Most aging advice assumes someone else will be there. What if there’s no one?
Who knows where your documents are, or steps in when you need help? These two books help you have the conversations and get the paperwork in place before a crisis decides for you.
Finally names the invisible second job of long-term care
ChantalVerified reader · Sep 2026
If you are planning to age alone…take a look at this book.
TanyaVerified reader · Aug 2026
Made me think of things that could become issues in the future
HeatherVerified reader · Jul 2026
Try this first
Six blanks a spouse would normally fill.
If something happened to you tomorrow, every one of these wants a name. In a couple, most of them go to the same person by default, and nobody ever had to decide it.
Who gets the call first?
Who is allowed to talk to your doctors?
Who can legally decide if you can't?
Who gets you home after a procedure?
Who finds and manages help at home?
Who knows what that help costs, and what pays for it?
Married or not, somebody will answer all of these. The only question is whether it was you, in advance, or a stranger on the day.
What a blank costs
Leaving one blank doesn't delete the job. It hands it to somebody else, later, on a worse day.
Nobody named to speak for you
A decision gets made in a hurry by someone who never heard what you wanted.
Nobody nearby to call
A discharge becomes a logistics problem the same afternoon it is announced.
No plan for the care itself
Somebody has to find it, price it and pay for it with the clock already running.
If any of these has no name yet, that is what these two books are for.
What changes when they arrive
What you'll have decided by the time you put them down: names, not intentions. Two paperbacks, 440 pages, with free US shipping.
Have people who have actually said yes
A roster rather than one assumed friend, and the words to use — so the asking is a conversation you have already had, not one somebody has about you.
Who to ask when there is no obvious person, and the script for asking them.
A backup for the day your first choice is the one in the bed.
146 pages, opening on the conversation most solo plans skip
Have the authority in writing while it is still yours to sign
Who may hear a diagnosis, sign a form or move money for you — and a guardianship you choose rather than one arranged for you.
Healthcare proxy, HIPAA authorization and durable power of attorney — and SSA's advance designation, which is a preference on file, not a power of attorney.
What a will and a trust do here, and the blank where a default next-of-kin would be.
Three documents to sign, and the SSA designation to file
Know what the care costs, and who runs it
What an hour of help costs where you live, where Medicare stops paying, and the jobs somebody has to keep doing week after week once it starts.
Four kinds of help priced by the hour, and the public front doors that come before paying privately.
Housing and funding settled on your terms, while moving is still a choice rather than a discharge plan.
294 pages, and the Care Management Map — one row per job, and the blanks
Peek inside
See the actual pages
Not a description of the pages — the pages. Click any one to read it full size.
Know it reasons with you
Chapter 1 — The RealizationSo you're reading an argument for the household of one, not another fill-in form.Solo Aging
Know what nobody tells you
Chapter 1 — The Second JobSo the part of care nobody pictures, keeping it running, is named before it lands on you.Long-Term Care
Know what the job actually is
The Care Management MapSo the work you would be asking somebody to take on sits on one page before you ask them.Long-Term Care
Know who to call first
My First-Call ListSo the numbers are found on an ordinary Tuesday rather than on the afternoon they are needed.Long-Term Care
Know who may act for you
The Solo Ager's Document KitSo the blank on the hospital form has a name in it long before anybody hands you the form.Solo Aging
From the author, one clip per book
Twenty-five seconds on who would decide for you. Then thirty-six on the care itself, when there is no one else to call.
The authority
Solo Aging: Living Well & Planning Ahead
Who is allowed to act for me, and have I actually asked them?
Solo aging without a spouse or kids — who would decide for you?
See the full contents list
Your care network
Your chosen "who's my person"
Exactly how to ask — the script
A roster, not a single soulmate
The legal scaffolding
Healthcare proxy & HIPAA authorization
Durable power of attorney
Will, trust & no default next-of-kin
Who decides if you can't
Agents, backups & professional fiduciaries
Guardianship you choose vs. one imposed
SSA advance designation
Funding a solo old age
Long-term-care costs & insurance
Medicaid, spend-down & the single math
Medicare is not long-term care
Housing while you still choose
Age in place vs. move on your terms
CCRCs, the Village movement, co-housing
PACE and the isolation risk
The human side
Being your own health advocate
Designing connection on purpose
Cognitive decline & final wishes
The care
Long-Term Care on Your Own
When help is needed, who arranges it, watches it, and pays for it?
