Aging in Place: A Love Story That Lasts

The Origins of Valentine’s Day: A Wild Beginning

Valentine’s Day can trace its origins back to Lupercalia, an ancient Roman festival held annually on February 15th. This raucous celebration involved men stripping naked, wielding goat- or dog-skin whips, and playfully striking young women in hopes of boosting their fertility, says classics professor Noel Lenski of the University of Colorado Boulder.

Naturally, the Roman Catholic Church disapproved of such revelry and sought to Christianize the festival. The result? Lupercalia was linked to the legend of St. Valentine, giving rise to the romantic holiday we celebrate today. Despite efforts to suppress it, Valentine’s Day persisted into the Fifth Century A.D., long after Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

In the Third Century A.D., Roman Emperor Claudius II forbade young men from marrying, believing that single men made better soldiers. According to legend, a rebellious priest named Valentine defied the emperor’s decree, performing secret marriages for young couples. His defiance led to his execution on February 14th, A.D. 270—cementing his place as the patron saint of lovers.

The earliest recorded Valentine’s Day card came from Charles, Duke of Orléans, who sent a poem to his wife in 1415 while imprisoned in the Tower of London following the Battle of Agincourt. By the 19th century, handwritten notes gave way to printed cards, and by 1913, Hallmark began selling mass-produced Valentine’s Day cards, solidifying the holiday’s commercial appeal.

A Wake-Up Call: The True Cost of Valentine’s Day

Fast forward to today, and Valentine’s Day is big business. In 2024, Americans are expected to spend an average of $192.80 per person, up from previous years, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). Total spending is projected to hit $26 billion, with:

• $5.5 billion spent on jewelry
• $4.4 billion on a special night out
• $2.6 billion on flowers

While the focus often lands on grand gestures, perhaps the most meaningful gift isn’t calorie-loaded chocolates or expensive diamonds—but an investment in a secure and comfortable future together.

Aging in Place: A Love Story That Lasts

Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate love, but true love means planning for the future. Aging in place—the ability to remain in one’s home safely and comfortably as we grow older—is a pressing issue, especially for women.

• Women live longer than men, making aging in place a women’s issue as much as a couple’s issue.
• Each year, 1 million women in the U.S. become widowed and often live an average of 14 years alone after their spouse passes.
• Many women spend their savings on their husband’s medical care (a process known as “spend-down”), leaving fewer resources for their own later years.
• By 2035, a typical senior will spend 1 out of every 7 dollars of retirement income on medical care—a 40% increase from 2012.

Losing a spouse is difficult enough losing the ability to stay in the home you built together can be even harder. The time to prepare is before it becomes a necessity.

This year, instead of expensive jewelry or fleeting gifts, give something that lasts—the gift of a home designed for aging in place.

Here’s your Valentine’s Day plan:
✔ Schedule a home assessment with a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) to make your home future-proof.
✔ Install age-friendly features like rocker light switches, better lighting, no-step entries, and grab bars (that don’t look like hospital equipment!).
✔ Cook a romantic dinner at home, dim the new LED mood lighting, and talk about your forever home—one that will allow you to age gracefully together.

Aging in place isn’t just about home remodeling, it’s an act of love, care, and commitment. This Valentine’s Day, make a promise that lasts a lifetime.