Living alone: Are you ready?
Cohabiting couples tend to divide household jobs, but what happens when you’re on your own, asks Katie Newton.
In two-adult households around the country, a division of labour is common. One person might know how to read the water meter, the other might know how to roast a chook. One might wield the power drill, the other might know when the recycling is collected.
But when one person unexpectedly moves out, or moves on, they take this knowledge with them. It can be tough on the person left behind.
According to Statistics New Zealand, single-person households are the fastest growing household type in New Zealand.
They will account for 27 per cent of all households by 2038, up from 24 per cent in 2013. By 2038, 11 per cent of the population are expected to be living alone.
This is mainly because of our ageing population, with almost 90 per cent of this growth being among those aged 60 and over.
Stephanie Clare, chief executive of Age Concern, said it was common for older people to find the skills or knowledge to perform household tasks was lost when one person died or had to leave the home.
‘‘Many will have had traditional roles around the house, with the man taking care of the outside and the woman the inside.
‘‘Suddenly their wife of 60 years is gone and she might have cooked every meal – they have to learn how to do it themselves,’’ Clare said.