Takashi Hosaka: The Power to Enjoy "Living Alone in Old Age"

2025/01/20

"Living alone in old age" begins with the saddest event for a human being: the death of a spouse. The subsequent psychological challenge is called "grief work," and through this process, one overcomes sadness and re-adapts to a new environment. However, according to foreign studies, the risk of the surviving spouse dying within one year of their partner's death is 1.34 times higher for men and 1.29 times higher for women, showing that mortality rates are high during that first year. This is precisely why I believe the "first anniversary memorial service" holds significant meaning as an occasion for close relatives to gather and check on each other's health, seeing if anyone looks pale or has lost weight.

Once you overcome this first year, you enter the preparation stage for finally enjoying "living alone in old age," but the basic requirement is extending your "healthy life expectancy." To achieve this, in addition to regular health checks and medication, you should incorporate exercise by joining a gym or regularly taking brisk walks and doing strength training.

Next, the important thing about living alone in old age is to never become "isolated in old age." Among those with a strong determination to "never be a nuisance to others," there are quite a few who realize they have become completely alone. To avoid this, it is necessary to make new friends—in other words, "friend-hunting." First, try to make friends with neighbors or people living in the same district. Join a few hobby groups at a local community center; if someone is heading in the same direction on the way home, try striking up a conversation, and you might suddenly make a new friend. Also, attending workshops like "How to Start Social Media" to post something or share photos can be stimulating. You might get a reaction from someone you don't know and make a new friend.

Another method of "friend-hunting" is to dig up old friendships. Class reunions are often held in one's 50s, and relationships between old classmates can deepen instantly. If you find a friend who unexpectedly lives nearby, your "friend-hunting" for your later years will be a great success.

Now, in old age, you finally have plenty of time and money to spend on yourself. Therefore, try doing everything you've wanted to do but couldn't until now, one after another. If you get bored, stop and move on to the next thing in rapid succession. Furthermore, after "rapid succession" comes "moving things forward." Take everything you are planning or thinking of doing a little further down the road and do it right now by moving the schedule forward.

Finally, I will quietly share some of the ways I want to enjoy "living alone in old age."

● Occasionally go to an electronics store, look at new products, and listen to an explanation from a staff member for at least one item. It activates the mind.

● Take day trips. If you leave early in the morning, you can go quite far. Since you can reach Shin-Aomori from Tokyo in three hours, the Sannai-Maruyama Site is within the scope of a day trip.

● Focus on a certain era, read novels and books about it, and then take a one- or two-night trip. Currently, I am imagining the dynamics of human relationships from the Asuka to Nara periods through novels and planning a tour of temples I haven't visited yet.

● Try putting your heart and soul into cooking at least one dish that you can serve to others.

● Organize old photos by digitizing them and return to "those days" once in a while.

● If there is a Showa-era music program on TV, singing along loudly is a great way to activate the brain.

● However, since it is known that dementia is common among elderly people who keep the TV on all day, stop the habit of leaving the TV on out of inertia.

● Learning a new musical instrument would also be fun. I'd like to at least be able to play and sing my favorite songs from my youth.

● Master using a smartphone for seniors. You can make video calls to grandchildren or friends far away, and even book Shinkansen tickets or trips. You can use search functions to recover forgotten memories or gather new information. With translation functions, foreign travel feels much closer.

● Occasionally spend time looking at items in a 100-yen shop and use your imagination to think about "how this could be useful in my life." It is a place where "impulse buying" is permitted.

● Have at least one "regular spot" in your neighborhood. It can be a cafe, a diner, or a bar. You will likely find more shop owners and customers you can greet.

● Attend free or inexpensive seminars or participate in classes at local community centers. I recommend "Mindfulness Meditation."

Now, no one will complain if you play jazz CDs all day or read all day. Please enjoy "living alone in old age" with a positive attitude, thinking, "From now on, it's my own life!"