Dear Abby: My wife and I no longer have anything in common.
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Dear Abby: My wife and I no longer have anything in common.

Dear Abby: I have been married for a long time and I am seriously considering leaving home. We no longer have anything in common. I am active and walk, bike, golf and lift weights. My wife is 100% sedentary and does not want to participate in any of these activities that would keep us both healthy. It took a toll on him as he became obese and had mobility issues. Even small amounts of effort tires him out, making me do almost everything. I didn’t agree to be someone’s caregiver because he didn’t take care of himself.

I have been friends with an active and healthy woman like me for a long time. We have so much more in common than just being active. He told me he loved my intelligence and what a great career I had. I never got support from my wife. I’m tired of being a slave. I want a partner. Your thoughts?

— Fit in New York

Dear Fit: I think your marriage started to fall apart before you met this active, health-conscious woman. As it stands now, you are emotionally divorced before you are legally divorced. Talk to a lawyer, then tell your wife that you have felt unsupported emotionally by her for a long time and that you want a divorce so you can be with someone whose interests and lifestyle are closer to yours.

Dear Abby: I am a single woman in my 60s. I’m a very lonely person and mostly keep to myself. Even though I know my lifestyle may be unconventional, it is the lifestyle I have chosen.

My concern is that I might die alone in my home. I have serious health problems and do not expect to live a long life. I sometimes go weeks without coming into contact with another human being, and if I meet my demise there is a very good chance it will go completely unnoticed for a long time. But I don’t want you to give me advice on how to fix my life because, frankly, I accept that.

What I want to know is if there is a way (a service, device, or something) that could, in the unlikely event, alert someone that I’m alone when I’m at my end.

— Flying Solo in Texas

Dear Solo: Great question. If you have newspapers delivered, your carrier will notice if they start piling up on your doorstep. The same will be true if your mail carrier notices that your mail is starting to pile up. There are also apps and services that will check in on you every day to make sure you’re okay.

One I heard about was the Telephone Assurance program. It is a free service usually provided by a county’s Department of Aging and Disability. Volunteers make daily phone calls to help older or disabled adults remain independent in their homes for as long as possible.