DEAR ABBY: I'm 61 and have lived alone my entire life. I like it that way. The roommate thing turned out to be a nightmare for me when I was younger, so I decided that being alone was the way to go.
My mother is nearing 80. She has her mind and is still functional, but her landlord may raise her rent and she may not be able to afford to live there much longer.
She has her heart set on living with me. I love her with all my heart, but I know my life will be compromised if she does. I like solitude, taking my shirt and bra off and throwing them across the room if I feel like it. I am also a secret nudist. I usually wear no clothes when I'm home because I have some skin conditions and can't wait after a hard day to just shed my clothes.
Living with my mother will make me feel like I'm a kid again because that's how she's always treated me. I'm so set in my ways I doubt it can work out. Perhaps I can give her gift cards to buy food to help her out, maybe $200 a month. But she gives that much to the church and also helps out my brother. Please give me some advice. -- ALONE BY CHOICE
DEAR ALONE: It's time for an honest conversation with your mother, in which you explain everything you have written to me -- that you love her, but you like your lifestyle, which doesn't include having a roommate at this stage of your life. Then determine whether her landlord definitely plans to raise her rent and by how much. With help from you and your brother, she may be able to remain independent or move in with him.