'Solo agers' are a growing group. Changes that would help them could help everyone
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But he's gotten involved with a nonprofit organization that has long recognized solo agers. It's called the Villages (not to be confused with the large retirement communities in central Florida.) The Village Movement consists of hyperlocal groups that are mostly run by volunteers.

The Villages started 25 years ago with one village in Boston. There's now a network of them dotted across the U.S. Their aim is to help people live independently by offering a combination of practical and social support, such as rides to appointments, help moving furniture or changing lightbulbs, friendly check-ins for those who want them, and social events.

Members join to tap the network's resources. Volunteers make it happen. While not designed specifically for solo agers, Barbara Hughes-Sullivan, executive director of the Village to Village Network, says "anywhere from 30 to 60%" of village members are in that demographic, depending on the individual village.

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