From an Alone Duck to a Flock: Fighting Isolation and Aging Together

Sometimes, at any age, we feel like the only duck in the pond—swimming in circles, calling out, and hearing no reply.

Being a caregiver can feel like that. So can aging. So much grief, change, and chronic stress can leave you feeling like you’re paddling upstream, alone, while everyone else seems to drift effortlessly with the current. Whether you’re giving care or needing care, the loneliness can sit with you like a heavy stone in your chest.

At UR Community Cares, we hear this time and time again. You’re not alone in feeling alone.

Isolation is one of the quietest but most powerful challenges we face, especially for those with mobility issues, cognitive changes, or who are trying to navigate a new season of life. And when you’re in the thick of it, it can seem like no one sees you struggling to stay afloat. But here’s the thing: there are others out there paddling too, quietly, just like you.

That’s why we believe in building a flock—a community of people who are not perfect, not always strong, but who are trying. A flock that embraces those who need a little extra time to walk across the room. A flock that listens patiently when words take a little longer to come. A flock that lifts each other up, even if we’re all a little wobbly on our feet.

We know aging can feel like a battle. But we don’t have to fight it alone.

Our UR Community Tech Center and UR Vision Resources programs have people like Mrs. C, who came in feeling alone, as a newly diagnosed blind woman, but she left feeling excited about the technology she learned.

We can reshape what aging looks like—not something to fear or endure alone, but something we approach as a community. Together, we can offer more than just care—we can offer connection. Inclusion. Empathy. Real companionship.

So if today you feel like the lone duck—exhausted, unseen, or drifting—know this:

You are not alone.

There’s a place for you in the flock. There’s a hand to hold, a voice to hear, and a heart that understands. Together, we can make this journey less lonely, more loving, and better supported—because no one should have to swim upstream forever without someone beside them.

If you are alone or you would like to bring your family with you, make an appointment to learn together. Let’s come together—one duck, one caregiver, one neighbor at a time.