The practical side of living alone

generally, people are so helpful. Delivery men will always put heavy items were I want them. Wickes last week, they called a man to load my boot. My single male neighbour (lady friend local) is an excellent good diy-er my other single male neighbour is younger and stronger (also lady friend) and both are utterly helpful. I have to say that I have not used them for anything yet as I am competent still. An assortment of aluminium step ladders help as I will go no higher than 2nd step from the top, so I have the safety bar around me

It is losing strength that is the real worry and I still haven`t brought my hand weights out. My rubber bands deteriorated, need to replace them as they are good for arms and legs. I also have squuzy balls for my hands. I have a small neat trolley next to my chair, need to keep these small essentials handy, or I forget to use them

Oh yes and I need to lose weight, 2 stone and I could not physically carry that weight. I keep thinking that going up and down stairs carrying that 2 stone on my body will strengthen my leg muscles. It must do

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I feel weak and old now and I am only 52, my arthritis seems to get worse every winter. I only realised this when my DD and I moved her house alone with a van, I learned that day that I can no longer lift a washing machine out of a van on my own?. I had to ask for a strong man to help me from across the road!! It comes to us all, some sooner than others!!!

I have never been in the loft/attic of any house we’ve ever lived in, it’s not so much the ladder as what may be lurking up there! my husband’s not so keen these days, he’s always hankered after a house with a cellar, with good solid stairs.

Regarding a handyman, I’ve always said that if you became an odd job person, you’d never be out of work, I tend to save up a few jobs for my builder, and even invent a couple to make it worth his while!

craftyone I agree about the failing strength thing! I can really feel the loss of 'power' as I used to be really strong and still hate asking for help. Yes willing sons but not 'instant'! As one of them (annoyingly) points out you can tone what you've got but not develop more muscle at your age! After a badly pulled hamstring trying to move a paving stone I now listen to that small voice inside that says, 'Can you really do this safely?'

Much thanks to B & Q (and other well known DIY stores) staff for helping load heavy goods. Plus thinking outside the box or bag when I get home. Time consuming half emptying bags of compost, for example, but still retaining independence. 'Oh mother! I would have done that!' (Yes .... eventually!)

I haven't got any skills to barter with

Try looking at what you can do. Barter those things. Do the baking for a townsperson's birthday party in return for 2 hours of manual labor (moving heavy bags for example.) Drive an elderly person to the doctor. In barter, her family can clean the windows. Incidentally, I found the window washer at the local pubs gave me a great rate on days he was already in the village. You have power, harness it!

I am 76. I have a sack trolley - useful for compost. Mattress does not need turning ( just as well as I can only just lift enough of it to push the corners of the fitted sheet on). Window cleaner does guttering. Gardener does the heavy garden work. I don’t light the open fire as often as I used to as house is ‘upside-down’ so coal and logs have to be carried upstairs.
I can manage most minor repairs myself or wait for son-in-law’s next visit. If it is urgent, I can ask my lovely neighbour but, only ask if I am desperate as I don’t want to take advantage.

These are messages that truly engage me as I, too cannot believe that at 82, my muscles seem to have no strength left. What happened? Both my sons live respectively 80 and 150 miles away and I am often stuck for the jobs you mention and also unable to clean even half properly. I wait for some body to come for some essential repair job and ask nicely for a light bulb to be changed . Other wise I remain in the dark or move to another room.
I am rather tired of reading rants or whines about neighbours or relations which seem pretty trivial to me. However, Mumsnet is much worse in this regard a d many posts seem very immature these days.

I use a small trolley to move heavy things around.

I moved from a remote village in France last year after my husband died. I would have bought a lovely bungalow BUT common sense said NO ...because I had had enough of gardening, maintenance, trying to find someone to do odd jobs ...into a retirement flat ...now I have to do nothing but plan the next adventure ….I am in my 70's and figure if I don't travel now I may not be able to ...have survived the return three times of cancer, plus many other health issues so for now, it is time for me ….I didn't want to live on my own in the country, so opted for a City ...best move ever ! Whilst, and for as long, as I am able ...there are theatres, concerts, plenty of transport and taxis ...and an airport (which I take full advantage of) a small cruise line from the local port (I am going to the Arctic in March), Russia in July and Uzbekistan for the Silk Road later in autumn (if I'm still here after all that !) then if I am still able, a bit more travel and hopefully if I can, a final trip to Switzerland whilst I still have some marbles left ! Life is very short ...and you are a long time dead ...enjoy it !

When my aunt was widowed, she was left with a garden full of pigeon sheds to try and dispose of, (and its inhabitants, at long last!) as it had been her husbands all consuming hobby.

She did it though, I'm proud to say.

Sue2406 thank you for that! I said to my son only the other day that his skateboard was in the garage, he suggested I throw it away. As my husband made it, I didn’t want to, now I must use it.
Absolutely no handyman services in my district via AgeUk, some of you are very lucky.
I cleared my loft many years ago when I had the insulation upgraded, and vowed not to put anything back. My 3rd bedroom now...... , I can hardly see the bed!

Sometimes I can't even get the foil off a new milk carton.
I wish you could hire out a handy man to do those kind of things.

I couldn't get the lid off a jar of pickle a few weeks back. Almost bust my boiler trying.

Notanan my daughter has run with that organisation and thoroughly enjoyed the experience!

I just have to say that you do very well for a lady in her 70s hillwalker 70

I use friends’ husbands!

FWIW I have a Sealey mattress which doesn't need truning over - it is 20 years old now, has never been turned over and is just as comfortable to sleep on as on day 1!

I'm not going to swivel it round because my head will then be where DH's feet were!

Callistemon

I no longer turn our mattress. It has a nice little me shaped dent-nest, and I'm keeping it for me.

another thing has to be cooking and eating. I used to make very nice meals but really cba these days. If I make a casserole then I have to freeze several portions as ready meals. I sometimes just bung the separate components onto a plate so I have a balanced and good diet but it isn`t exactly thrilling

what weights can you still lift? I used to easily lift 10kg of wood pellets to shoulder height and still could, 15kg bags were do-able with huffing and shoving. I could not move 20kg bags now without rolling and using my barrow. I think it is the strength thing that is failing us oldies.

I find just as I’m reaching ‘that’ age where my willingness is intact but my strength not m-so-much ....I call more on my son ( single) to help ...my soon to be ex-SIL is also willing...but have a 5ft 7 , 12 year old grandson who ‘loves- me-to-bits)!! who is more than willing to jump on his bike pedal 3 miles and mow my lawn..or nip up into loftfir me.

I move compost and pots around the garden with the aid of my son's old skateboard.

I have just joined AGE UK. I am 76, widowed and up until now have managed but joining AGE UK was a brilliant idea, I have a cleaner/gardener/handyperson at my disposal. I dont have a lot of money so I gave up my car to finance this venture and dont regret it.

I pay my grandchildren ( aged 11 and 13) to help me with those sort of jobs!