Choosing Your Senior Home: Money Factors

4 Financial Factors in Choosing a Senior Citizen Home:

Senior citizen homes aim to meet the unique needs of the retired community. When you retire, you are on a fixed income for the remainder of your life. Making financial decisions on a budget becomes extremely important because you lack the ability to go earn more money if needed. Costs can become more difficult to manage as you enter your senior years; medical expenses and care expenses can be very burdensome. To reduce these expenses and woes, many seniors consider a senior citizen home where care is provided. Unfortunately, living in these facilities can be a cost burden in itself.

#1 Cost of Residence

The cost of simply renting a residence in a senior living community can be very high. Where you are right now, you are the sole owner of a property. You manage it yourself, and you can control management costs as a result. When you buy into a larger community, the cost to manage the facility is also your burden, but you cannot directly control that cost. To help find a less expensive option, look for communities with a lot of residents. There, the costs will be split between more people, reducing the cost per person.

#2 Cost of Care

It is true that you will receive an abundance of medical care in a facility at a fixed rate. Instead of rushing to the doctor each time you are ill, you can simply use the services of an in-house nurse whose salary is covered by your ongoing payments. This will save money for those who visit the doctor frequently, but it can be a wasted cost if you are not making use of the staff. Look for a facility with many care levels. You can begin with a minimal care package, allowing you to save money over jumping into a maximum care facility.

#3 Cost of Ancillary Services

If you are still an active person, consider the services you would like to locate in a community of your choice. Some will offer educational opportunities, others will focus on spiritual guidance. You may want a large recreational area with pools, a gym or other active life options. The more services you elect, the more the home will cost. When you need to control costs, this is a key area you can cut back.

#4 Comparable Cost of Alternative Options

Cost is never an absolute consideration; it is always relative to the cost of other options. You may be fortunate to have a friend or family member who can support you in the future. You may also be willing to remain in your current residence or move into a mobile home or similar option. If this is the case, you have to compare the cost of these other options to the cost of the senior senior home. Of course, you should compare the relative happiness you could fell in each situation along with cost. Only choose the senior home if the benefits and service offered are worth any additional cost rendered through the decision.

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Caring For the Caregiver

Caring for a spouse, parent or other family member who is battling severe mental or physical illness is a labor of love, but one that has its own emotional toll.

Previous research has shown that untrained, primary caregivers who are looking after family face an increased possibility of several physical and psychological health issues—including an increased risk for depressive symptoms and declines in physical health, or feelings of guilt and anxiety should they give up some caregiver responsibilities. To help address these issues and alleviate some of these problems, researchers and mental health professionals have worked to devise intervention strategies to promote well being among caregivers.

Yet, according to new research published last month in the journal Aging & Mental Health, some of these efforts are designed on too narrow of criteria, and fail to account for the large range of stressors, and different combinations of risk factors, that can impact caregivers overall mental and physical health. In an effort to improve caregiver support, researchers at Pennsylvania State University and The Benjamin Rose Institute in Cleveland studied 67 individuals who provide primary care for family members with dementia, analyzing the different stressors that impacted their lives and how those factors influenced not only their loved one's care, but their own well being.


The study included individuals who served as the primary caregivers for relatives with dementia who were not residing in assisted-living facilities such as nursing homes. Researchers collected data by interviewing subjects in their homes for an average of two hours. Participants were asked about 15 different risk factors—from how much assistance they needed to provide their loved one in routine daily tasks such as bathing, dressing or grocery shopping to whether care for the family member with dementia had created broader family conflict.

Researchers found that, though all study subjects shared the common experience of caring for a relative with dementia, the way that this responsibility impacted their lives differed substantially for each person. That is, each risk factor associated with being a primary caregiver—from decreased leisure time and financial strain to anger or strife over the loss of companionship—influenced each individual differently, and in different combinations of varying severity. What's more, how these different factors influenced a caregiver's own mental health differed greatly among participants—while some showed increased signs of depression but didn't experience anger, while for others the emotional fallout was the opposite.

The researchers did find that while certain risk factors increased the likelihood of some outcomes—feeling overwhelmed or suffering worsening health—the total number of stressors had a greater influence on risk for poor mental and physical health outcomes among caregivers than any individual stressor, no matter how severely participants said it impacted them.

The study authors conclude that the findings indicate the need for intervention efforts specifically tailored to individual caregivers, and the combinations of risk factors that most impact them. They write: "For example, a caregiver who has a high rate of depressive symptoms and is in poor health may need a treatment approach that emphasizes relief from caregiving responsibilities. Another caregiver who has depressive symptoms but is in good health may benefit from interventions that increase his/her activity and involvement, such as learning new skills for managing stressors."

Yet recognizing that caregivers need intervention strategies that address their particular needs doesn't mean that there can't be a more systematic approach to developing these interventions, the authors argue. Developing a technique that allows mental health professionals to carefully assess the many, multi-level ways in which caregivers well being is impacted could help determine not only which individuals most need help, but also provide insight toward building "a multicomponent treatment program that can address the caregiver's specific risks and be modified to adapt to the caregiver's changing risk profile." In other words, use a more systematic approach to tailor a program that grows and develops to meet a caregivers changing emotional and psychological needs—so that they can not only nurture their ailing loved ones, but themselves as well.

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Multi Generational Homes: Trend Reversal

In 2003, members of Rosa Licea-Mailloux’s family bought an eight-bedroom house in North Grafton. Her household now consists of her parents, husband, two brothers, sister-in-law, aunt, uncle, three cousins, and her own 3-year-old daughter.

Living in a multigeneration household is “partly a cultural thing,’’ said Licea-Mailloux, 33, a Boston attorney whose parents emigrated from Mexico in the 1970s. But the built-in advantages — like having help with child care, or being near her parents as they age — also make living in a large familial nest appealing, offsetting a loss of privacy.

The Licea-Mailloux family’s living arrangement is representative of a marked change in how the American family has organized itself over the past three decades, an evolution brought on by what one observer calls “a perfect storm’’ of demographic, cultural, and economic factors.

A report last month from the Pew Research Center found 49 million Americans, or 16 percent of the population, living in multigeneration households as of 2008, compared with only 28 million in 1980, or 12 percent. The surge reverses a sharp decline between 1940 and 1980, when the percentage of Americans living multigenerationally dropped from one-fourth to less than one-eighth.

The most common arrangement? The head of house living with his or her adult child and grandchild, an arrangement shared by 2.2 million Americans, according to an AARP poll that echoes the trend. An additional 1 million occupy households where the head of house belongs to the so-called sandwich generation, living with both a parent and child in the house.

Both studies offer a variety of reasons for families opting to move in — or back in — together in large numbers, among them a tough job market and rash of home foreclosures, along with the cultural influence in immigrant communities, and a desire to share the care of family members.

“The difference between this boom we’re seeing now and the postwar model is, back then it was almost automatic that grandparents moved in with adult children,’’ said Amy Goyer, who blogs on intergenerational issues for the AARP. “Once people got more mobile, this was much less of a given, though.’’ Today, Goyer said, family members increasingly rely on one another for support, whether it’s because more grandparents have seen their savings shrink during the recession or because more mothers work outside the home and need assistance with child care. “I’ve been hearing both enthusiasm and reluctance’’ from family members who are regrouping this way, she said, “but most focus on the positive side.’’

Even the White House has become a three-generation household, noted Goyer, with President Obama’s mother-in-law moving in last year.

