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 great uncle lived independently all
his life. Was doing the gardening two
days before he died, aged 107. His sister died at 105, and was still walking a mile uphill to the village church every Sunday to do the flowers, right up until her death.

My Dad lived completely independently until he died at 95, the last 5 years alone once my Mum died. He had no help at all, although I loved visiting and going out with him/ meeting him in town several times a week. The only things he needed a bit of help with were getting him set up with technology (iPhone & iPad) so he could keep in touch with friends and family (and play games on the iPad) and taking to the odd appointment once he stopped driving. I know I was extremely lucky!

I know an amazing 90 Yr old who lives completely independently, she still drives, she parties, has boyfriends, gets her nails gelled, her hair is purple...I aim to be like her if I live that long!

She comes into my cafe with friends, some are still young in their 80s but they also live alone, drive etc. They all go on holidays together, and their craic is so funny, and pretty blue!

My mum is 91 and still lives independently in her own home. She doesn't have carers, is fully mobile, cooks her own meals, does her shopping and potters in the garden.

She does have a gardener once a fortnight and we help out with heavy shopping and house jobs. She no longer drives, but only in the last 2 or 3 years.
She's a bit of a miracle, I suppose!

Grandma lived to 98. She’d get a lift from relatives to major hospital appointments and the like, but day to day she was almost completely independent until 96, when she got a cleaner and started getting groceries delivered. Always made her own meals, did her own laundry and never had carers. Walked to the dentist, doctors, hairdressers and the local shops. I do think she had an ideal apartment in an ideal location for an independent old age - it would have been very different in a big old house in a rural location.

Unfortunately she had a very nasty fall at 98, broke her hip, and during the hospital stay lost her strength, confidence and just interest in life. She caught a respiratory virus at the nursing home she was sent to for “rehab”, deteriorated rapidly and died a couple of weeks later. I think at that age independence and health is very fragile - one trip over a footstool, a broken hip and it all collapsed.

Please update this next year with the photo of her telegram from Charles. What a woman 😍 xx

My Nana did until she turned 92 last year and has since gone very downhill. She's got very poor short term memory but she can still function. She still lives alone but has carers 4 times a day otherwise she'll forget to eat or brush her teeth.

My grandma is 94 and completely independent still. I’m not sure she will be much longer though. Mentally she’s 21 but she’s starting to struggle with stairs and getting a bit unsteady on her feet. She won’t hear of having any support though, won’t even discuss it.

My DH's Nan is 94 and living very independently at home. Her two DD bring her 3 meals a week each so she gets a proper dinner and other than that, lives on cake.

My grandmother did (died last year). She had a cleaner but only had carers in the last month after a stroke. She walked into the village every morning (about half a mile each way) to do her shopping and chat to everyone she saw! One grandson did her weekly shopping (for all the things she couldn’t carry), and the rest of us visited once a week so she didn’t have a day without visitors.

My grandma is 91 and lives alone in her own home. She has a companion come weekly to help her clean and take her shopping, but does her own cooking, takes care of herself and does mid-week cleans. She's very proud and would hate to ever need carers. She's sharp as a tack and fit as a fiddle and I hope I get to her age, being as spritely as she is. My grandma rocks, basically.

A neighbour did until she was 96. She had a carer come in but very minimal and still cooked for herself until her eyesight declined so much that it was dangerous. Had a fall which put her in a care home and was there for less than a year. She was absolutely amazing.

I can think of 4, but they are all in early 90s.

I was talking to someone about 4 weeks ago who was out with his mother, who he told me was 100, and still lived independently without any carers.

I do think it is unusual though, once you get past 87 / 88 to be able to live without carers to some extent.

My Nan. 94, no carers.

We handle house cleaning, clothes washing and shopping between us (me, Mum and 2 Uncles) and make sure one of us pops in every day.

She washes/dresses/showers etc alone and makes most of her meals.

We could do more but want her to stay independent as long as possible as she is miserable when she can't do things for herself.

My mum has a friend who is 93 and he lives on his own. I think he probably needs a cleaner/housekeeper to help as he doesn't have a very practical house, but not care. He still drives himself to the supermarket!

She also has a friend who is over 100 and still lives alone, but I think she probably has some help as she can't see very well.

My father was living independently until he was 92 although he was a in a sheltered flat with a warden and had a cleaner. He drove until he was 90.

Yes several, but it's down to good health and to be honest, having the right home in the right place so it's accessible to public facilities. I know others who do have a cleaner who helps with bed linens for instance.

DM was completely independent apart from a gardener,until Covid when she was 94 .She to stop driving to the shops. She is now almost 98 and lives at home but has the gardener, a cleaning lady once weekly and eats with my DSis at least twice a week. DBil does her shopping etc and without their help she couldn't stay at home .

My paternal grandparents lived happily and independently until their early 90s.

Then my grandad had a massive stroke and was in a nursing home for 5 years until he died. My grandmother had to have carers as she had fairly disabling arthritis and died not long after my grandad having refused cancer treatment.

Yes I know 2 women. One is 97 the other is 96, both still drive, play golf, take walks etc. It’s good genes and avoidance of accidents and serious illness.

My Gran did, without carers, until she was 91. Incredible lady

I lived below the flat of a man in his mid-90s who lived independently. There wasn’t much soundproofing and we used to hear him get out of bed during the night to go to the bathroom, which was always a heart in mouth moment as it often sounded like he stumbled initially. Apart from that, he was fine. He still had a strong (and very good) singing voice at that age as we also discovered!

My grandma also lived alone into her mid-90s, although in a flat with an on-call warden.

My grandfather lived alone without carers popping in until his late 90s. His kids would pop in a couple of times a week.

I know lots of over 80s who live in their own homes, family members, local neighbours, a friend of mine is a home carer and visits multiple people each week

There wouldnt be enough care homes if everyone over 80 lived one would there?

My Grandma and my partner's Grandma both lived alone independently into their 90s. Mine was still in a 3 or 4 bedroom house doing all the cleaning, and cooking of course.

This gladdens my heart so much. How amazing for her and all of you 🙌