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A Sixty and Me contributor describes how three women in their 70s living in the same building in Cuenca, Ecuador, developed a friendship into an informal aging-in-place support network. Their arrangements include regular check-ins, emergency contacts and spare keys; one friend also bought another’s apartment after its owner decided to sell.
A personal essay published by Sixty and Me describes how three women in their 70s living in the same apartment building in Cuenca, Ecuador, turned a friendship into an informal plan to support one another as they age. Their approach combines everyday check-ins and emergency preparations with the possibility of pooling money for future in-home care, offering one example of how people living alone might plan for aging in place with help from friends.
The essay’s author, who describes herself as a longtime single woman, says she met Blake, a widow, and Emma, who is divorced, after moving into a restored colonial building. The three initially met for drinks and dinners. Over time, their conversations became more personal and they began looking out for one another. The author calls them her “thinking friends,” describing a relationship built on listening, encouragement and practical support rather than a formal care arrangement.
The friends first tried checking in every morning and evening, but found the twice-daily routine unnecessary. They now use a three-day check-in rule: if one has not heard from another for three days, she sends a message to make sure everything is all right. Each has a spare key to the others’ apartments, and they have also hidden backup keys in places known to the group.
They have set up an emergency group on their phones with several other trusted people nearby, and prepared laminated contact sheets with local ambulance services, hospitals, police, doctors, medical proxies and legal contacts. The author says they have discussed creating an interest-bearing shared fund that could help pay for a caregiver or nurse near their building if their needs change. That plan remains under discussion, and the essay gives no details about a formal agreement or funding structure.
The group’s commitment became more tangible when the owner of Blake’s apartment decided to sell. According to the author, Emma had recently sold an investment property and bought the apartment, telling Blake she would still have a home in the building. The essay presents the purchase as a personal act of support; it does not provide the price, transaction terms or further details.
Friendship as a Practical Care Network
The account shifts the focus of aging in place from the home’s physical features to the people and arrangements that can make remaining at home more workable. Grab bars, accessible hallways and nearby medical care may matter, but the author also emphasizes who will notice an absence, respond to an emergency and help coordinate support.
For people who live alone or do not want to rely only on family, the story illustrates one informal model: build relationships nearby, agree on simple ways to check in and share information that would be useful in a crisis. The women’s system is personal and specific to their circumstances, not a tested or guaranteed care plan. Their discussion of future paid care also points to a limit of friendship alone: increasing support needs can require money, professional services and clear decisions about responsibility.
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From Home Features to People
Aging in place generally means staying in one’s home or community as needs change, rather than moving solely because of age. The Sixty and Me essay begins with familiar housing questions: whether stairs, bathrooms and hallways will remain usable, and whether medical care is nearby. The author then asks a social question: who will be available if help is needed?
The three women did not move into the building intending to become care partners, the author writes. Their support system developed gradually through repeated social contact. The essay describes practical steps they took as their relationship deepened, including emergency contact lists and a shared phone group. It also recounts how the possible loss of Blake’s apartment prompted Emma to act. The source is a first-person account, not an evaluation of the arrangement or a broader survey of older adults.
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Plans Still in Discussion
The essay does not say whether the proposed care fund has been created, how much the women might contribute or how they would decide when and how to spend it. It also does not describe a written agreement covering expenses, caregiving duties, medical decisions or what would happen if one friend moved away or could no longer participate.
The account does not identify the author by name in the supplied material, provide a publication date or report whether other residents joined the group. Emma’s purchase of Blake’s apartment is described by the author, but the sale’s financial and legal details are not included. The story is a personal example and does not establish how common or effective this kind of arrangement is.
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The friends may continue working through the practical details of their proposed fund and possible in-home care, the author says. They also believe other people in the building may be interested, though the essay does not report a meeting, commitment or timeline for expanding the group. For now, their described arrangements are the three-day check-in rule, access to spare keys, shared emergency contacts and prepared information sheets.
The account leaves the next steps open: whether the women formalize their plans, bring in additional neighbors or arrange professional support will depend on their needs and decisions. The development reported so far is a close friendship becoming a practical support network—not a completed care program.
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Key Questions
Who are the women described in the essay?
The account describes the author, a longtime single woman, and two neighbors in their 70s: Blake, who is widowed, and Emma, who is divorced. They live in the same apartment building in Cuenca, Ecuador.
What does their three-day rule mean?
If one friend has not heard from another for three days, she checks in by text or group chat. The author says they tried twice-daily messages at first but found that routine unnecessary.
Have the friends started a shared fund for caregivers?
No shared fund is described as established. The author says they have discussed putting money into an interest-bearing account to help pay for possible future in-home care.
Why did Emma buy Blake’s apartment?
According to the author, Blake’s landlord decided to sell the apartment. Emma bought it after selling an investment property and told Blake she would still have a home in the building. The essay does not give the transaction terms.
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