Consider A Studio Apartment For Solo Senior Living

First Look at My Apartment 2018

The first thing I had to do once I downsized and moved from a house to a studio apartment was to figure out how to set it up. It is not as easy as it sounds. Especially if you bring boxes of things that you used in your previous homes. My studio apartment is 338 square feet which is pretty small compared to some others. I have been here now since 2018, so seven years. Over that time period I have gotten rid of more items that I didn't need or use. If I use it I will keep it. Sometimes I cry at the thought of getting rid of certain things but I have no room for things I can't use. After all that time, I am still doing it. Still getting rid of items. The hardest has been kitchen items. As long time readers of this blog know, I was a "modern homesteader" and did a lot of cooking and canning. It has been difficult for me to give up that part of my life. It has come over time though. Now my focus is making my life easier so not as much cooking. 

The kitchen

Most studio apartments are one big room with a kitchen area along one wall. The bathroom of course is the only separate room. I am very fortunate to have an ideal setup. My kitchen and bathroom are next to each other and are disabled friendly. I could use a wheelchair in them if I needed one. My kitchen is a small square with the bathroom door opening into it. One wall of the kitchen is completely open that goes into the rest of the apartment. The area outside my kitchen doorway is my "office". My table is where I keep my computer and all my computer related equipment. Since I do not have others here for meals I am on my computer when eating because that is what I like to do. 

My office is opposite the kitchen

When I am cooking or cleaning in the kitchen I can take a break to sit down at the table and still keep an eye on the kitchen. I am very careful about the electrical appliances I use. The last thing I want is a fire so I double check everything every time. I cannot stand for more than five minutes so I put something on to cook and then take a break. Checking on it every now and then. It is always within my view. Of course now I cook simple meals and clean up is fast. I wash the dishes after every meal so they do not pile up. If for some reason after supper I cannot do the dishes it is no big deal. I will do them in the morning. Living alone is really a plus for me in the kitchen. 

Living Room Area

The rest of the apartment is basically set up for sleeping, relaxing while watching television and for my pet bunny rabbit. Since I have not been sleeping in a bed for over a year now I do not have a bedroom in this space. Right now the area I had for my bedroom is where I keep the bunny cage and his area. A large dresser creates a wall for that space so it is not seen from the rest of the apartment. When my bunny is gone I will make it into my bedroom again. I have enough space in this area that I could have a love seat or small couch. For me though. a recliner, the curio cabinet, a stand with a lamp and a chair is enough in this tiny space. The television is on top of the big  dresser which puts it in the middle of the room. So the sound of it will never affect the next apartments. The same with my CD player as it is on the dresser next to it. 

My bedroom area

The reason I chose a studio apartment over a one bedroom is because I really love the open plan. Growing up with my own bedroom where I spent my happiest times made me miss having one as I got older and was married. I wanted my own space! More than anything. Most people want a one bedroom and when I moved here I did too. But as soon as I stepped into this apartment to look at it..........I was in love with it! High ceilings in the living and bedroom area makes it appear spacious. I took my name off the list for a one bedroom and have here in my studio happily ever since. Things are different when you live alone. A studio might be harder to live in with another person. It is all about privacy.  

kat's Kitchen

I can take a quick glance at my home and see what needs to be done. If you are planning a move and think a studio apartment is too small maybe you should go look at some first. For one thing they are much cheaper in rent and utilities. Easier to clean and take care of. Easier to live in if you end up with some kind of mobility issues. I can use a walker, a mobility chair or a wheelchair in mine if needed. Another plus is that it makes you get rid of all your excess stuff. It does not mean I live like a pauper. I just use different things here than I did at my old house. 

Copyright © 2025 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2025 Kathleen G. Lupole

Change Is Always Taking Place In Our Lives

Change is always taking place. From the day you are born till the day you die. Fighting change is a waste of time. Accept it and move on. What if the change is a bad one? Make a list of what is bad about it and what is good about it. Then write a list of what you can do about it. I always do that. Sometimes it is as simple as do not do anything. Wait. Patience. More times than not, time will take care of that change for you. At times I have had to make changes myself to improve whatever situation I was in. The best way to do that is to start taking little steps toward that goal. You can get most anywhere one step at a time. The key is to not overwhelm yourself by trying to do it all in a short time. Sometimes it takes a long time but if you stick with it and do not give up you can do it. 