Jane McMahon wasn’t necessarily thinking big picture when she sold her Springfield house in the mid-’90s and moved to Eastham. McMahon, 68, bought a small, two-bedroom Cape cottage, mostly to be near her three adult children. Suffering from a slow-progress form of muscular dystrophy, however, McMahon knew she could not take living independently for granted as the years rolled by and her disability worsened.

Page 2 of 2 --Her son moved in with McMahon not long after, followed by her future daughter-in-law. The high cost of rentals had priced them out of the local housing market and, she said, “they said they’d take care of me if I could give them more space and privacy, so that’s what we did.’’

Five years ago the cottage was torn down and replaced by a two family home that accommodates both McMahon’s physical needs and the couple’s desire for privacy. Last summer McMahon welcomed a granddaughter into the household.

“Now I have assisted living at its best, and they have their own two-story house,’’ McMahon said. “This is the way it used to be’’ — with older, more experienced mothers lending advice to first-time parents. Though unable to handle some child care duties, McMahon helps with laundry, bill paying, and other chores. Having a granddaughter around 24/7, she said, is “the best pain medicine I’ve ever had.’’

Returning closer to family is often the primary concern, said Joann Montepare, director of Lasell College’s Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies.

“People want that multilayered piece to their lives,’’ she said. “They’ve lived a distance from their parents; now they have kids of their own and want to live closer.’’

While living with an older parent or two can be challenging, she said, “people are also more open to the benefits of living intergenerationally, and in a rich way.’’

For Debbie Sheehan and her mother, Jan Liehe, it’s taken a concerted effort to face the rougher sides of multigeneration living to make the arrangement go smoothly. Sheehan, 39, lives in a four-bedroom Somerville house with her husband and two young daughters. Liehe, 71, retired from working and left her Ohio home four years ago, intending to help Sheehan with first-time motherhood.

Sheehan anticipated her mother staying around for a few weeks. But a combination of financial need — Social Security checks are Liehe’s sole income — and generational bonding has turned a few weeks into four years.

“The first few months were the honeymoon period, then we went through struggles and tensions,’’ Sheehan recalled. “In terms of privacy, it’s hard enough adjusting to having a spouse around. With a parent, though, there’s always that duality of being a child and a parent at the same time.’’

It took multiple family meetings for roles and responsibilities to become clear, both women said. “We knew we had to deal with this, or one of us would have to move out,’’ Sheehan admitted.

Said Liehe: “I’m very independent and always have been. To slowly lose that has been a challenge. But we’re working it out. And some day I’m sure the kids would love to have their house back.’’

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Kids of Elderly Parents ~ Mistakes Not to Make

The 5 Most Common Mistakes Made By People With Elderly Parents:

1. Not having a discussions about alternative living arrangements for your parents.
It is important to be proactive concerning this! It is so much easier and less confrontational to start this process early and often. If you start early having discussions about options and choices, you can be much more low key about it.

If you wait and start talking about it after your Dad has fallen and broken his hip, there is no time to be low key-you are now “under the gun” to find answers quickly!

2. Not having a clear picture of your parents’ finances.

Know whether or not they have a long term care policy. If so, you should know where it is and make sure it’s easily accessible. Also, take some time to read through it so you know what it does and does not cover.

If they do not have insurance, what other financial resources do they have? Perhaps it would make sense for you and your parents to talk with a lawyer about Medicaid eligibility and spend down rules. Also, if you have a parent who is a Veteran, it’s possible they’re eligible to receive coverage for some services.

3. When your parents’ health starts to fail, thinking that a nursing home is the only option.

There are no shortage of options around these days. If your parent is resolute about staying in their own home, it is very possible to arrange for care there.

You can also get a bit creative about combining several types of care. As an example, a family could have Dad go to an adult day care facility a few times a week. Other days you may have a caregiver that stays with him other days and also overnight. Then you and other family members can fill in other times, if needed. When it comes to customizing a plan that is right for you and your loved ones, the possibilities are endless.

4. Trying to find help at the last minute

This is a big one. If you wait until Mom is schedule to come home tomorrow from a hospital stay, it will be extremely difficult to make good, rational decisions in such a short time. Trying to develop a good plan of care under such stress will be overwhelming.

You’ll want to do your research as early as possible. Identify some facilities or agencies and contact them. See which ones you get a good vibe from and build a relationship with them. Arrange for you and/or your parent(s) to visit or have someone come to the home for an assessment. By starting the process sooner rather than later, you can call on people who are familiar with your situation if an emergency occurs.

5. Only taking cost into consideration when selecting care providers

This can go either way. Very expensive nursing home facilities may not have very good track records when it comes to caring for their residents. Don’t just look at pretty websites, videos, fancy tours or brochures. It’s important to talk to as many residents and their loved ones as possible to get a true sense of the care the facility provides.

And it you’re looking to arrange home care, selecting the company with the lowest rates might not be the best option. The quality caregivers out there command (and deserve) a higher salary. Good home care agencies can’t be the lowest cost providers yet offer the best caregivers. Lastly, if you go the home care route, be sure to meet with, and approve of, anyone that will be provider care for your loved one before they start care.

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

The Sandwich Generation: Baby Boomers

The challenges of caring for aging parents can be taxing for the in-between generation.

IT IS one of the most difficult problems any of us will ever face. Mom and Dad are getting on in years, and they aren't quite as sharp as they once were. Mom broke her hip last year and has a hard time with the stairs. Dad probably shouldn't be driving anymore. Or maybe Dad has passed away and Mom has started to let her once-immaculate house go a bit. You would love to help out more, but you live 2,000 miles away and you've got about all you can handle taking care of your own kids.

Situations like this are becoming increasingly common. In fact, there is even a name for people being squeezed between the demands of their children and the responsibility they feel to assist their aging parents--the Sandwich Generation.

For as long as there have been families, people have had to find ways to care for aging relatives. In days gone by, multi-generational families often lived in the same town, and sometimes even in the same house. Everyone could pitch in to help their grandparents. It was almost expected that, after a long life, they would be taken care of by their children and grandchildren.

It is important to remember that, when you are trying to help your aging parents from a distance, you don't have to do it alone. There are many resources available, including:

Senior centers. Not to be confused with nursing homes or retirement facilities, these are places where seniors can go during the day to socialize, exercise, and have a good time. Many offer extensive programs of activities, including guest speakers, dances and parties, organized book/discussion groups, and outings to museums, shows, sporting events, etc.

Dependent care counseling. Some employee health benefit plans come with telephone access to counselors who can assist you with issues involving caring for your aging parents. These counselors can often provide referrals to experts who can help you with needs as diverse as finding an accountant to do their taxes to helping you locate information on diet and exercise for seniors. Some services can be a big help in performing the costly and time-consuming legwork associated with finding care for your parents. Ask your employer or health plan if your benefits include such a service.

Warning signs

One of the hardest parts of trying to assist your aging parents from a distance is monitoring their health. Since many parents don't want to complain, their children may never know that a health problem is developing. It is not uncommon for parents not even to tell their children if they are hospitalized.

