Imagine being 80 years old, living on your own, single (whether divorced, widowed or always single).  

You've lived in your home many years. You have many memories in the home, surrounded by things that remind you of this person or that one, special moments or special memories.  

"I will die in my home" you tell anyone who brings up the subject of selling the home. And you mean it because you can't imagine living anywhere else: a small apartment where your things don't all fit, not knowing where the store is, nor anyone there at that 'other place'. 

But you can't drive anymore so you stay at home. Your eyesight isn't quite the same and you just don't see your friends as much. You live frugally and don't see the need to spend money on someone to come to the house for visits. You go out to the doctor, to get your hair done, or the grocery store. On Sunday you might go to church and then a restaurant.  Your circle has grown smaller, you eat less if at all and hopefully you remember to take your medications correctly. (not forget to take them, nor take them more than prescribed because you couldn't remember if you took them) 

There are five factors to consider when evaluating options:  Legal, Financial, Medical, Sustainability and Social.  I say Legal first because it sets the stage of what government and other resources are available to you to protect your rights. If legally you can qualify for 'Aid and Assistance' then you have additional financial resources available to you. So your Financial circumstances may be improved. From a Medical standpoint, there are probably as many elderly living at home that over-medicate as under-medicate and with the current state of the pharmaceutical society, many elderly are on multiple prescriptions.  Living at home without assistance  gets complicated when multiple medications are prescribed. Sustainability addresses the standard level of care. A person is independent when they can feed themselves, bathe, toiletries, mobility and grooming. Needing assistance in 3 out of 5 of these can qualify for assisted living.  

But it's missing one key component- Social.  

If an elderly person is living on their own, in their own home, and able to care for themselves but alone all day except for the TV, is that healthy? Is that quality of life?  

Currently there are various assisted living services available to address all of these needs. Meals can be delivered. Medications can be controlled and delivered through gadgets that will only open at the right time, with the right dosage. If they miss a dosage, or are late, it can automatically contact someone to address the missed dosage. If they fall, a buzzer can go off or it can dial an emergency number. Someone can come and visit to just play cards or take them to their appointments. Someone could actually live with them on a part time or full time basis. All of these are alternatives to moving out of their lifelong home.  

In the not too distant future we will have driverless cars. That will provide safety for an elderly person to be driven wherever they want to go without fear of an accident based on failing vision. Currently they could use Uber but I've not heard many elderly taking advantage of it. In the future, we may not even own cars but just order up a car to come, driverless, to take us where we want to go for as long as we want. During the drive we could do other things, like work, or read a magazine. We'd have all that drive time as free time. We wouldn't need car insurance and save all that money. The elderly could see their friends more often, whenever they wanted to. Maybe even drive to their grandchildren's sports activities or other evening events that they'd been avoiding  because their night vision was limited.  

Currently they can order meals to be delivered, and have someone come clean their home, but will they use these services more? I think it's dependent on the cost.  3D printing will allow them to print many of the things that they normally would shop for- clothing, tools, books or whatever. Will the elderly use it? There's the question.  

As I look at the technology that will be available to all of us in only the next 10 years there are many things that could help make it easier for the elderly to age in place, but only if they use it. And in so using it, increase their level of social interaction rather than isolation.  

Both now and in the future, I think the biggest challenge to someone aging in place is the isolation and lack of social interaction because resources are there to help them now. They just need the financial wherewithal and a plan that includes socialization.