My Apartment Building

I am constantly trying to change my life here in my apartment. Trying to make it easier due to my bad knees and Lymphedema. Yet I refuse to give up and live with it the way it is right now. I keep watching YouTube videos showing me exercises to improve both of those conditions. For the longest time I could not get up out of my chair without a lot of pain. Since watching a video on how to do that with an easy technique I can now get up from the chair with no pain or problem. It is true if you don't use something you will probably lose the use of it. So I am not going to let that happen to me. One of my goals is to be able to navigate the many stairs in my building. 

Backyard

Change has come to me in other ways than just my health issues. Financial goals are something I work on constantly. I live on a very low income but feel I live very well. Being able to have a budget and stick to it has made me pretty independent. I started doing "no spend" months a couple of years ago. I enjoy doing them now! It is a challenge to be sure. Since I do most of my buying online anyway it is a challenge I can meet. Saving in advance to buy something I want is one change that I found to be the most important one. I ask myself if this is something I really need to spend money on? Or is there another way? An example is that I wanted to shred my papers before throwing them away. Our dumpster has homeless people going through it at night and ripping our garbage bags open. I was looking at paper shredders online and didn't really want to spend the money for one. I spoke to my manager about this and she told me I (or anyone living here) could bring my papers down to her office and shred them there. Now I do not have to spend the extra money for one! 

Neighbors

Another change that happens often living in an apartment building concerns your neighbors who live in the other apartments. Some are great and get along with everyone. Some are not so. I stay away from the negative ones the best I can. Always complaining about something or someone. Being that negative will take a toll on their health eventually. As soon as I see them coming I head the other way. Wonder if they will even notice that? Probably not since that person is only focused on what they want to complain about. To anyone. For myself, I try to present a cheery presence at all times. Even if I am hurting or sad. If something is bothering me I stay to myself in my apartment. Listening to music always lifts my mood. 

My Family

My mother used to say I was more like my father than her. I looked like her (I guess, because that is what everyone always said) but my personality and nature was more like my Daddy. My brother was more like my Mom than me. My father had a pleasant cheery nature. In the morning, preparing breakfast he would be whistling. I would jump out of bed to go be with him before he left for work. I want to be that type of person even though I had many bad times to go through in my own lifetime. I have made it to the other side now!

Copyright © 2024 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2024  Kathleen G. Lupole

 

Living In Norwich, NY

Norwich, NY

When choosing where to move when I left my homestead I chose the small city of Norwich (NY) because I was familiar with it. It is more like a small town than a city but everyone refers to it as a city and it is the county seat. My apartment building is centrally located so I knew if I lived there I could get to stores, library, restaurants, movie theater and the county office building without a car. I knew I did not want the expense or headache of owning one. It has a county bus system and one of its stops is right at my building. There are a couple of taxi services as well. So having that in mind when I moved really helped me choose this apartment building. I wanted to have as much independence as possible. 

Norwich Senior Housing

Even though the apartment building I live in is called senior living (which includes disabled people of all ages as well), it is not the same as assisted living. Sometimes I think the people living here want it to be that way. No, you are renting an apartment just like any other apartment building. It is subsidized which the amount you pay for rent is based on your income. There is also assistance available for utilities and food but you have to apply for those yourself. It has nothing to do with the building. Lately they have rented apartments to disabled people who break rules because they cannot read the notices or understand them. Makes me think this was really not a good choice for them or they need a little assistance getting settled in. Sometimes such a person is embarrassed to admit they can't read or understand something so it is hard to offer help to them. 

Living here gives me the choice to do what I want when I want. I don't have to take part in any activities if I choose not to. Though the activities in our building came to a halt back in 2020. Occasionally we have Bingo but not on a regular basis. I have always been an introvert so spending my time alone is what I like to do. I am always busy with something and I never have that feeling of loneliness. I admit to spending a good share of time on the computer but have been making an effort to get outside more often. Especially while we have nice weather. Some other senior apartment buildings around here offer many more activities to their tenants. I believe that is due to their management company being more interested in their renters than our management is. I would be thankful if they would just keep our elevator running and replace the washing machines and dryers in the laundry room.

I watch decorating shows on YouTube constantly and love making changes in my apartment. Since the tiny house movement started some years back there are a lot of new options for anyone choosing to live small. Some of the tiny houses are smaller than my 338 square foot studio apartment. I love open floor plans and that is what I have here. It was perfect for me and my house bunny, Rabbit. Even though it is a small studio apartment, it has a kitchen for a serious cook. That was important to me and I use it daily. The bathroom is quite large for a studio also. I have room to keep my mobility chair in it. So I really have no complaints and work hard to make my apartment a home, not just a place to sleep and eat. 