While senior health conditions can be subtle and hard to detect, there are several warning signs. Any of the following could signal the start of a situation that needs attention:

Sometimes, the health concerns brought on by aging necessitate more formalized, regular care, such as in-home custodial care or moving to a nursing home. It is often difficult for adult children to come to terms with the fact that their parents may need this kind of care, especially when their mother or father vigorously protests the idea. There are, however, a few things you can do to make such a transition easier:

Involve your parents in choosing their care. A large part of the anxiety seniors feel when they are placed in the care of others comes from relinquishing control and autonomy over their own lives. To help alleviate this fear, make sure that Mom or Dad has as large a role as possible in interviewing candidates for in-home nursing or visiting prospective retirement communities and nursing homes. This will help them retain their dignity and sense of independence.

Choose a nursing home carefully. All facilities are not alike. Try to find one with as low a ratio of residents to staff as possible. Be sure that it offers plenty of activities and programs to keep residents engaged and vital. Check out the buildings and grounds to see if they are clean, safe, and in good repair. Ask for references so you can talk to current residents and their families. Above all, meet and talk with as many of the staff as possible and have your parent(s) do the same. If you and your mother or father both get a good feeling about the place and the impression that it is staffed by caring, experienced professionals, chances are it will be a good fit.

Investigate long-term care insurance. Nursing homes and in-home nurses aren't cheap. Visits by in-home nurses run about $20 per hour, and nursing homes average around $35,000 per year. Medicare doesn't always provide enough to cover these expenses, so it may be a good idea to look into long-term care insurance. Such policies are designed to cover care associated with aging, and some allow the policyholder to use the benefits either for themselves or their parents.

As members of the baby boom generation approach their golden years, seniors' issues may dominate the national agenda like never before. How will the sandwich generation of today manage their own care? Will they expect their children to take care of them or will they somehow manage to retain their independence?

Advances in medical science have lengthened life, but in many cases a longer life doesn't mean one free from health concerns and the need for ever-higher levels of care. Indeed, it could be argued that medical advances have exacerbated the problem of looking after the growing ranks of older seniors in this country. Meanwhile, the responsibilities facing the sandwich generation today continue to be a challenge. While caring for aging parents is difficult, there are ways to make it easier--on your parents and yourself.

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Falling: Can It Be Prevented?

Home Safety & Fall Prevention
Written By : Jami Polk

Every year over 1.6 million older adults go to the emergency room for fall related injuries. The risk of falling increases with age. Falls are the main cause of fractures, loss of independence, hospital admissions and death.

Hip fractures are the most common and serious type fall related injuries. Only half of older adults hospitalized with hip fractures can return home and live on their own afterwards.

The fear of falling causes older adults to avoid physical activities, such as, walking and exercise. However, physical activity can help prevent falls. If you’re concerned with falling, speak to your doctor about physical therapy. Physical therapy can help improve balance, maintain physical health and prevent falls.

Don’t keep it a Secret!

If you fall, discuss this with your doctor, even if you’re not hurt. Falls can be a sign of a medical problem that should be addressed, such as changes in blood pressure, diabetes, eyesight or side effects from medications.

Risk Factors and Causes

A risk factor is something that increases a person’s susceptibility to a medical problem. As risk factor’s increase, so does a person’s risk of falling. Many causes of falls are health issues or safety hazards in the person’s environment.

Postural hypotension - Blood pressure that drops too much when you get up form a lying or sitting position. This can cause dizziness, which can increase the risk of falling. Dehydration, medications, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease or infections may cause postural hypotension.

Foot Problems and unsafe footwear can cause falling. Slippers, back-less shoes, and high-heels are all unsafe footwear that can cause risks of falls.

Vision problems and poor lighting in the home can also lead to falls.

Preventing Falls

Falls can definitely be prevented. Steps to reduce the risks of falls are:

Make personal changes with your physical well being.

•Talk with your doctor about your risks for falling and if you have or almost fallen. Your doctor may refer your to a physical therapists
•Be physically active- Physical activity strengthens muscles and increases endurance. Your balance may improve with exercise and decrease the chances of falling.
•Have your vision checked
•Have your blood pressure checked while lying and sitting.
•Choose safe footwear
•Have medications reviewed
•Get enough sleep-Being tired can cause risk of falls
•Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Even a small amount can effect your balance and reflexes
Make changes in your home - HOME SAFETY:

•Remove safety hazards-An important step in fall prevention is to remove any items that can cause you to trip or slip while walking such as furniture, electrical or phone cords and rugs.
◦Make sure carpet is secured to floor and stairs. Rugs should be removed or secured with double-sided tape
◦Avoid wet floors and clean up spills right away
◦Avoid going out on ice or snow alone.
•Improve lighting
◦Make sure there is good lighting with light switches at the top and bottom of stairs and each end of hallway
◦Put night lights and light switches close to bed
•Install handrails and grab bars
◦Have handrails on both sides of stairs and make sure they are secure.
◦Mount grab bars near toilets and inside and outside of your tub and shower
•Move items to make easier to reach
◦Don’t stand on a chair to reach something that’s too high. Use a “reacher” instead. Reachers are special grabbing tools that can be purchased at medical supply stores. If using a step stool, make sure it is stable with a handrail on top.
◦Keep things that you regularly use in reach.
Use assisted devices or walking aids

•Appropriate use of canes, walkers and reachers can prevent falls. A physical or occupational therapist can decide which device will fit your needs and how to use them appropriately. Talk with your physician about having a physical or occupational therapist access your needs.
•You may want to consider purchasing a home monitoring system. This consists of a button on a chain worn around your neck. If you fall or need emergency help, you just push the button to alert the service. To find local medical alarm companies please refer to our resource page.
Maintain and improve your bone health

•You can prevent fractures by maintaining bone strength. Bone strength won’t prevent falls but it can prevent hip and other fractures, disabilities or death.
•Consumption of adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D can keep your bones strong. People older than 50 should consume 1,200 mg of calcium daily from foods and calcium supplements.
Utilizing these simple steps can help to insure safety and prevention of falls and fractures!



For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Avoid the Elder Care Stress Blues

Avoiding Elder Care Stress
Written By : Diane Carbo

Care for the elderly in home can be overwhelming. To avoid elder care stress it is important for the caregiver, or potential caregiver, to help the aging adult organize and plan for the unplanned events in life. Taking a proactive approach with the aging adults in your life will save you time, energy, money and undue stress.
Of course it is always best to attempt to plan for the unplanned emergency and get all paperwork and legal papers in order while the aging adult in your life is still well. It is not always possible. Many families are unable to have the necessary discussions or are in denial insisting that everything will be fine. Then, one day, a phone call comes in, and it is the local hospital, your aging loved one is in the emergency room and the news is not good.

There is a rush to the hospital, and the healthcare professionals have many questions that you are unable to answer. While your aging loved one is in the hospital, you now are left to look for important papers and do other things like pay the bills for your loved one. You may even have to make serious life altering decisions, under duress, because these were subjects that just are not discussed.

This is an everyday occurrence in every hospital in the country. Families are faced with the stress of making decisions they are unprepared to make, provide information they must research. Many start writing things on scraps of paper.

There is the "to do" list, the appointment list, names and numbers of healthcare providers, your own schedule and maybe even your families schedule. Care giving can be overwhelming and can cause an incredible amount of unnecessary stress.

Avoid unnecessary elder care stress. Care for the elderly in home requires planning and organization. The key to survival is planning and organization.

Planning is important as we age. We all want to maintain control, independence and our dignity as we grow older. Being proactive and discussing the important issues with our loved ones, even putting our wishes in writing, gives the aging adult control over their lives even when they can no longer speak for themselves.

