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A Sixty and Me first-person report describes three women in their 70s in Cuenca, Ecuador, who have built an informal support network as they plan to age in place. Their arrangements include check-ins, spare keys, emergency contacts and discussions about future caregiving; a shared care fund remains only an idea.
A first-person report published by Sixty and Me describes how three women in their 70s living in the same apartment building in Cuenca, Ecuador, have formed an informal support network to help them age in place. Their arrangements include regular check-ins, spare keys and shared emergency information, while a proposed fund for future caregiving is still under discussion.
The women—identified in the report as Blake, Emma and the writer—did not move into the building intending to become aging-in-place partners. Their friendship grew from casual drinks and dinners into conversations and practical support. The writer says they listen to one another, offer advice when asked and show up during difficult moments.
They initially checked in with each other every morning and evening, but found that routine too demanding. They now use a three-day rule: if they have not heard from one another in three days, they make contact. Each woman also has a spare key to the others’ apartments, and the trio has arranged hidden backup keys.
The group has prepared emergency contact sheets listing local ambulance services, hospitals, police and emergency numbers, along with doctors, legal contacts and medical proxies. They have also set up an emergency group on their phones that includes other trusted people nearby. The report says the women have discussed pooling money in an interest-bearing account to hire in-home care in the future, but they have not established the fund or settled its logistics.
A Local Network for Later Life
The account offers a practical example of how aging in place can involve more than adapting a home. A familiar apartment, accessible bathrooms and nearby medical care may matter, but the writer’s experience points to another question: who will notice if something goes wrong, and who can help coordinate a response?
The three friends’ arrangements are modest and locally organized rather than a formal care service. Check-ins, shared contact details and access to one another’s homes give the women ways to stay connected and respond if a friend needs help. The approach may interest older adults who live alone or do not have a partner nearby, though the essay describes one group’s experience rather than evidence that this model will work for everyone.
Their plans also show the limits of informal support. Friends can provide companionship and help in an emergency, but the proposed use of paid caregivers acknowledges that needs may grow beyond what friends can provide. The report does not describe a care plan already in operation or establish what the costs would be.
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The report begins with familiar questions about staying at home while growing older: whether a residence has stairs, whether a bathroom can be adapted, whether hallways can accommodate mobility devices and how close medical care is. It then shifts attention from the physical setting to the people who may be available to help.
The writer says the three women have different circumstances. Blake is widowed and has an adult child; Emma is divorced and lives alone; the writer describes herself as single. Blake rents her apartment, while Emma and the writer own theirs. The report does not provide further details about their finances, health or family support.
A change in Blake’s housing situation made the group’s commitment more concrete. When her landlord decided to sell the apartment, Emma bought it after recently selling an investment property. According to the writer, Emma told Blake she would continue to have a home with them. The account presents this as a personal decision that helped keep the trio together, not as a general housing arrangement or an agreement covering future care.
“I call them my “thinking friends” because our conversations are substantive and deep.”
— The writer of the Sixty and Me report
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Care Plans Still Take Shape
The report does not say whether the three women have formalized their arrangements in writing, how they would divide responsibilities if one needed substantial ongoing care, or what legal and financial safeguards they would use. Their idea of a shared fund for a caregiver remains a discussion, and the group has not outlined a budget, contribution schedule or management plan.
It is also unclear how the friends would handle changes in health, housing or availability, or whether other residents will join them. The writer says neighbors may be interested, but the logistics are still being worked out. The account describes the group’s own experience and does not report on an independent assessment of its safety or effectiveness.
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Working Out Future Support
The friends’ next step, according to the report, is to keep refining their arrangements and consider whether other people in the building might want to take part. That could include working through the details of the proposed caregiver fund, although no launch date or final plan is given.
For now, their established measures are the three-day check-in rule, spare keys, phone contacts and emergency lists. The writer frames the wider plan as an effort to preserve independence while preparing together for possible future needs. Whether the group turns its caregiving idea into a formal arrangement remains open.
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Key Questions
What is the report about?
It describes three friends in their 70s in Cuenca, Ecuador, who have developed informal ways to look out for one another as they plan to age in place.
What support arrangements do they already have?
They use a three-day check-in rule, hold spare keys to one another’s apartments, and share emergency contact information through phone arrangements and written lists.
Have they set up a shared caregiver fund?
No. The report says they have discussed creating a fund to help pay for in-home care, but are still considering the logistics.
How did the friends respond when Blake’s apartment was put up for sale?
The writer says Emma bought the apartment after the owner decided to sell, telling Blake she would continue to have a home with them.
Is this a formal care program?
No formal program is described. The report presents a personal, informal support network and does not provide an independent evaluation of its effectiveness.
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