A buddy system pairs you with one other person for regular mutual check-ins — often another solo ager, which has the advantage of the arrangement being explicitly reciprocal from the start.
What makes a good buddy
- Reliability over closeness — a punctual acquaintance beats an unreliable best friend for this specific role
- Reasonably nearby, or at least able to call for local help quickly if needed
- Comfortable with directness, since the whole system depends on someone actually following up on a missed check-in
Structuring it
Agree on a specific time, method (text, call), and — critically — what happens if a check-in is missed, including who else gets called and after how long.
Pairing with another solo ager works especially well since neither person feels like a one-directional burden.