Peaceful Forest Homestead

Yes, I never dreamed I would be forced to leave my homesteading life. There were so many factors that forced that decision and I am sure I have mentioned them on previous blogs. Debt was one of them. Also the decline I was having in my ability to walk made me dread being immobilized and living without running water among other things. I never felt secure there. Now I do. I was thrilled to move here a little over five years ago and I still am. 

Copyright © 2023 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2023  Kathleen G. Lupole

The Independent Disabled Lifestyle

Becoming disabled as you get older might be something you cannot do anything about. If that becomes a way of life for you, there are ways to still stay as independent as possible for you. Every situation is different. Your reality may be different from others or your spouse. I urge couples to establish your own care plan even if you are living with your spouse. If something unexpectedly happens to him or her, you will be able to handle your needs. At the very least you will know what you need and how to do it.

When mobility is one of your health issues, as it is for me, there are a number of options available. As most people do, I started with a cane that I used for many years. Sometimes I still use it in my apartment or for taking something downstairs. Most of the time though I use a rolling walker. I wrote about this in a previous post, Disability Independence With A Rolling Walker. What I especially like about this walker is that it has a seat with a bag under it. I can put my purse or camera or whatever I am carrying in the bag. It is also a good safety measure when walking outside where someone could just grab your purse. If I get tired or my legs or knees are hurting I can sit for a spell. It is comfortable and I even use it as my chair when going to someone's home or to any type of event.

I also have a stationary walker that I keep by my bed so I have something to grab onto to get out of bed. It folds up if I need to get it out of the way. Having aids like this can help you get around in your home. I live in a small studio apartment and I have kept it as open as possible. I could use a wheelchair in here if needed. Even in my kitchen and bathroom. My shower has a shower chair in it and I am fortunate to have a large open shower. So I could go from a wheelchair into my shower with no problem at all.

When I moved here five years ago I chose not to own a vehicle. I figured living downtown I could walk everywhere. Well that was my plan but my ability to walk around is severely limited now. I can use the walker to get to some places but not all. The grocery store is farther than I can go with the walker. So I got a mobile chair, which I call "Jazzy" and it has been a lifesaver. I can drive to the store and back as quickly as if I had a car. Last year I had to have the tires and the front casters replaced as well as new batteries. Those expenses remind me to be careful on the city sidewalks and streets. People probably wonder why I am always looking down in front of me. I am watching for potholes, rocks, glass and other debris that is on the sidewalk in front of me. 

With a mobile chair or scooter you must be very careful because it is like driving a bicycle, car or motorcycle. You don't want to go too fast and hit something or someone. Do not look around while moving and make sure you are looking in the direction you are driving. I always slow up before a driveway or an ally because someone could be coming out of it real fast. I had to stop suddenly when a bicycle came out of an ally that was next to a big building and rarely used. Unexpected! I stopped in time. There is a hidden drive into a parking lot to city hall along my route to the store. There is a large bush hiding it and if you don't know it is there it is dangerous. The bush hides you coming down the sidewalk so cars pulling out don't expect you. They can see the street looking both ways. So just be cautious. 

In my apartment I keep "Jazzy" in the bathroom in front of the shower. When I take a shower I have to move it a little ways away from the shower toward the sink. That means turning it on and moving it. I do not do it by sitting on it but standing in front of it. So moving it toward me could be dangerous if I was not paying attention. If I ran over my foot that would be one of the worst things I could imagine happening! Always watch your feet!! I charge it with the battery charger every time I have used it to go anywhere. Just plug it in after I get back home. That way it is always charged and ready to use.

The design of my small studio apartment is perfect for a disabled person and that is what they had in mind for all the apartments in my building. Not all of them are alike and the ones that seem the easiest to get around in are the studios. I believe I have taken things a step further in the way I use things and the aids I buy to assist me. Keeping an open floor plan is very important. So no coffee tables or unnecessary pieces of furniture in the way. No electric cords across the floor. Simple and easy is my motto! 

Copyright © 2023 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2023  Kathleen G. Lupole

 

My Life Five Years Later

It has been over five years since I moved from my Peaceful Forest Homestead. For years, I sold online. On various websites and wrote four different blogs. Not to mention all the physical work that had to be done living in an off grid house. I am thankful every day for the shower in my apartment. As well as the refrigerator with a large freezer that I have now. When I was living off-grid from 1999 to 2018, I presented in what I wrote and my photos, as if it was easy. It was not easy. Especially as the osteoarthritis in my knees worsened. I kept thinking it was caused by what I was doing. To make it even worse, my feet were swollen, red and hot. Sometimes I was so hot I could not stand it. The only relief I got was when I soaked my feet in cold water directly from the well. It wasn't long before that water would get hot from my feet! That turned out to be the beginning of Lymphedema. I now have it under control but back then I was afraid of what it might be. 

