I’m sure that my situation is not the same as a lot of others. But I will talk about my life as an older person. I live in California. The things I like to do have become limited. I used to like to walk along the beach. I can still drive, fortunately. But I was driving along Pacific Coast Highway about a month ago and I saw an injured, bloody person on the side of the road. His family was leaning over him. I saw a group of police with guns drawn. I later read that the family had gone to the beach to have an enjoyable day. A person who told them to leave the area attacked the father with a machete. The man was seriously injured and lost an eye. So, is it safe to go to the beach?
At our nearby mall, there have been massive thefts with knives and mace-yielding groups of shoplifters. About a year ago, a man shot his wife or girlfriend at the mall and we had to evacuate. So, is the mall safe?
During Thanksgiving this year, the power company (SCE) shut off power for days. They were worried about the wind and a potential fire with the outdoor equipment. I had to stay in a hotel. The hotel was packed with displaced people who didn’t want to stay in the dark. I had to throw away all of the food in my refrigerator. I’m fortunate that I could go to a hotel and that I have food to eat, I realize.
So why do I stay when my options for leaving the house are limited? Because my daughter lives here in California and if I move I’ll rarely see her. But at this point, it is becoming a strong choice. I would rather live in peace and age gracefully. Being trapped with nowhere to go is very lonely for an elderly person and not healthy.
Aging is lonely because you feel vulnerable and we live in a crazy world
I think it is lonely for a lot of people with violence all around us but particularly for older people. You shouldn’t have to live in isolation because of violence.