12/28/2025
I met an older woman recently who cuts her food into very small pieces now.
Not because she has trouble chewing…
…but because if she were to choke, there’s no one there to help.
That stopped me cold.
More than 16 million Americans over 65 live completely alone. For many women over 75, the house is quiet every morning. No footsteps. No voices. No one checking in. When asked who they would call if they were bedridden, far too many say: no one.
Our healthcare system quietly assumes there’s a “someone.”
Someone to drive you home.
Someone to notice when things are slipping.
Someone to ask the hard questions and advocate when you can’t.
But for millions of seniors, that someone simply doesn’t exist.
What’s heartbreaking is that many of the most isolated aren’t those who never had families — they’re parents whose adult children moved away, still waiting by phones that don’t ring as often as they used to.
Isolation isn’t just lonely — it’s dangerous. It increases dementia risk, worsens medical outcomes, and leaves seniors navigating complex systems alone. That’s not a personal failure. That’s a systems failure.
This is why AmareVida exists.
Not just to provide care — but to provide presence.
A familiar face. A trusted advocate. Someone who notices. Someone who shows up.
We can’t fix this alone. We need better community models, stronger support networks, and a cultural shift that values connection over convenience.
Because one day… this could be any of us.
If you’ve thought about this — for yourself, a parent, or a neighbor — you’re not alone. And neither should they be.
