Do you know anyone in their 90s who lives at home independently?

[Meltingchocolate]

I know one person in their 90s who lives at home and has carers four times a day. He can’t go out alone and depends on a wheelchair.

I know one couple who are quite independent and still mobile eg do all their own shopping. They don’t need carers but they help each other.

It was part of a discussion with my elderly parents (early 80s) where they assumed that most people in their 90s would be living in a care home. I was wondering how common it is for people in their 90s to still live in their own home?

DH's gran lived independently until she was 93 (then in a care home for a few more years). Did her shopping on foot with a trolley bag (I'm convinced this is what kept her so fit and active), cooked and cleaned for herself.

2 great aunts both sadly passed in the last year or so. One on each side of our family. Lived independently until the end. Both died of cancer.

My grandad lived alone with no outside help apart from typical family stuff that didn't include care (like social visiting, dropping a couple of meals, light tidying/organising tradespersons etc) from age 87 when widowed to 92 when he passed away from a short illness.

The only person I knew who was still at home in their 90's had a twice weekly cleaner, gardener, farm foods delivery, mini bus to clubs a couple of times a month and family popping in for 30 mins a few days a week. She was quite on the ball though.

My Grandma does, she’s 99 next month. People take shopping in for her and she prefers not to go out but she’s very independent still.

Did her shopping on foot with a trolley bag (I'm convinced this is what kept her so fit and active)

I think the same of my nan. She was very, very active- walked everywhere and did housework every single day so was always on the move/hardly ever still. She went to bed on the dot of 10pm every night, was up at 7am, ate three square meals every day with no snacking in between and she wouldnt even watch telly - she'd spend evenings doing crosswords and sudoku and I am convinced the combo of physical exercise and brain stimulation kept her mentally and physically healthy.

Yes my grandmother is 93.

My gran lived until she was 98 and lived at home until she was 95 and managed the stairs ok, and without carers. The house had some aids such as raised toilet, wet room, grab handles and my aunt stay in the next street to popped in every day. My mum went up once a week to help her with a bath, the rest of the week she washed with a flannel.

dh's papa stayed at home until he died at 96. He had cleaners and carers in everyday. We visited every 2-3 weeks as it was 1h 45m away, but he refused to move. It was a pretty miserable existence as he had no family locally and all his friends had died before him.

My boss, recently moved her mum into a residential home aged 94. Prior to that she had a carer in once a day.

So why it sometimes does happen, I don't know any other people, the ones that made it to their 80s, who made it beyond their mid/late 80s without going into a residential home. Mostly because they start developing chronic health conditions or have an event (such as a stroke) or injury, that affects their independence and then they start to go down hill quite quickly after that.

My grandma passed away 6 months ago aged 96 she lived at home independently until just before her 96th birthday when she became unwell (heart failure) and needed a bit of support but still at home for 6 months until she had a fall & broke her hip she then spent a few months in hospital recovering & sadly passed away

My aunt is 92 and lives with my cousin but doesn't need care, just prefers to live there for both their peace of mind.

My FIL lived on his own until he died aged 95. He had a home help a couple of times a week who would get some shopping for him. He gave up driving at 93.
DHs aunt lived on her own independently until she had a fall when she was 97 yrs old and then went into a care home.

My mother in law is 89 and lives alone, she’s amazing. Only just stopped driving this year. Uses online shopping and friends take her places or she calls a taxi. Does loads of classes on Zoom and just looks after herself really well. Very lucky she’s in good health.

My neighbour…103! Has a lady comes in 4 hours/5 days a week but manages herself over the weekend. She’s really pretty sprightly with her zimmer, very knowledgeable and articulate, we enjoy a chat when she’s sitting outside when the weather is nice.

So nice to hear, I really hope she gets that card!!

My nan-in-law was at home independently until gone 90.

She was fiercely independent and would collect prescriptions for the ‘old ladies’ and help any neighbour.

Unfortunately, she had a fall and had a very quick decline.

My granny is 90 and my granda is 94, they're both still living at home. Granda is more mobile than granny. They don't have carers (they refused them), our family helps out a lot with them.

It’s nice reading all these posts.

One of my relatives managed independent living at home until his mid 90s.

He's 99 now and in a care home. He first got home visits 3 years ago. So he was independently at home until he was 96.

My relative does at 101. A neighbour sees to his shopping for him and he still cooks. Housework? Dont think he bothers.

None of us do (I assume) but he is so totally on the ball and active that I'd be amazed if he needs carers to help with his personal care. I'd be very surprised if he doesn't have a cleaner and/or a housekeeper, but he's still clearly pretty mobile.

Yes, quite a few. I had 3 grandparents who all lived into their 90s and were in their own homes with no help.

My MIL is 96 and living alone. She is still very capable. I have parents who are both almost 90 and still looking after themselves with no external help (Well, they have a cleaner for 2 hours a week, but my DM worked and they always had one anyway)

My H's grandfather lived at home alone until 96 IIRC - he needed care at home for the last 3-4 weeks of his life. Between 90-95 he needed a garden and a cleaner, but was still walking out to the corner shop each morning.

I think it's probably also relevant that three of his middle aged aged children, and three or four adult grandchildren were living within walking distance. They didn't provide regular hands on care, but there was always someone at the end of the phone who could be there pretty promptly to deal with any unexpected needs.

My friends grandad lived independently until he was 98 - and only went Into a care home as he couldn't manage the stairs and housework. He was still sharp though until he died at 101.

I also know a lady who is 96 and still currently living at home alone although with help fairly regularly from her 2 daughters.

And my uncle was 95 when he died, still doing his own shopping and going swimming. So not that unusual.

My great aunt until she was 95. Did her housework/laundry/food shopping/cooking.

At 96 she stopped home cooking (M&S ready meals) and hired someone to do the housework/shopping after being pestered by her son to get help in.

By 97 she was in a care home and died within six months.

I think keeping active was a big part of why she remained as independent as she was for so long and the less she did resulted in a downward spiral for her both mentally and physically.

My neighbour turned 100 a few months back and lives on her own in a 2 bed house. Goes up & down stairs, cooks her own meals, washes & irons all her clothes etc. I do her weekly shopping and housework but she calls cabs and goes out to get hair done once a week and to chiropodists etc. She is amazing