Organization is important. There are so many aspects of our lives that we take for granted. When you care for the elderly in home, it is important to have things in one place and information easily accessible to make life easier.

The first step is to write things down. When you start your caregiver's journey, have a notebook and pen with you at all times. Stress causes distractions and you may tend to forget things.

At home, it is important to get all the medical, legal, financial, home maintenance, religious and social information together and put in an easily accessible place. Develop a system where all the names, addresses and phone numbers are in one spot for ease and accessibility.

The medical information is important, as good record keeping can delay time wasted when treatment is necessary. Good record keeping can also prevent another invasive or painful test being preformed. It is important to have the name, telephone number, address and specialty of each health care provider that cares for your aging loved one.

Develop a master schedule, to keep track of when medications need to be reordered, appointments are scheduled, when the trash it to go out etc. It sounds silly, but care giving is intermittent, unpredictable and overwhelming at times. It is easy to get distracted and forget something.

Develop a file system. Sections for filing will be medical bills, legal papers, resources, financial papers. Paperwork can pile up, so make a file for things that will need to be filed. When things get overwhelming, filing may be a task to delegate to another family member.

Keep a log of those that you talk with in regards to the care of your aging loved one. A call log with the name of the individual you spoke with, date and time and a brief snippet what the call was about is important in case something is missed or care is delayed.

Learn to make copies of medical bills, medication scripts; if you are mailing them, insurance claims anything that you are mailing out and any important legal documents. Always have a backup plan in place. If there is an emergency, or if the primary caregiver is suddenly ill, there must be an alternative plan in place for someone else to step in. Expect that life will have many unplanned events. Try and prepare for them

Avoid elder care stress by being prepared. Care for the elderly in home requires one to be very organized. It is important to ask questions, make sure you understand the answers so that you can learn, plan and be organized for those unplanned life events.



For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Reverse Mortgages: Very Informative Article

By TARA SIEGEL BERNARD
Originally appeared April 16, 2010
Do Price Cuts Make Reverse Mortgages More Attractive?

Reverse mortgages, which allow older homeowners to pull cash out of their homes without making payments, have been around for decades. They are often used by people who want to stay in their homes, but need extra money to pay medical bills, for instance, or to retire other debt.

Reverse mortgages also have a reputation for being expensive, and they are. But if you’ve been thinking about one, it’s worth taking a closer look now because several lenders have cut prices in recent weeks. As with most complex financial products, however, you need to know exactly what you’re getting into.

Bank of America, Wells Fargo, MetLife Bank and Financial Freedom have all waived their origination fees and other charges on certain reverse mortgages they sell as part of the Federal Housing Administration’s Home Equity Conversion program. There’s a reason for the lower prices: Lenders are making profits by packaging the loans as securities and selling them to Wall Street investors. Demand for the securities is high, experts said, because not only are the underlying mortgages backed by the government, but they also tend to be more predictable, with slightly longer lives than traditional mortgages.

Consumers were becoming increasingly reluctant to sign up for reverse mortgages — after all, homeowners could not pull out as much equity as they once could because of the drop in home values. But when the F.H.A. also reduced the amount that people could borrow, even fewer took out loans.

The potential market is huge. More than seven million people over the age of 65 with annual incomes below $30,000 own their homes outright, according to the Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey conducted in 2007, the most recent data available.

But just because the initial price of a reverse mortgage has dropped doesn’t mean the mortgages are necessarily a good deal for everyone. Much of borrowers’ home equity will be erased over time, perhaps more quickly than they realize. As the name implies, these are mortgages in reverse. Because the borrower isn’t making any payments, interest and fees are added to the loan balance.

The upside? Because eligibility is largely based on the property value, borrowers aren’t subject to the income and credit requirements that they would be with a home equity loan or line of credit. And borrowers can remain in the home indefinitely, as long as they can still pay the property taxes and homeowners’ insurance. When borrowers are ready to sell (or when they die), the bank takes its share of the proceeds from the sale, and borrowers or their heirs receive whatever is left.

While a reverse mortgage may seem enticing, you need to consider the long-term costs and consequences. You could, for instance, be disqualified from other federal or state-run aid programs. And mortgages with the seemingly most attractive pricing — namely, fixed-rate reverse mortgages — may not necessarily be the best choice because they require you to immediately withdraw all the equity you are eligible for in a lump sum, and the interest begins accruing on the entire amount right away.

“Is this a good thing? Yes, but with some caveats,” said Barbara Stucki, vice president of home equity initiatives for the National Council on Aging, a nonprofit advocacy organization. “The challenge for people is not to be swayed by the cuts in fees, but to look carefully at the product they are considering.”

So before you — or your relatives — are drawn by the advertisements on television or in their mailbox, be sure to consider the following:

THE BASICS The vast majority of reverse mortgages are made through the F.H.A.’s Home Equity Conversion Mortgage program (known in the business as HECM, pronounced HECK-um), which has several built-in consumer protections, like limits on fees and mandatory counseling for all borrowers. To qualify, you must be at least 62 years old, own the property outright (or have a small mortgage balance) and live in the home.

The amount you’re eligible to receive depends on the age of the youngest borrower, the home’s appraised value and the interest rate (the most you can receive is capped at $625,500 for 2010). The older you are, the higher the home value and the lower the interest rate, the more money you can withdraw. So a 62-year-old who owns a $350,000 home outright would be able to withdraw about $184,000, based on a 5.63 percent interest rate, though the amount would be reduced by the monthly servicing fees and closing costs. A 72-year-old would be eligible for about $211,000, excluding the other costs.

You can choose to receive that money in a variety of ways — a lump sum, installments or a line of credit, which allows you to withdraw the money when you need it, much as you would with a home equity credit line. (This may be the wisest choice for many borrowers.) Fixed rates are more readily available on the lump sum products, while credit lines carry adjustable rates. Borrowers can also combine options and change them at any time for a nominal fee.

THE COSTS Reverse mortgages are expensive. But it’s not unlike paying for a traditional mortgage that requires private mortgage insurance. These are the costs: a lender can charge an origination fee of 2 percent of the first $200,000 of your home’s value, plus another 1 percent for amounts over that, though the total is limited to $6,000. You may also owe a monthly servicing charge of up to $35, which is added to your loan balance each month, as well as traditional closing costs.

Borrowers must also pay an upfront mortgage insurance premium of 2 percent of the home’s value and a monthly insurance premium equal to 0.5 percent of the mortgage balance. The reason for all the insurance? It protects the seller from owing more than the property is worth when it’s sold and ensures that the borrower will still be paid should the lender go under.

Because the HECM program is regulated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, it’s harder for lenders “to sneak in any extra fees,” said Sue Hunt, reverse mortgage program manager at Consumer Credit Counseling Services in Atlanta. “It’s a pretty straightforward proposition.” How does it all add up? Take a 67-year-old with a $370,000 home who withdraws a lump sum of nearly $200,000 (at a 5.65 percent fixed rate). The initial costs at closing could easily reach $16,563, according to ReverseVision, a reverse mortgage software company. (In addition, another $5,518 in servicing fees — to cover those $35 monthly fees over the estimated life of the loan — would be set aside.) Over time, don’t forget, interest and other costs are accruing on the mortgage. If the borrower dies at age 80, and his home is worth $720,700 at the time, his heirs would be left with just $100,000. And the bank will have pocketed about $364,000 in interest.

