22 November 2022
In the United States, the number of adults over age 55 15.2 million are living without children (defined as biological children only) [source: US Census], while in the UK [source: AWWOC UK], the number of people over 65 without children, is expected to rise from over 1.2 million to 2 million by 2030. Within our community, many are living at the intersection aging and not having children.

The impact of both pronatalism and ageism from social policy and care to housing and community, is often lived in silence and social exclusion. The COVID pandemic further isolated those who live living and are often not considered policy meant to meet specific needs during such times.

While there are a growing number of gerontologists ad experts in the aging field, our guest today, Patricia Faulks has a unique voice in this area, based on her lived experiences and expert insight. Please join us for this necessary and meaningful conversation today!

Patricia Faulks
Patricia Faulks is in her 70s and lives in Lincolnshire, UK. She is childless after unexplained infertility from her marriage in her 20s. She is living solo and did not realize quite how isolated she was until she had to ‘shield’ from Covid19 and endure two long ‘lockdowns’ in the UK with just her dog Lilley for company. All local, social, media and government rhetoric focused on the impact on families, on the challenges of homeschooling and the sad plight of grandparents kept away from their grandchildren. There was no space for those living alone of any age, and no thought was given to those aging and alone.

Trish joined her local AWWOC (Ageing Well Without Children) group and started her own blog ‘Just Me and Lilley’ and has been interviewed on podcasts and has spoken at events about her experience. She is very active on Twitter and Instagram pointing out how deadly and entrenched it is to live at the intersection of aging, sexism, matrimania and ageism.

She regularly calls for local and national organizations to think about the many, and increasing numbers of people without children in the UK, and across the Western world. Whilst there are a growing number of gerontologists and experts in the ageing field, Trish’s voice is a unique one: she is ageing alone without children and she is doing it loudly. She is a ‘NomoCrone’ panelist on Gateway Women’s free, quarterly ‘Fireside Wisdom with Childless Elderwomen’ zoom webinars, a guest speaker & interviewee on podcasts.

Listen to episode here:

Transcript is forthcoming!

Learn more about Trish and her work here!