Long-term care when there's no one else to call — 36-second overview
See the full contents list
The job nobody names
The second job — arranging, not bathing
The care you are already running today
Four kinds of help, and how yours unfolds
What it costs, and what pays
Priced by the hour — the real arithmetic
What Medicare actually does, and doesn't
What actually pays for the hours
Bringing care into your home
Where care actually starts
Agency or direct hire
Vetting, scope, and the agreement
Running it and watching it
The manager's job, week to week
Who watches the care when you can't
Who is picking you up after the procedure
When home stops working
The honest signs the arrangement has ended
The settings, compared without a brochure
Choosing a place as the person who'll live in it
When you can't run it yourself
Handing it over, and to whom
Professional backup, checked first
The care management map
Start this weekend
You don't have to solve it all this weekend.
Three things you can do before the parcel arrives. None of them needs a book open.
1
Ask one person to be your backup
Whether they would be willing to be part of your plan. The first version of that conversation, not the formal one.
2
Check which documents you already have
Healthcare proxy, HIPAA authorization, durable power of attorney — and whether you have filed an SSA advance designation. Holding one of them does not do the job of the others.
3
Price one hour of home help
Look up what it costs where you live. One search, and it stops being an abstraction.
Do those three and it stops being hypothetical — you will know exactly which jobs still have nobody's name on them.
Get the people, paperwork and care plan in place.
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What readers say
4.6(28 reader reviews)
Pooled across both books in the bundle. Every review we have is below — nothing is filtered out.
“A Guide for the Solo Ager”
That opening scene the Tuesday morning aide who never shows, leaving the woman in the apartment unaware of the two hours of frantic phone calls happening behind the scenes to fix her week hit me like a gut punch. This book finally names the invisible second job of long-term care, the one that nobody pictures when they imagine needing help. The author walks you through every terrifying blank on that Care Management Map at the back with such patient, unflinching clarity that I felt less alone just reading it. M.E. Hart doesn't sell false comfort, she hands you a flashlight and a map, then sits beside you while you figure out which caverns are yours to cross alone.
Chantal, verified reader · Sep 2026
“If you are planning to age alone or you know someone who is take a look at this book.”
I really enjoyed this book. I think anyone older and looking to age solo can get something from this book. I feel there were many ideas and guidance in this book. I love how the author points out some of us were just caregivers for loved ones and have been down this road but we were taking care of other people now its about us and we need to make a plan read this book if you want some good guidance in this direction.
Tanya, verified reader · Aug 2026
“Planning for the Days We Cannot Predict”
Life is fragile, and it can change in the blink of an eye. You can wake up on an ordinary Friday morning with nothing out of the ordinary, never imagining that you may not see the next day—or that your health could suddenly change and lead to doctor’s appointments, hospital visits, and decisions you never expected to face. I believe deeply in the providence of God. I didn’t know when I was coming into this world, and I don’t know when I will leave it. But trusting God doesn’t mean I shouldn’t prepare for the years ahead. That is what drew me to Retirement in Order: Long-Term Care on Your Own. This book provides a sense of structure and a practical framework for thinking about something many of us would rather avoid: How will I care for myself if I grow older without a spouse or adult children to rely on? As someone without children, I found this perspective especially meaningful. Retirement planning is often presented around the traditional family structure, but not everyone will have a spouse, children, or relatives available to step in when they need assistance. That doesn’t mean we should approach the future with fear; it means we can approach it with intention. This book encourages readers to think ahead about long-term care, support systems, finances, housing, decision-making, and the practical realities of aging independently. For me, the biggest takeaway is that planning for my latter days isn’t a lack of faith—it can actually be an act of stewardship. I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I can make thoughtful decisions today that give my future self more options, dignity, and peace. If you are aging without a spouse or adult children, or simply want to be more intentional about your later years, this is a guide worth picking up. We cannot control how life unfolds, but we can prepare for the possibilities while trusting God with the outcome.
