My mother is 97, blind, and still living alone. A few years ago she started having a home health aide come in a few times a week. Because of her macular degeneration she has had to hire a car service for shopping and things for about 20 years.
She had brain surgery 10 years ago, was in rehab for a few weeks, then home alone again.

I know she is friends with her neighbors, and they help her out a bit, but she prepares most of her own meals and has a pretty good Very Old Lady kind of life. She’s a bit forgetful, but there is no real sign of dementia or Alzheimer’s.

I come from pretty tough stuff.

Mom is 88 and still on her own. Drives herself around, does her own cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc.

Lots of people. I live in a 55 and up city. 60% of the city is over 65. Lots of people in their 80’s driving around, dancing every day, playing golf, all sorts of happy retirement life things to do. Some still working. My inlaws are in their 80’s. My FIL still works on his feet all day, and my MIL is fine, she stays home and does the cooking and cleaning all on her own.

Sure. My wife’s aunt who is 96. Lives on her own. Still drives.

Yes, my sister in law’s father. He’s in his mid 80’s. Lives in a very tidy trailer.

Neighbor is 94 and his wife is 92.

My gran lived on her own to 89.

My remaining great aunt is on her own and just had her 93rd birthday.

My aunt is 94. She lives alone, unless you count her cats, takes care of her small yard and garden and feeds the birds. She also drives and does her own shopping, cooking and cleaning.

My grandfather lived in his house until he was 86, at which point he went to a nursing home. There was a predator in the neighborhood who befriended him, and my grandfather was trusting this person too much. We found out afterwards that the predator tried to get my grandfather to cosign a 10k loan for him. That was the point that we realized my grandfather couldn’t live by himself any more. Other than that, he cooked for himself, did his own laundry, didn’t need help with bathroom or anything like that.

My mom was on her own at age 85 after mayday died. She was fine until age 91 when her ability to get around got more difficult.

I know a woman who lives on her own in Belize at age 81 who is still very active.

I had a friend who was very active in our cycling club until age 86. Lived alone and regularly participated in100 mile bike rides.

Lots of people, one of them Norman Vaughan, who I’m honored to say I knew as a friend. Here’s a bit about Norm, who was with Adm. Byrd when he explored the Pole. In the interest of honesty, tho’, I will note that he was largely sledded to the top of Mt. Byrd by others.
“At an age when most men retire, Vaughan embarked on new adventures. He competed in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in his 70s and finished the race (for the last time) in 1990 at age 84. In 1994, to commemorate his 89th birthday, Vaughan scaled 10,302-foot Mount Vaughan, the mountain Byrd named for him in Antactica.”

My best friend’s mother is 86 and independent. She moved out of the big family home last year to save the trouble of maintaining it, but she’s still in a single-family place. She golfs and her driving is safe.

My 92 year old aunt was on her own until 3 years ago when she died in a fall down her front steps. She was still taking care of herself.

My grandmothers both made it into their 80s (in the 1980s) while living alone.

Follow-up question here:

https://www.fluther.com/226698/those-self-sufficient-over-80s-how-did-they-come-to-be-alone/

Rick’s dad was on his own, in his own house, when he died at age 96 from complications caused from a fall. I strongly thought he should have been in an assisted living facility . He was SO unsteady on his feet.

I know several people over 80 who still live on their own and take care of themselves without their children or care workers etc, being involved in their day to day living.

I know of two over 90 year olds who still care for themselves and they still go out for their shopping and exercise etc.