What’s happening now, however, is that many firms are waiving the origination and servicing fees on some or all of their products. So the same borrower would receive nearly $11,000 more cash at closing. Most of these costs can generally be wrapped into the financing.

THE CAVEATS Given the upfront costs, a reverse mortgage may not make sense if you plan on moving in a couple of years. And if you stay in the home for a long time (or until you die), your heirs may receive little, if anything. Some experts suggested talking with your children — perhaps they want to help you now to preserve their inheritance later. Or “you may want to do something very different and sell your home and move to a smaller one,” said David Certner, legislative policy director at AARP.

If a married couple is living in the home, both need to be listed on the mortgage. If only one spouse is named, and that one dies, the surviving spouse will be required to sell the home under a reverse mortgage.

You also want to be sure that receiving the lump sum won’t make you ineligible for other programs. The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, Benefitscheckup.org and Eldercare.gov Web sites can help you find out if you qualify for other aid.

PROVIDERS Some lenders’ advertisements create a misleading sense of urgency. Don’t fall for claims that you must respond by a certain date, and find another provider if you’re pressured to invest your proceeds in another expensive product, like deferred variable annuities.

Start by reading everything you can on the topic. Then call a housing counselor certified by H.U.D. (for a list, call 800-569-4287). The counselors can help analyze your situation in person or over the phone.

Shopping for a provider is important because unscrupulous lenders have misled consumers in the past. Once you’ve located a few lenders, look for complaints on the Web and see if the lenders are on the watch lists of your state attorney general’s office or Better Business Bureau. If you’re not financially savvy, ask a trusted friend or independent adviser for a second opinion.

After all, reverse mortgages are more attractive at these prices, but they shouldn’t necessarily be your first choice.

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Seniors LOVE Wii Bowling

Wii be bowling: Auburn seniors hit virtual lanes for fun, exercise
By MARK KLAAS

Leaning on a walking cane, Jim Granquist carefully approached the monitor.

He sized up his target, clutched the "Wiimote" and with a quick flick of his right wrist spun the bowling ball down the lane.

Pins scattered, sparing only the stubborn No. 10, much to the chagrin of the quietly competitive Auburn man.

Undaunted, Granquist picked up the spare and kept his good game going.

"I was hoping for a 279, but I hit my average … 179," said a delighted Granquist, a retired Social Service worker who was recruited as a substitute player for Team Auburn. "I was hoping for a 279, but it doesn't always work out that way. … But this was great. I had fun."

Granquist joined the gang of regular Wii bowlers at the Auburn Senior Activity Center on a Friday for action and a chance to take down the visiting Spokane Strikers, who donned "Wii Goooood" purple T-shirts.

Auburn, led by its cast of all-star keglers, proved to be better, capturing 14 of the 15 games fought between teams of two.

"I don't think we treated Spokane very well," said one Auburn bowler with an apologetic grin.

Computer-driven and TV monitored-graced Wii bowling is popular with everybody, but perhaps even more so among seniors. The Nintendo Wii video game system has become a common scene in senior living homes in the area, and increasingly a part of programming in senior centers and retirement homes.

Each Wednesday, the Senior Activity Senior springs to life with three-hour bowling sessions spread over three "Wii lanes."

In-house bowling teams and area leagues are growing. Traveling teams are more common. As many as 35 bowlers come to the Auburn center each week to knock down pins, swap stories and share laughs.

The Wii develops hand-eye coordination and keeps the mind sharp. It can be challenging and aggravating. More important, it provides good physical activity and social interaction.

Just ask 82-year-old Jerry Iko, a retired Boeing worker. Iko, who regularly bowls perfect 300 games on the Wii, settled for a lofty 280 last week in the rout of Spokane.

"I'm an old man, crippled and walking with a cane, but doing something to stay active," Iko said. "This is addictive, very much so, but I do enjoy it."

The Wii keeps seniors in the game. For many who no longer can physically participate, virtual sports is a healthy option. The Wii system allows many people at the center to bowl despite their physical limitations.

Auburn's Shia Godwin is a quick study. She practices routinely and scores high. On this Friday, she rolled a coveted 300.

"I learned to control my curve," said Godwin, who carries an excellent average. "You have to know where your spots are, and you have to throw the ball consistently."

Ron and Elsie Walker enjoy the weekly games and camaraderie. They come for the competition but stay for the fellowship.

"It's great fun," Elsie Walker said. "You get to meet a lot of nice people and make friendships."

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Can Senior Falls Be Prevented?

Perilous. But Preventable: When Seniors Fall
By PATRICIA LEVINE

Karl Konieczny, left, and friends at the Hadley Senior Center use a stretchy latex band to develop strength during a falls-prevention workshop.
Norma Packard of Hadley thought she was being a good Samaritan when she tried to help someone into her apartment building. As she stepped down to the parking lot from the cement walk in front of the building, her sneaker caught on the lip of the walk, and she fell on her face, knees and hands. "My face was bloodied and bruised, I had bruises all over my body, and my left knee is still sore three months after the accident," she said.

Barbara Sutherland of Amherst has had two falls within one year. In February of 2009, a fall on an uneven sidewalk on the UMass campus resulted in two broken fingers and a bruised cheek. And later that year, she fell again on an inclined sidewalk, hit her forehead, bruised her hip, and got a black eye.

Both women were over 70 when they fell and both were lucky the injuries they sustained were not much worse.

Falls among older people are rising in epidemic proportions. Each year, over 11 million people over the age of 65 fall - one out of every three senior citizens. The number of falls and the severity of the injuries resulting from falls increase as a person grows older. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, falls are responsible for 70 percent of accidental deaths of people 75 or older, and account for about 9,500 deaths each year.

The disabilities caused by falls are just as devastating. More than 50 percent of seniors who survive a hip fracture are discharged from the hospital to a nursing home, where half of that number remain for at least a year. And many fracture patients never regain their mobility. Falls can be a major life-changing event that robs seniors of their independence. And, most alarming, previous falls are one of the strongest risk predictors for future falls. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that two-thirds of seniors who fall will fall again within six months. The American Geriatrics Society recommends that anyone who falls should be seen by a doctor. Even with no apparent injuries, a prompt evaluation is important.

Contributing factors

According to Dr. Maura Brennan, director of the Geriatric Consultation Program and program director of the Geriatric Fellowship Program at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, fall prevention among seniors requires a multifaceted approach. The physical changes of aging involve the complex interplay between our neurological and musculoskeletal systems. The correlation between falls and the way seniors walk is an example.

As we age, our gait, or the way we walk, changes. This is because of neurologic changes that affect the brain, nerves, and muscles. Many times seniors will exhibit what is called a propulsive gait, in which they are propelled forward because their center of gravity is a little too far forward for their center of stance. These people start walking slumped forward, often looking at the ground, with their shoulders hunched. They don't take a long enough step forward to actually catch up to the center of their body mass that's leaning ahead, which can result in a fall.

Other factors add to and compound a senior's tendency to fall. Seniors are more likely to have health problems and physical impairments such as arthritis, osteoporosis, Parkinson's disease, and impaired thinking and memory, and are more likely to be taking medications that can impact balance, strength, reaction time and vision.

Relatively few seniors do the types of exercises that help reduce the declines in muscle strength and balance that come with age. And, equally important, few homes have accommodations that can reduce environmental risk factors for falling. Poor lighting, slippery floors, and unexpected obstacles all contribute to falls among the elderly.


