admit, as written.   Is it about a jilted lover or someone who has lost their love?  If we assume it was about someone who has lost their love, we can extrapolate this to be applicable to some new jargon in the elder law field: the Solo Senior. 

Everyone assumes that our kids will help take care of us when we get older.  A lot of older folks rely on their spouse or kids to manage their affairs.  At first, for instance, someone may volunteer to get their elderly mother's groceries, but over time, this relationship may evolve into a need for full time care.  Some seniors dont have the option of having some family member take care of them--maybe they never had kids or never got married.  According to some recent studies, something like 25% percent of the seniors out there are alone, over age 55, with no kids nearby. 

If you or someone you know is in this group, senior, isolated from friends and family, maybe far away from their traditional "home base", there are steps that you may wish to take to avoid issues in the future.  You could change where you live--reconsider living alone in a house with two stories, for instance.  Maybe a senior-oriented community would be a better adapted for your needs.  You should help build a social network in real life--talk to folks at church, where you work, or where you enjoy doing other social things--and make sure some people there know your situation and will be there for you in your time of need.  

Most importantly, whatever your situation, is the establishment of an estate plan.  Everyone over the legal age of consent (18 years old) should have an advance medical directive and a financial power of attorney.  An advance medical directive allows you to appoint someone who has the authority to make medical decisions for you and outlines your wishes for end-of-life care. A financial power of attorney allows you to appoint someone to manage your finances for you if you are unable to manage them on your own. Without these documents in place, if you become incapacitated, it may be necessary for someone to petition a court to become your guardian and conservator, so they can make these decisions for you – and that person might not be who you would have wanted making those decisions.  You can name many people to fulfill the needed roles outlined in these documents.  Think of your siblings, nieces and nephews, friends, or even attorneys.  

Give us a call today.  We can help you make your life as a solo senior a bit easier by establishing a solid estate plan, so you dont have to worry about "how you will make it through alone".