Youde, verified reader · Oct 2026
Read all 28 reviewsHide reviews
“Great tool for those needing to make a will!”
This is a wonderful book for those that need to plan their will, but do not have dependents or a spouse.
It is difficult to plan who to have serve as your power of attorney if you do not have immediate family.
This book goes into detail about everything from who will make your medical decisions if you can't to affording housing and your care as you age. Most people have their spouse, dependents or family as their POA, but what if you are not married or widowed? And have no children or living family members? This is something that a person must think about when they are alone and need someone to trust that can provide these services.
As someone with no children, I did not think much of my care since I am married. But if I am a surviving spouse in old age I need to have a care network of those that can help as I age. This book has been a tremendous help and made me think of things that could become issues in the future. I highly recommend this book for anyone of any age planning their will, elder care, etc. It gives you topics and issues to consider that may not be on your radar right now.
Heather, verified reader · Jul 2026
“Feel Better About Solo Aging!!”
Solo Aging is straightforward and a little scary as it encourages people to come to the realization that they don't have "a default person" who can help when they need an emergency contact, someone to take them home after an emergency procedure, know where the important papers are, someone to help with medications....and on and on. I read this book because this has been weighing on my mind a lot, and it helped erase some fears and negative thoughts that started a year or so ago. For one thing, Solo Aging is "A category, not a character flaw." This book will help you change your views from negative to more positive about solo aging. Each chapter helps you choose the person or persons who can help you later in life. I loved the idea to include one or two people to watch for signs of physical and especially cognitive decline. This is a valuable book!
Jenni, verified reader · Oct 2026
“Having a plan is very important!”
The disclaimer up front is very important because rules and laws are so different in each state and also seem to change frequently. I feel like things are more complicated in retirement… I thought things would be made easier for us seniors, but nope. The ‘2 a.m. self-talk’ as described in the book hits the nail on the head. The goal reinforced here is to have a plan. Being alone is OK, but have plans in place. Solo-ager is a new reference term for me. I have to admit, I have learned a lot because I’ve had to step in for an aunt who never had children and is now over 100 years old. I have learned a LOT dealing with her, and the fact that I have no children and am a widow. This book is great. I like the pace and its honest but gentle and practical advice. As a bonus, there’s a document kit at the end of the book. Nice!
Some, verified reader · Oct 2026
“Good Book”
It's a sad thing to be alone. I watched this with my sister. She would just sit in her room and wait to pass on. I wish I had this guide to give to her. But now I find that I'm in the same situation with my older brother who lost his wife and seem stuck. So I got this for him to hopefully help him make a turnaround and make some plans as he gets older. So we'll know what to do or what he wants to do. This is one of those books you should have in your library whether you are alone or not. We all know someone that's aging and along and maybe this will help them.
Cheryl, verified reader · Oct 2026
“Good Resource for Planning for our Elder Years”
Good Informational book to help those who are wanting to be well informed about the aging years ahead of us. This book is geared to someone who is a “solo” heading into the aged years, but there are many things that elder couples can use also.
Many important issues are covered. Important documents to have in order, medical care, support system. Making decisions and having backups installed and ready for when they are needed. This lets you age independently, feeling prepared for your future.
Deb, verified reader · Sep 2026
“An eye-opening book with a lot of greeting information”
This was a great resource. It had a lot of interesting points and gave a lot of information for someone who is going through the aging process alone. Talks about where to start information that you need paperwork, figuring out how to choose that someone that can make decisions in case you can’t make them yourself. And how to choose the right person for that. As someone who doesn’t have family or a spouse is definitely something that I need to start looking into.
Rosemarie, verified reader · Aug 2026
“Long term care on your own”
This book is a great addition to your elderly care plan. It will help you along with planning for your self care as you age. It also gives pointers on what Medicare covers and the basics and how to for daily care from hospital, being at home alone and employing outside help if you don't have a family member close by or present. It's great information that can assist you in making an informed decision on you long term care.