Home hazards

Preventive measures that seniors can take to safeguard their health often begin in the home. John Yount, a physical therapist and fall-prevention coordinator at Cooley-Dickinson Hospitals VNA and Hospice programs, and says that many homes contain conditions that can result in disabling accidents. He says that a room-by-room inspection is the best place to start, and that modifications needed to safety-proof the home don't have to be expensive or difficult to install.

In many homes, floors can be a minefield of hazards. Loose throw rugs, runners and mats, and curled carpet edges are risk factors for accidental falls, as are slippery floors, electrical cords and other small objects in pathways. It's best to rearrange furniture in order to provide a clear path for walking through the home.

Thresholds between rooms should be removed or marked, and Yount recommends a low-nap carpet or nonskid flooring be used in the home as well as motion or light-sensitive lights on pathways.

Stairs are also common trouble zones. Yount says that seniors experience disturbances in their depth perception that make it difficult for them to tell one step from the next. Tightly woven, non-patterned carpet or nonslip treads with edges marked with tape are best for stairs. Sturdy handrails should be installed on all stairways, and should extend the full length of the stairway. Extra support can be provided for navigating stairs by using dual handrails. The second handrail provides another place to grab if the senior begins to lose balance. Motion- or light-sensitive lights should be installed on the stairways, and light switches should be at both the top and bottom of stairways.

Bathrooms also can be dangerous. Yount recommends two grab bars as well as nonskid mats or abrasive strips in the tub or shower. He also says that seniors should consider replacing the tub with a walk-in shower that includes a seat; a fall can be prevented by not having to climb in and out of the tub. Many toilets are too low to allow older people to sit and rise from them safely, so grab bars should be placed near the toilet. In addition, tall toilets can be purchased as well as platforms that raise the existing toilet by about six inches or commodes that can be placed over the toilet seat.

Kitchens also are risky, often because of slippery floors and poor lighting. Because kitchen falls are most common when seniors are reaching or stooping to perform cooking tasks, Yount suggests that kitchen storage should be rearranged with items that are frequently used placed within easy reach. Seniors should never climb onto a stool or chair to reach high shelves; if they must climb, a sturdy stepstool with handrails is preferable.


Exercise to prevent falls

Remaining physically active throughout your life can significantly reduce your chances of falling. It boils down to a simple equation: Exercise equals better strength and balance, which equals fewer falls and fractures.

Andrea Doubleday, physical therapy supervisor at Cooley-Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, says that there are a variety of exercises that promote balance, coordination and strength for seniors under appropriate supervision. Tai Chi, a gentle form of ancient Chinese martial arts, has been demonstrated to integrate balance and strength. And progressive-resistance training has grown in popularity among older people.

There are several effective strength-building alternatives to "pumping iron" available to seniors. Lifts with two- or three- pound hand and leg weights are useful, as is isometric exercise that uses your own body for resistance to increase strength.

Just about anyone can take part in an aquatics exercise class - the water offers resistance but supports your weight at the same time. Therabands are also useful for resistance training. These latex bands offer resistance by stretching; the more you stretch them, the more resistance they provide.


Vision and medications

According to Dr. Bruce Bleiman, an ophthalmologist with Eye Physicians of Northampton, poor vision is linked to falling, and older adults should have regular checkups of their vision. He says that there are three main vision problems that seniors experience, all of which are treatable.

Glaucoma occurs when there is too much fluid pressure in the eye, causing internal eye damage and gradually diminishing vision. Cataracts cause the lens of the eye to become cloudy until there is no longer enough light passing through to the retina to focus a clear image. Macular degeneration is a condition in which the central part of the retina gradually deteriorates, leading to blurred vision and finally a blind spot in the central area of sight.

Dr. Brennan notes that being aware of the side effects of the multiple medications that many seniors take is another important measure for maintaining balance and avoiding a fall. Certain drugs by themselves, or in combination with others, can cause dizziness, vision impairment, and movement disorders that increase the risk of falls.

For example, sometimes medications used to control high blood pressure can lower blood pressure enough to cause lightheadedness with resultant instability. Many drugs used to treat depression, a disease often under-recognized and undertreated among seniors, can lead to postural sway or an unsteady stance.

When medications are taken is also important. Diuretics given to control blood pressure increase urination and should not be taken before bedtime, avoiding a hurried trip to the bathroom during the night and a possible fall. Even over-the-counter drugs can lead to falls. Most of the sleeping aids and cold-and-sinus remedies have a sedating compound in them. And herbal medications such as kava kava and valerian are sedatives.

Researchers have also attributed the increase in falls among seniors to alcohol consumption. Dr. Brennan says that older people can't metabolize alcohol the same way or as efficiently as they could when younger, so alcohol has a greater effect on reaction time and the integrative abilities for the senses, muscles and balance


For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

You Should Take Your PETS With You

It's Important For Older People To Keep Their Pets

Jennifer White reports on a survey of more than 4,000 members of the public by PFMA, the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association, which revealed that 90% of people think that separation from a pet is traumatic for older people entering residential care or sheltered accommodation.

The TNS research also found 83% agree pets make their owners happier and 54% think pet owners should be able to make the choice about entering care facilities after seeing the accommodation policy.

Pets provide significant benefits to elderly people; those who keep pets when entering care homes enjoy a smoother transition into residential care, as well as significant health benefits, such as a lower risk of heart attack and stroke. Other proven health benefits for older people with pets include: reduced blood pressure and cholesterol; improved recovery from heart attacks and strokes; better social interactions in people with dementia; and fewer GP visits.

Conducted in March 2010, the research helped shape the PFMA’s goal to ensure all leading UK housing providers implement responsible pet policies that enable older people to make an informed choice about their future. This commitment is part of the organisation’s 2020 vision to make a better world with pets, launched to mark its 40th anniversary.

The PFMA is working closely with SCAS (Society for Companion Animal Studies) and MPs taking the issue forward – including Ian Cawsey, Nick Palmer and Nigel Waterson – to strive for fairer treatment of the older pet-owning public.

Ian Cawsey, MP for Brigg and Goole, said: ‘Today we have more than 11 million elderly adults living in Britain, of whom approximately 25% are pet-owners. This figure is estimated to rise to 14 million by 2026 and the majority of these people will eventually require some form of residential care. Unfortunately growing older often involves inevitable heartache and loss but being separated from a pet when entering care facilities should not be part of it. This is why I welcome the PFMA’s 2020 goal to ensure care facilities implement responsible pet policies over the next decade.”

CASE STUDY: A SUCCESSFUL PET-FRIENDLY HOUSING SCHEME

Wandsworth Borough Council operates a positive pet policy and has been permitting pets in sheltered schemes since 2001. Wandsworth’s executive member for housing Martin D Johnson said: “Pet ownership is an enriching part of many elderly people’s lives. As well as offering companionship, they keep their owners active and are a link to social activities that prevent isolation.
We’ve had pets in our sheltered schemes for nine years without a single significant problem. Our experience proves this type of housing can easily accommodate animals and there is no need to deny elderly people the pleasures and benefits of pet ownership.
We want other housing providers to rethink their attitudes to animals and realise the huge benefits they represent.”

OTHER SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROMOTING BENEFITS OF PETS TO OLDER PEOPLE:

Older people who are forced to part with a pet when moving into residential care can suffer feelings of bereavement that are similar to the loss of a family member. Severe reactions can lead to depression, disturbed sleep or eating patterns, and even physical illness (source: McNicholas, J. & Collis, G.M. (1995), ‘The end of a relationship: coping with pet loss.’).

