Who is your back up?

I was widowed fairly young with no children and I'm fairy independent by nature.
My back-up is my sister who lives a few streets away. I hate to ask for help but I needed it two months ago when I suffered a nasty fall. I dread to think how I'd have coped completely on my own. Assisted living perhaps?

I am in your position. When I was taken ill a few months ago I rang 999 and was taken to hospital, after treatment I got myself home and then spent the week in bed. I had no-one to call on for help. It has made me think about my situation and I am thinking of perhaps moving to a sheltered community where I would still have independence but there would also be someone on hand if I need help.

It's probably a good time for you to look around your house and think of how you'd get around in the future, if anything similar happened. None of us is getting any younger, and the prospect of being able to jump in and out of a bath, run up and down stairs etc, is unlikely to be easy as time goes on.

I moved into my place a few years ago, with those things specifically in mind. My husband is a lot older than I am and not able to help with anything, so I made sure that the house was at least very easy to navigate. Good luck.

Before I was discharged from hospital I was asked on several occasions about care at home.
I'm very fortunate that my family were able to provide 24 hour care for the first 2weeks (to the extent that I was looking forward to having my independence back.)
However it was clear that a care package would have been put in place if needed.

Now my grandchildren have moved away I am without help, my son in law who isn’t and my son in law both work . I have lived in this cul de sac of 18 bungalows for 18 months, met one person the week I moved in, not since. It is difficult.

Quite a worrying scenario for all those without partners and close family to help.Yes, we should all be independent where possible ( sounds as if you are very independent Lilting) but sometimes there is no easy answer.
In this situation, if you tell the hospital, perhaps they arrange some sort of home visit or can put you in touch with somebody from the surgery or social services, if you need ongoing care/bandages etc.
Having good neighbours is wonderful.Get well soon.?

I am in that position myself don't know the answer. Getting to hosptital, having no support and just hoping I don't need an operation for my heart.

I don't have your problem but I have a very good friend who is in similar situation. I go as often as I can, but as you say I have so many other commitments its not as often as I liked.

What she did was to advertise for a carer. Although she does have to pay her, this carer has become a companion too. She comes in daily probably for an hour or two. She does a little cleaning, puts washing on, empties bins, makes sure she has all she needs or goes shopping. She also fills flasks with coffee, tea or whatever and plates up meals which my friend does manage to microwave.

I don't know your personal circumstances so difficult to know if you can afford help but if you can't and you can't manage - get in touch with a social worker. Nobody should be left without any help whatsoever. Good luck

independant.family all too far away and raising their own.but we have home visitors here.everything from housework to pet walking to cooking to personal help.and its free so i do not worry too much.animals have "godparents" in case i kick off.

It's lucky your neighbours are there as it sounds like it would be very difficult for you to manage without their help. Could they make you a flask of tea or coffee and some sandwiches in the morning so you don't have to keep getting up and down. Try to have everything near to hand - phone, tv remote, radio etc. How are you managing during the night? I hope you soon start to feel a bit more mobile.

We only have each other if there is a problem and my husband works an hour away - one son lives 2 plus hours away and the other is on the other side of the world. We have no friends or other relatives nearby and although the neighbours are ok we don't know them well enough to ask for help. I suspect a lot of people are in a similar situation these days.