Hidy, verified reader · Aug 2026
“Great Guide”
This is a great guide for people who are preparing to age independently without assuming family will always be available. The advice is clear, realistic, and gives useful steps for organizing healthcare, finance, housing, important documents before they are needed. Some of the information are easy to overlook, but the concrete actions at the end of each chapter makes the planning feel much more useful..
Devon, verified reader · Sep 2026
“Awesome!”
The thought process of this guide is absolutely amazing. I don’t think I really ever thought so in depth about living ahead. I think as humans we’re so into living in the now more so. This book is so real and very in depth how it is written. I can also see the author is speaking from their perspective and that very refreshing to read about. This is such a great and very informative piece!
Charise, verified reader · Sep 2026
“Practical Guidance for Solo Aging”
Solo Aging: Living Well & Planning Ahead is written in a straightforward, clear way. It contains a plethora of useful information (for both solo agers as well as those with partners)! Especially useful is the Appendix that includes a Document Kit with actionable steps to complete in order to feel prepared to "exit on your own terms."
Wendy, verified reader · Oct 2026
“Solo Aging”
This book offers some practical tips and some excellent information if you are interested in learning more about retiring successfully.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Verified reader · Aug 2026
“easy to understand”
informative and well written in easy to understand language. I benifited fro quite a bit of the information that was provided > I liked the way the ideas were broken down into easy to understand sections.
Karen, verified reader · Oct 2026
“Guide for financial and medical preparedness for elders who are alone”
All in one guide for those who grow older alone but need a plan to secure themselves financially and medically
Karen, verified reader · Oct 2026
“Book For Those Planning On Retiring Now Or In The Future”
A Very Interesting Book to Read for Those who want to plan or are planning to retire. A++
Robyn, verified reader · Aug 2026
“planning ahead”
great read for people who love to plan ahead for the future! definitely a must read
Christi, verified reader · Sep 2026
“Wow”
This book is usually not my cup of tea but it was really good!
Your, verified reader · Oct 2026
“Practical”
Solo Aging addresses an important part of getting older that many planning guides overlook: what happens when there isn’t one obvious person you can depend on. I appreciated how practical the approach is, covering questions about medical care, decision-making, important documents, housing, and building a reliable support system. Rather than focusing only on finances, it considers the everyday situations where another person may eventually need to step in. The emphasis on creating backups and making decisions before they’re urgently needed is especially useful. A thoughtful and practical resource for anyone planning to age independently and wanting to feel better prepared for the future.
Shannon, verified reader · Sep 2026
“Planning Beyond the Care Itself”
I appreciated how this book looks at long-term care from a practical angle that is easy to overlook: who actually manages everything when help is needed. The distinction between receiving care and coordinating care stood out to me. I also liked the planning tools, especially the first-call list, hiring questions, and care management map. Rather than making assumptions about where readers live or what resources they have, the book encourages them to identify what applies locally. The focus on backup plans and eventually handing over responsibilities makes the subject feel more manageable and concrete.
Nathan, verified reader · Sep 2026
“Solo Aging: Living Well & Plaaning Ahead!”
This book is great for those who are without kids, or spouses and they're getting older. You're getting older by yourself and need to learn how to find a person who can be your emergency contact, assist you with going to your Doctor appointments, learn what you want for your final wishes. It also explains how to be your own health advocate. It teaches you to plan ahead.
Lisa, verified reader · Aug 2026
“Recommend”
It's straightforward, realistic, and sometimes a little uncomfortable which is why I found it useful. It made me realize that the best time to figure out who will manage my care is while I'm still capable of making the decisions myself.
Kayla, verified reader · Aug 2026
“The nexts step”
I found this book repeated some of the same information. However for the most part it contains great information for some who has no family to help with age and the steps they need to take
Kathy, verified reader · Jul 2026
“Long term care on your own”
This guide helps you to cope with aging when you are on your own. It helps you to plan for what it could be like when you are elderly and alone.
Tanya, verified reader · Oct 2026
“Insightful”
Very insightful. Brought this book for an elderly friend of mine and they really appreciate the tips on navigating as they get older.
Verified reader · Oct 2026
“Long Term Care On Your Own”
It's a very straightforward book, it talks about all of the necessary topics that should be discussed as you get older.