Another thing that was difficult was not having any power after the energy system was turned off in the early evening. Imagine sitting for hours before bed time in the dark. In the first years that I lived there, the kerosene lamps were the only lights used. There were fourteen! They worked but they are not as bright as an electric light bulb. They have a smell that not all people can endure. I did because I think I got used to them. There was also the smell from the batteries that stored the power as they were charging. I knew they were highly dangerous, especially with the huge wood stove a few feet away! I had no way to change anything when living there. That is why I value my own independence now. 

The smoke from the two wood stoves affected me also. A chimney needs to be cleaned often. Even more if you have a chimney inside the house that has elbows and goes through the floor to the upstairs. I loved cooking on the wood cook stove but I never felt safe with it going at night after we went to bed. If the weather was cool, but not cold it meant the wood stoves would heat the house to very high temperatures and I could barely stand it. Many times I would get so hot that I would go sit outside on the porch in the middle of the night. My cats loved them though! Their motto was the hotter the better!  

Boom Box, Lamp, Television.......Bunny!

I eventually started getting things on my own to improve my life. Like a small fan that I could use if there was enough power. Could not use it during the night though when I really needed it. Music always improves my life and puts me in a good mood. So I bought a boom box (that I finally wore out this year and had to throw it out). I would use batteries in it and always bought some at the store so I could keep it going. After that I got a MP3 player and an external speaker for it. I would play that at night when I was in bed. I had to go to bed early because it was dark. The Kindle Fire also helped me endure those dark nights. I read all the time. I even read out loud to others until they fall asleep.

My son doing laundry!

When I mention to others that I used to live off the grid it gets all kinds of attention. People glamorize it. People think washing your laundry by hand and hanging it on a clothesline is great. It is not. I never felt that I could get my laundry really clean. I did not have enough strength to really scrub it clean. You have to scrub hard! Then carry more water from the well and rinse. After that I had to carry the laundry to the clothesline to hang. I have horrible problems with my shoulders and maybe that is how it started. Reaching up always hurts me now.  Luckily I don't have to wash by hand anymore. I do hang my clothing on the shower rod to dry. Though I can use a dryer if I want to and I do for bedding and towels. 

Yes, life is easier for me now. I am still active. I still clean my home and cook foods that I prepare myself. I now have friends I see in person almost daily. I can go to the store if I am out of something and not worry about whether I have enough gas to get there and back. No, I can't walk in the forest or work in my garden. Those are things I had to give up in order to improve my life. I do other things instead. As you get older maybe it is not such a good idea to live secluded with no friends or in charge of your own life. Being single has made my life easier to stick to a budget that I set up for my own needs. Not what someone else wants.  

People think living in an apartment building is not a good idea because of having such close neighbors. For me, in the building I live in I can go a whole week-end and not see another person. I do my laundry and will be alone in the laundry room the whole time. If I want company I can invite some of my friends to my apartment for coffee or stop in their apartments to chat. We play Bingo downstairs in the Community Room. People seem to gather at various times in the lobby on the first floor. It depends on the building you move to. I honestly don't know how you could check it out before you moved in though. I didn't know what to expect. 

Stores, restaurants, coffee shop, drug stores, 4 parks, the library and the county office building are all within walking distance of my apartment. I use a mobility chair for the times I have trouble walking or if I want to get somewhere fast. It is more like my vehicle since I do not own a car. I didn't need the expense or headaches owning one includes. There is a bus system here as well as taxi service. Grocery delivery has been an added improvement for me! I use it all the time. As I look back on these last five years, I think it was the right decision to move here. 

