Preparedness for when

valk_scot

Popperwell wrote: »

I may try and and survive and stay put or and it will take some getting used to but could be the answer to try and get a lodger in(possibly two)but that is all new to me and as yet I have no idea how to go about it and be safe.

It occurs to me that what you might look for is a woman lodger of the type you describe...possibly homeless after an elderly parent dies. There must be so many older women struggling to get by while living on their own, given the difference in how long women live compared to men. It's a wonder there aren't agencies that specifically deal in older people...or perhaps there are? I have no clue but it might be worth enquiring.

fuddle

It's a valid point, the getting older/frail/poorly point. I do wonder about this and allow a little bit of worry time over it. I'm early 30's fit, healthy (if not a tad wobbly ) and can do all I need to do. What happens when (and not really if) I can't open those beans or my hand shakes or I have no strength. What happens when I can't be as independent as I'd like.

I guess you get used to scenarios as they come along and buy/do the things you can do. Useful to discuss though

[Deleted User]

Hey up our kid, I'm 64 and nothing's fallen off yet!!!You've got a lot of bridges to cross before you need to worry about things like that. We are a friendly lot here in the village and do all look out for each other as we get older, He who knows has zipped off this morning to help out a friend who is 80 and having problems with her computer and he was offered an 85 year old the other day who fancies learning how to work a computer. Most of our elderlies are still fairly mobile and healthy but, if there are problems most people will rally round and help, whatever needs doing. You'll be OK Cheers Lyn x.

Softstuff

I'm only 34, but some of my bits are falling off :rotfl:

On the old/frail/poorly list for me:
If civilisation fails and I can't get meds I only have about 12 months (6 good, 6 bad) so that pretty much takes care of that really.

If hubby and I continue as we are:
Already he opens UHT milk, cuts pumpkin, does most of the grating, opens ice cream tubs etc.
I have a jar key to help me open jars (which really is a wonderful thing, every home should have one!).
We hope to redo our bathroom in the next 5 years, when we do we'll make it a wet room and accessible even by wheelchair if needs be. We're on the ground floor and have an open plan home, so can't do much better than that really.

For me preparedness in our home doesn't involve buying extra bits, since that'd make life in our small unit pretty unbearable! Instead I've learned how to do various things (I can make anything from laundry liquid to vinegar from scratch) and learned if/how to do without various things (even as far as loo roll!).

I lived for a while in a small Turkish village. It was an interesting life, hard work, but I wouldn't say uncomfortable. And it was a good example on how to live without a cooker (cooking on an open fire), with the heat of one small wood fired stove in winter, with no phones, no indoor loo, no shower. I think there's a surprising amount I could do without and remain happy if needs be.

[Deleted User]

Morning SOFTSTUFF - I know how lucky I am to have my health, and for those who are having problems and a little frail due to that I say use anything you can to give you a better life. You are so right to have learned the skills of a civilised life if we ever need them, you'll be a very useful commodity to your community. You are also right in your advice about being able to live with much less than we all have and still be happy, you are a wise woman, Cheers Lyn x.

mardatha

Softstuff I'd love to hear more about that kind of living, if you feel like telling?
I don't really think about how I would cope after the sh*t hits, Im concentrating more on what I can do before it happens

Softstuff

mardatha wrote: »

Softstuff I'd love to hear more about that kind of living, if you feel like telling?
I don't really think about how I would cope after the sh*t hits, Im concentrating more on what I can do before it happens

I'd certainly be willing if there's interest. Just not really sure what to talk about or what you might want to know .

Living there was part of my old life (with ex), so that bit I don't talk about, but being in the village was fine!

I had what looked like a giant washing up bowl in plastic. We did laundry in that by hand, wrung it and hung it. There was much celebration in the house when they obtained a sort of 1 tub washer.... it was a bit like a twin tub, but just the one tub, so you did a wash load, emptied it, did a spin, then filled it, then emptied it and spun again.

You don't use loo roll in Turkey unless you're in a tourist resort. A loo looks like a sphynxs head with a hole in the middle in the floor, ours was outdoors and curiously unlit at night (you soon trained yourself not to go then!). You wash yourself with a jug after going. Oddly more clean than paper, and you soon learn how.

They did have a small TV and it was an event when it occasionally got switched on. It's amazing how much time you have for doing actual things without TV and internet :rotfl:. It wasn't work, work, work, it was social, with a gossipy community atmosphere and relaxed.

Much of the food was homegrown, though that said you'd never consider baking your own bread, since many households don't have ovens. For a small fee if you have a casserole the baker put your dish in the oven after the bread was done and you could pick it up later cooked! Other than that food was cooked on an open fire or served room temperature. There was a lot of preserving (olives, tomato puree, chillies, dried beans etc), but no gadgets were used for it, things were done in a pan like anything else or sundried.

Whew, long post and I'm not sure if that's even what you wanted .

Popperwell

valk_scot wrote: »

It occurs to me that what you might look for is a woman lodger of the type you describe...possibly homeless after an elderly parent dies. There must be so many older women struggling to get by while living on their own, given the difference in how long women live compared to men. It's a wonder there aren't agencies that specifically deal in older people...or perhaps there are? I have no clue but it might be worth enquiring.

I suspect that is true and may be worth considering...quite a few may have to consider going back to having a lodger. It may work out ok...I'm sure a neighbour over the road has been doing something similar and he seems to have been lucky with his choice. I think he is buying his home though.

He seems to work during the day and his lodger during night so they both have privacy of sorts...

keelyjrs

Softstuff wrote: »

I'd certainly be willing if there's interest. Just not really sure what to talk about or what you might want to know .

Living there was part of my old life (with ex), so that bit I don't talk about, but being in the village was fine!

I had what looked like a giant washing up bowl in plastic. We did laundry in that by hand, wrung it and hung it. There was much celebration in the house when they obtained a sort of 1 tub washer.... it was a bit like a twin tub, but just the one tub, so you did a wash load, emptied it, did a spin, then filled it, then emptied it and spun again.

You don't use loo roll in Turkey unless you're in a tourist resort. A loo looks like a sphynxs head with a hole in the middle in the floor, ours was outdoors and curiously unlit at night (you soon trained yourself not to go then!). You wash yourself with a jug after going. Oddly more clean than paper, and you soon learn how.

They did have a small TV and it was an event when it occasionally got switched on. It's amazing how much time you have for doing actual things without TV and internet :rotfl:. It wasn't work, work, work, it was social, with a gossipy community atmosphere and relaxed.

Much of the food was homegrown, though that said you'd never consider baking your own bread, since many households don't have ovens. For a small fee if you have a casserole the baker put your dish in the oven after the bread was done and you could pick it up later cooked! Other than that food was cooked on an open fire or served room temperature. There was a lot of preserving (olives, tomato puree, chillies, dried beans etc), but no gadgets were used for it, things were done in a pan like anything else or sundried.

Whew, long post and I'm not sure if that's even what you wanted .

I could listen to you talk about this stuff all day, fascinating :T

prepareathome

Softstuff thank you for sharing it is so interesting.

I think if the worst happened and we lost our modern way of life many would find the change hard at first but within a year would be living life as those a few hundred years ago were without to much of grumble for that is the wonder of the human being they are so adaptable and quickly become used to the new/old ways which become the norm and past becomes more like a dream if it was nicer and a nightmare if was worse.