Riley, verified reader · Aug 2026
“Good read”
this book was alright just not exactly what i thought it would be
Rhonda, verified reader · Oct 2026
Where the numbers come from
Named agencies, not a forum thread.
What care costs, where Medicare stops and which programs your county runs are all set by somebody. Both books name that somebody on the page where the rule is used, with the cut-off and who to ask.
MedicareLimited skilled care, not ongoing custodial care
MedicaidWho qualifies for help with long-term care
Social SecurityAdvance designation — who SSA should consider if you ever need a representative payee
County aging agenciesWhich programs actually run where you live
Retirement In Order is written under the pen name M. E. Hart — a retired product leader who spent a career in healthcare and insurance, the two industries built on exactly the paperwork most families dread.
Good to know
Common questions
What's actually in the bundle?
Both paperbacks, shipped together in one parcel: Solo Aging (146 pages, 5.5x8.5) and Long-Term Care on Your Own (294 pages, 5.5x8.5). They are the same editions sold separately — nothing is abridged.
Why buy the pair instead of one?
Because they are the two halves of one job, and each one is worth less without the other. Solo Aging helps you name the people and put the appropriate authority in place. Long-Term Care on Your Own works out what you'd be asking those people to do, what it costs, and which parts of it your county may help with. A signed document with nobody who knows what to do with it is half a plan, and the pair costs less than the two bought apart.
Which one should I read first?
Solo Aging, because naming a healthcare agent takes an afternoon and can't be done retroactively — and because the person you name is who the second book is written to be handed to. Then read Long-Term Care on Your Own while nothing is urgent. The work in it is research, and research is the one thing you cannot do from a hospital bed.
I'm nowhere near needing care. Isn't the second book premature?
That is the argument for reading it now, not against it. The work in it is finding which agency your county runs, learning what an hour of home help costs where you live, and writing down who has your keys. Almost nobody reads it early. The ones who do are the ones who still get a choice.
Does Medicare cover any of this?
Less than most people expect, and we'd rather say so up front. Medicare may cover limited skilled care when specific requirements are met. It generally does not pay for ongoing custodial care, the day-to-day help with bathing, dressing and meals that most long-term care actually is, and Medicare says so on its own long-term care page. That gap is the reason the second book exists: what the help costs, which public programs may cover part of it, and how to plan for the rest.
Is this only for people who never married?
No. Both books are written for anyone planning as a household of one: never married, divorced, widowed, or with a spouse or partner who can't take these jobs on. What they share is no automatic decision-maker and no adult child who steps in by default. Neither book covers claiming Social Security on a late or former spouse's record; that's a separate title in the series.
Is there a free guide that goes with these?
Yes, and it is on our site rather than behind an email form. The Solo Ager's Document Kit is the fillable set from the back of Solo Aging — HIPAA and advance-directive templates, an emergency wallet card, and the "ask a friend" script. It doesn't require either book.
How is this different from the End of Life Planner?
The Planner is a fill-in book: blank lines for your accounts, your documents and your wishes. These two are the reasoning behind what goes on those lines, and the answer to who is meant to read it, for someone with nobody obvious to hand it to. Plenty of solo readers own all three, and if you buy only one, make it the one matching what is happening this month.
How fast does it arrive?
Both books are printed to order and posted together in one parcel. Free US shipping, and delivery runs about two weeks. There is no rush tier, because the printer sets that schedule and not us — we would rather give you the real date than sell you a faster one we don't control.
What if it isn't right for me?
Each book is printed for you one copy at a time. If your parcel turns up damaged or misprinted, send a photo within 30 days and we ship a replacement free — you keep the flawed copy. Because every copy is made to order, we can't take a book back once it has shipped. Contact details are at the bottom of this page.
Your next chapter, organized
Decide who does what, while it's still your call.
The people you name, and the job you're naming them to.
Two paperbacks in one parcel, free US shipping. Start with Solo Aging: choosing your people is the part that can't be done later.
You're not buying two books. You're making sure six critical jobs have someone's name on them before they're needed.
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Free companion
The Solo Ager's Document Kit
The fillable kit from the back of the book — HIPAA and advance-directive templates, an emergency wallet card, and the "ask a friend" script. Free.
