As the nation’s population ages, a growing number of older adults are doing so without the support of a spouse, adult children, or nearby family members. Often referred to as “solo agers,” these individuals are reshaping how healthcare providers, care managers, and senior living professionals think about discharge planning, care coordination, and long-term support.

Recent national reporting has highlighted that healthcare systems have traditionally assumed patients have family members available to help with transportation, medication management, decision-making, and recovery at home. For solo agers, those informal support systems may not exist – making successful transitions of care more complex and reinforcing the importance of proactive planning.

Looking Beyond the Discharge Plan

A safe discharge is only the beginning of a successful recovery. For older adults aging alone, seemingly routine tasks – like picking up prescriptions, preparing meals, attending follow-up appointments, monitoring for changes in condition, or simply having someone check in regularly – can quickly become barriers to healing.

For care professionals, identifying these support gaps before discharge is essential. Questions may include “Who will notice if something changes?”, “Who will reinforce discharge instructions?”, and “Who can communicate concerns back to the care team?” Answering these questions is a critical part of the recovery equation.

Professional Home Care as an Extension of the Care Team

Professional home care can provide the consistent oversight that solo agers often lack. Caregivers can assist with activities of daily living, provide companionship, encourage adherence to care plans, observe changes in physical or cognitive status, and communicate concerns promptly to families and healthcare professionals when appropriate.

“Solo agers don’t necessarily need a different standard of care – they need a more intentional support system,” says Jeff Zukerman, President of Family & Nursing Care. “When professional caregivers become an extension of the care team, they help bridge critical gaps after hospitalization, reduce avoidable setbacks, and give older adults the confidence to remain safely and independently at home.”

This collaborative approach not only supports better outcomes for clients, it also provides greater confidence for discharge planners, aging life care professionals, physicians, and senior living teams who want to ensure someone is keeping a watchful eye on a client’s well-being.

Planning for a Growing Population

The rise of solo agers is more than an emerging demographic trend – it represents a fundamental shift in how care teams must approach care coordination and discharge planning. Experts increasingly describe solo aging not as a problem to solve, but as “a reality to be supported,” encouraging healthcare organizations to build more inclusive systems that don’t assume family caregivers are always available.

By recognizing support gaps early and partnering with trusted home care resources, care professionals can help solo agers recover more safely, maintain their independence, and continue living where they most want to be – at home.

Learn more about how Family & Nursing Care supports safe care transitions and aging in place by visiting our Home Care Services webpage.