Pet ownership in older people is also associated with better coping with major life stresses, such as bereavement, which is more common in older people. Pet owners adjust to spousal bereavement better than non-owners

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Baby Boomers Want to AGE in PLACE

Reasons Boomers Want to Age in Place
Written By : Diane Carbo

Remaining in place by choice is growing in popularity. Surveys by the American Association of Retired Persons found that more than 85 percent of Americans age 50 and older want to "stay in my own home and never move." An aging society of baby boomers will have a very different sort of retirement. They're more likely to work longer, start a second career, volunteer or go back to school. Baby boomers want to live well and healthy, live comfortably, and age in familiar surroundings. Here are the ten top reasons for planning for aging home healthcare during your golden years.

1.Aging in place allows for maximum amount of freedom for the individual. Baby boomers are more likely to be found in the gym, spending time volunteering, or on the internet. Remaining at home allows you to engage in daily routine, as your health permits, in the least restrictive environment. It allows you to have the care that you want and the manner in which you receive it.

2.Aging in place is safe. Baby boomers are changing the expectations of what they want as they age. They do not want to compromise health and safety. They are demanding that the changes to their home environment be appealing to the eye and useful. Returning home after a sickness or illness that required hospitalization will decrease or even eliminate the risk of infection when the care is provided in the home setting. Preparing the home ahead of time can prevent issues that may arise before they can become serious within the home. This can be done by having an evaluation done by a health care professional to identify problem areas in the home. One example in assessing the home environment includes preventing falls. Simple changes in the home environment and introduction of caregivers and home care professionals can address many issues. As an example, a patient that may have balance issues or weakness and dizziness may need help bathing and dressing.

3.Aging in place promotes healing. Baby boomers want quality of life. Aging in place allows a more holistic approach to our care as our physical bodies or health declines. For an older adult, there is no place like home for successful aging. Living in the familiar surroundings, being around loved ones heals the mind and spirit, not just the body. Minimizing change also helps create less confusion in the older adult and can help extend their lives.

4.Aging in place gives the aging adult some control. Baby boomers want choices and options and expect to be an active participant in their own care. Planning ahead and exploring all their options will help the aging adult the ability to choose the services that best suit their needs. Receiving care at home allows them to have more say and an individualized approach to their care.

5.Aging in place can allow for the care to be personalized. As we age, at some point we may require assistance at home. Home care allows the care to be individualized to meet the specific needs of each person. It also allows one on one attention and interaction.

6.Aging in place is comfortable. Baby boomers have made it loud and clear year after year they would prefer to stay in their home for successful aging. Familiarity and comfort of being in your own environment, surrounded by loved ones is a type of quality of life that baby boomers have come to expect . It is also the type of quality care that loved ones would want for their aging adult.

7.Aging in place contributes to a healthier, safer and happier life. Baby boomers are more health conscious and concerned about the quality of life than previous generations. There is a growing industry of universal design (home modifications that can is appealing to the eye and useful to everyone) and technological advances to meet the needs of the baby boomers as they age at home. This movement will replace the institutional walls of a nursing home. Living out the rest of their days at home, in a safe environment contributes to a healthier, happier aging adult.

8.Aging in place allows you to remain in your community. The entire community stands to gain from the aging adult that wants to remain in their home as they age. If their health allows, the aging adult can be a mentor in the community. According to the American Association of Retired Persons, forty-five percent of people over 65 volunteer annually. This equates into savings for the community and having positive role models for future generations. Aging adults are concerned about their community and show their support by buying locally and contributing financially to causes that are important to them.

9.Advanced technology supports aging at home Baby boomers have been heard and advanced technologies are available. Advancements are being made daily to assure safety and well being as we age in place. For example, the Wii is being utilized by hospitals and rehab centers to promote strength, endurance and flexibility in patients. This is a program that can by utilized at home to keep the aging adult active and have fun doing something they like to do. Robot vacuums are now available to assist in keeping the house clean. There are sensors that can be placed in the home that measures the activity of the aging adult, so that even a long distance family member can see if there is a change in activity on a daily basis. These are just a few of many resources that support aging at home successfully.

10.Aging in place reduces the fear of loss of independence A study commissioned by Clarity and The EAR Foundation, found that aging adults fear moving into a nursing home and losing their independence more than they fear death. This same study found that the Baby Boomer children of seniors also fear for their parents. in particular concern about their parents' emotional and physical well being should they have to enter a nursing home

If you are planning for future long term needs now you are already ahead of the game. Anything that you can do now will save you money and decrease stress and anxiety for you and your family when difficult decisions have to be made. We could all be prepared better, but planning early allows you to be more thoughtful and knowledgeable. It allows you to explore all your options for when the time comes.


For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Moving to a Smaller Home & Scaling Down

Scaling Down (Almost) Painlessly
Written By : Phyllis Staff, PhD

Moving to a smaller house or apartment in a retirement community almost always involves a certain degree of trauma, both for the elder who's moving and for family members. However, by planning ahead you can reduce the discomfort involved and turn what might well become a nightmare into a pleasant event. Begin by Planning for the Move

Where is the elder moving? Go to the actual house or apartment with tape measure, pad and pencil and write down measurements. Floor space is important, but don't forget about ceilings. Many elders own large pieces of furniture that may not fit into rooms with low ceilings. Your work here will determine which pieces can move with your elder.

And while you're at the actual location, talk to several other elders who already live there. What is their life style? Do they go outside the property on frequent trips? How do they dress? Casual lifestyles will require an entirely different style of dress than more formal ones.

Gather Supplies and Contact Helpers

Having all the supplies you will need in one place will speed your task. You'll want a number of storage bins; five or six should be sufficient to hold sorted items. Plastic bags can be used for discarded belongings and as a container for articles to be donated to charities. Packing boxes and supplies such as padding materials and wide sealing tape are must-haves. Labels and dark marking pens are essential to ensure that boxes go to their intended location.

While you're in the gathering stage, begin to contact helpers you'll need. Among these may be:

estate sale professionals

certified appraisers

moving companies

house cleaners

repair specialists (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, painters)

Ask friends, relatives, and senior real estate specialists for recommendations. Also, check with the Better Business Bureau to ascertain whether problems have been reported about particular companies or individuals.

Approach Your Task One Room at a Time

Who should help? The elder and one family member should assume responsibility for sorting all items and some packing. Do not include everyone in the family if you want to make the job quick and easy because distractions increase in geometric proportion to the number of persons doing the sorting.

Sort all the items in one single room at once, beginning and ending in the kitchen. Why start there? Because kitchens in small houses and apartments typically are short on storage space, and the elder needs time and experience to determine which items are true necessities, and which may never be used. If you reduce kitchen items to a bare minimum at the beginning, your elder can determine what's needed and what's not by living with them ahead of time. After living with fewer items, your elder may find that items once thought essential may not be needed. Complete work in the kitchen at the very end of your tasks.

Even though you intend to stay in only one room, distractions will occur. Resist them by stacking items that belong in another room at the door. A bin or box placed just inside the door can contain all the items that have homes elsewhere.

Make your motto One Thing at a Time; One Time for each Thing. Once you've picked up an item, decide then and there what its fate should be. Place it in one of the bins you've labeled:

Discards

Donations

Distribution to Relatives

Keepers

Uncertainties

Large collections of books may require their own bins. You might have bins for Collectors' editions, books to be stored, books to be sold to book dealers.

