The practical side of living alone

I had a television aerial put into the loft in my new build and only then knew I had a loft hatch with a built in ladder but will never use it. There is always the what if, if I cannot get the ladder up, if I slip down and anyway I don`t want to accumulate more stuff

I bought one of these for moving the re-cycling bins. It is stupendously good and very solid. Cost a total of £59.75 and makes my garage neater
madewithmetal.co.uk/product/standard-recycling-trolley/

So now I am thinking of a cycle rack on the back of my car, must start to use weights to increase my upper body strength

There are mattresses that just need top to toing instead of turning over. Mine is a Myers.

Most as they plan for retirement move into somewhere smaller - singletons even more so. I gave up my garden a long time ago, because I knew I'd never manage when I was older

I use an old shopping trolley for moving compost bags. I ask a shop assistant to put them in the boot, but once home I flatten the bag on the trolley and use it like a sack barrow. It means sliding the compost over edge of boot until it falls, but the trolley works a treat. I also use the trolley for moving heavy pots in the garden.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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 use friends’ husbands!

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

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

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.

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!

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.

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 !

I use a small trolley to move heavy things around.

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 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.

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 haven't got any skills to barter with

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!)