In traditional societies (or so we imagine), the oldest generation was cared for by Family members of the succeeding generation. An elder who had no family to care for them was an anomaly.
Anomaly no more. In the U.S. today, one of every five persons aged 50 or older is living alone, according to AARP. By aged 75 and up, it’s one out of two. AARP defines solo agers as people who are not married, don’t have living children, and live alone.
