Our guest for this podcast is Dr. Sara Zeff Geber. Sara is an author, certified retirement coach, and professional speaker on retirement and aging. This conversation explores the world of “solo agers,” people who have no children or who are aging alone. We discuss how prevalent this group of seniors is and what their unique needs and challenges are.
Learn more about managing the unique challenges of solo agers:
- the legal and financial steps to take, including selecting Power of Attorney and Advance Directive designee
- how to locate professional fiduciaries and patient advocates when there are no immediate family members to fill these roles
- what the possible living arrangements are when the older adult can no longer manage his or her own home
- can moving to another country be an option, one that is less expensive, and already established by U.S. and Canadian citizens as safe and secure
- why people who have been caregivers themselves are more inclined to start the planning for their own futures
Is isolation a significant risk factor for solo agers? What are the challenges of “solo agers” and what steps are necessary to manage these challenges? Why are foresight and robust planning so critical for aging well, especially for this group?
This is an important conversation that touches on successful retirement for those who are living alone in their senior years. And learn what measures will help to make this a more successful process.
Mini Bio
Dr. Sara Zeff Geber, a 2018 recipient of the “Influencers in Aging” designation by PBS’ Next Avenue, has developed a niche specialty working with “Solo Agers,” people who have no children or who are aging alone. Dr. Geber is the author of Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers: A Retirement and Aging Roadmap for Single and Childless Adults (Mango Press, 2018) which was selected that year as a “best book on aging well” by the Wall Street Journal.
Sara is a regular contributor to Forbes.com on the topics of aging and retirement. She was recently invited to join the advisory team for Nexus Insights, a think tank and incubator for revolutionary concepts in senior living and aging. A sought-after speaker at conferences on retirement and aging, Sara is active in the Retirement Coaches Association, the American Society on Aging, the Life Planning Network, the Transition Network, the Sonoma County Section on Aging, and the Gerontological Society of America. Though married, Sara considers herself a Solo Ager, since she has no children.
Items Mentioned in This Podcast
Sara’s book: Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers: A Retirement and Aging Roadmap for Single and Childless Adults
Forms and resources for planning: Nolo.com
Opportunities for CoHousing: Cohousing.org
Options for moving to other countries for retirement: InternaltionalLiving.com