Copyright © 2023 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2023  Kathleen G. Lupole

 

Living With Physical Disabilities

Yours Truly, katlupe

I have found living with a limited physical disability pretty hard in the past. Living in a regular two story house was hard for me. It was hard even coming into my house because there were stairs to get up and the inside of the house really had no room for using a walker or if ever needed in the future, a wheelchair. The apartment building I have moved into is geared to people with disabilities or elderly residents in general. Having worked in my past life as a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant), a HHA (Home Health Aid) and as a PCA (Personal Care Aid), I knew the things I needed to make my life easier and keep my independence. Just because your family says they don't mind doing everything for you, that does not mean you are comfortable asking them. I remembered all those little things that the people I took care of needed or wanted. So when I started looking for other options for me, I found that moving into an apartment set up with that in mind was the perfect answer.

kat's Studio door

Now that I am living here, there is no looking back. If you have a physical disability and cannot do simple things for yourself, you get depressed about it. I am happy to say that here, I have my own independence back! I have friends who help me, such as buying stuff from the store for me or taking me to the store. That is not what I am talking about. I am talking about the jobs you do every day, such as showering, making your bed, cooking, putting your groceries away, mopping, vacuuming, dusting, cleaning bunny rabbit cages, laundry, etc. Those every day jobs that you want to do yourself, or at least I did and still do. I hated asking for help or that feeling of being forced to ask for help because I could not do whatever it was. Nobody made me feel bad about asking, it was just in my own mind.

The ramp

There are so many benefits for someone who has been struggling to just walk to the bathroom. Here I have a ramp to use that takes me from outside to the door and from there to an elevator to my apartment, which is on the second floor. My apartment, even being a studio, is quite roomy and there is plenty of room for my walker and if I ever needed a wheelchair, there is room for that too. I have a huge bathroom with a big walk-in shower that I love. I bought a shower chair to use in it and believe me, taking a shower has never been such a hedonist event for me before. What a luxurious way to take my shower! No worry about falling in there now!

My Kitchen

My kitchen has once again become a place for me to create delicious meals. I had lost interest in cooking for some time now. I realize now, it was not the actual cooking that I was dreading and trying to avoid, but the fact that the kitchen was not easy for me to work in. Not any longer. The kitchen here is small, but everything is within an easy reach. Some days if I am having much trouble getting around, and recently I was very sick and didn't do much cooking at all, I can just make up some cold foods that don't require any additional cooking at all. I suppose that is the advantage to living alone too. Cooking for one is a lot less work, not only in the food preparation but also in the clean-up. I try to keep on top of the clean-up work by keeping a dishpan of hot soapy water in the sink while I prepare the meal. I am using an Instant Pot or a toaster oven instead of the big oven in the electric cooking range. Uses less power, does not heat up my apartment and causes me to use smaller pans. I make it a rule to follow Fly Lady and never leave dirty dishes in my sink overnight!

Downstairs to the laundry room

A perk of living in the apartment building I am in, is that it has a laundry room downstairs. Having come from an off-the-grid house, the laundry was one of those jobs that had become way too hard for me. I was washing the laundry by hand and seems I could hardly ever catch up, especially in cold or rainy weather. Here using smart card technology, I just put some time on the card, pretty much like you do a cellphone and use that in the washer and dryers. Take my laundry down and put it in the washing machine, come back in an hour and move it to a dryer. Back to my apartment and when the time is up, I go back downstairs and fold my load. Easy as could be and it is job I look forward to.

kat's cat collection

Having less things makes for less work. If you feel overwhelmed due to a lot of furniture or other possessions that you have to take care of, it can tire you out. I was tired out just trying to organize all my things. What good are they if they sit in a box and you never take them out? Never use them? I have parted with many items that I never thought I would give up. And you know what? I feel like I had a weight lifted off my shoulders. I really do. Moving made me really take note on how much stuff I really had. I kept the things I use or what gives me pleasure. An example of something that gives me pleasure is I have a curio cabinet that holds my collection of ceramic and some brass, cats. I have collected them over the years and many were gifts. I look at them often and in the evenings like to put the light on so they really stand out. Yes, I get pleasure from owning them!

Leaving off residents after a day of shopping

One more reason for moving into a senior housing apartment is that after having lived for close to nineteen years in the middle of the state forest, I found I had no friends. I was alone except for my husband and my critters. I needed interaction. I needed people to talk to, to laugh with, to enjoy. Living downtown in a small city gives me the option to walk to various shops, churches, restaurants, the library, hair salon, etc. I now have a mobile walker, which I will be writing about in a future post so I won't go into that much now. It has made me able to be a lot more independent. There is a county transit bus system that comes here and takes people to various stores and other places. There are local taxi cabs and delivery services available. It has made the option of living without a motor vehicle possible for me and it was something I always wanted to do. Not having to pay for vehicle expenses, covers my electric, internet, cellphone and a large portion of my rent. I like that trade off! 

Copyright © 2018 Kathleen G. Lupole 

All Photographs Copyright © 2018 Kathleen G. Lupole