When you have finished categorizing all the items in the room, start the packing process. Items in the Uncertainties bin can be packed for storage.

If an unbreakable item is to be moved only a short distance, don't waste time on elaborate packing and padding. Items like crystal and china, however, require excellent packing, regardless of the distance they will be moved. If you can't do a great job, leave packing fragile items to professionals.

Mark boxes as you go.

Mark boxes as you go.

Mark boxes as you go.

Nothing is more frustrating than finding that you've shipped your elder's bed linens to Aunt Minnie and kept a silver salver you meant to send your nephew.

Don't try to do everything at once. Do only one room on any given day, and take the time to enjoy reminiscing as you sort items.

This is also the perfect time to have a certified appraiser come in to appraise items that may be of significant value. Very expensive items may be auctioned at an auction house such as Christy's or Sotheby's. Less expensive items can be sold to local antiques dealers. By having an idea of their value before going to dealers, you reduce the chance that dealers can scam you.

You could also consider selling items through an on-line auction. If you do so, remember that you will be responsible for shipping items and ensuring their condition to successful bidders.

Distribute Items to the Intended Recipients

Schedule a single day for distribution of items. In-town relatives can come to pick up items intended for them; they may also be helpful by taking bags to charities, books to resellers, boxes to storage, and trash to dumps.

Use this day for shipping as well. Small items can be shipped via UPS or FedEx; large pieces of furniture and antiques may require special handling by movers. Once you've finished distribution, you should have a considerably reduced pile of boxes and furniture. These boxes should contain only items to be moved to the elder's new residence or to storage. Remaining items should be those to be sold in an estate sale.

Move the Elder to His New Residence

Will the mover actually show up on time? Will the mover actually show up at all? Increase the probability of a good outcome for the move by contacting the mover to confirm arrangement a week ahead and the day before the actual move is scheduled. Of course, missed appointments may still occur, but if you've checked out the company with the Better Business Bureau and reminded the company of your appointment, the chances are good that the move will go as planned.

Accompany your elder to his new residence and help him with the moving-in process. Even if not all boxes can be emptied in a single day, he will feel more comfortable if a few items that are meaningful to him are unpacked and placed where he can find them.

Hold an Estate Sale

Once the movers have left the premises, the estate sale professionals should come in to evaluate and price items for the estate sale. Give them a key to the house, and then get out of their way. If you have chosen well, these professionals can do a great job of pricing items to sell and clearing the house of whatever remains. They will take a percentage of the sale receipts as compensation.

The days of the sale are good days to keep your elder busy elsewhere. A tearful elder does nothing to help sales.

Schedule a professional cleaning service to clean the house once the estate sale is over. When that has been completed to your satisfaction, turn the keys over to your senior real estate professional and give yourself a big pat on the back. You're done!

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

California ALF's

In California, the Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Division is responsible for the licensure and oversight of Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE), also known as Assisted Living or Board & Care facilities. At its Web site, http://www.ccld.ca.gov/, you can locate licensed facilities by zip code, city, county, or area code. RCFEs provide care to persons 60 years of age and over or persons under age 60 who have compatible needs. Persons who have conditions such as diabetes, dementia, or incontinence may reside in these facilities if they can receive incidental medical care from licensed community providers. RCFEs with Hospice Waivers may also provide care to those who qualify for licensed hospice services. California Assisted Living facilities serve many residents and generally look like large apartment-style buildings with private units. California Board & Care facilities serve no more than six residents in home-style buildings with private or shared bedrooms and shared living and dining areas.

The California Assisted Living Association's Web site, http://www.caassistedliving.org/, provides a list of referral agencies that are members of the Association and a guide for screening agencies. Referral agencies should be carefully screened as they don't provide the same kinds of services. A consumer checklist for evaluating RCFEs can also be found at the Association's Web site.

For more information contact
Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Making Cell Phones for Seniors

Among cell phone users in developed countries, IBM is betting the market with the biggest growth potential is...people over the age of 65?

It makes more sense than you'd think. According to recent findings, most of them already own cell phones, so it's not as if they're adverse to the technology. But unlike younger generations, who are seemingly targeted with a new cell phone gimmick every week, they're largely ignored on the marketing front--excepting a few efforts from Nokia and Samsung, which makes the senior-friendly Jitterbug

IBM's two-year research program, which also involves the National Institute of Design of India and Tokyo University, will explicitly focus on making cell phones easier to use, for both the elderly and the illiterate. Moreover, the software it develops will be open-source, so all governments and businesses can take advantage.

"As the population in Europe and North America ages, the need for specialized mobile devices will become acute," Ben Wood, research director at British consultancy CCS Insight, told Reuters. "Phone makers will have to adapt if they want to appeal to a generation that has grown up with mobile devices, but can't use them in the ways they used to."

In other words: MAKE THE BUTTONS BIGGER AND THE RINGTONES LOUDER, duh.


For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Reverse Mortgages ~ Are They for You?

Those who qualify for a reverse mortgage may be able to reap more benefits from doing so than refinancing their home loan for a lower mortgage rate or mortgage payment. If you have equity in your home and are over the age of 62 you are able to get a reverse mortgage loan. However, it will depend on your personal situation as to whether it is in your best interest to do so or not.

A reverse mortgage basically gives you money based on your home’s value, your age, and how much, if any, you owe on your home, among other things. A reverse mortgage can be valuable if you owe little or no money on your home because the money from a reverse mortgage must first go toward your mortgage. If you qualify for a $200,000 reverse mortgage and owe $50,000 on your home, you only keep $150,000. Obviously, this is going to be helpful, as you have paid off your mortgage balance and have money left over.

In some cases, a reverse mortgage is going to be equal to or less than what you owe on your home, and can be helpful in this case as well. If a reverse mortgage goes toward what you owe on your home and still leaves money owed, depending on if the difference is affordable, you may be able to get rid of your mortgage payment. For instance, if the reverse mortgage pays off everything but $5,000 or $10,000 on your mortgage and you have that much saved, you can pay the rest on your mortgage and you no longer have a mortgage payment.

Keep in mind; even though a reverse mortgage can be very beneficial, it is debt. The homeowner doesn’t have to repay the reverse mortgage unless they move or the money isn’t owed as long as they are alive, but the debt could eat into the estate of the homeowner. If you are looking for money from you home later in life, do some research on reverse mortgages and look at your personal situation to see if a reverse mortgage is right for you.

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524

Modifying your home for the necessities of Senior Living

Today, most home doorways are 32 inches wide, but the opened door and its hinges reduce the actual opening to 30 inches. I don’t know how narrow your doorway is, but assuming the door has standard hinges, it might be possible to inexpensively increase your husband’s access to the full width of the doorway by using offset door hinges, also known as swing clear hinges to retrofit the door.

These Z shaped door hinges can swing the door clearly out of its frame, placing it flush against the wall. These hinges are often used in older commercial buildings to meet the Standards of Accessible Design set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Perhaps an extra 2 inches will help your husband avoid bumping his elbows when he walks through the doorway. A pair of offset hinges can be purchased online for less than $15 at www.allegromedical.com or www.activeforever.com and are usually installed by using the existing screw holes.

If you should need to widen the doorway, you might consider the benefits of discussing the plan with a building contractor who is a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS). This certification indicates the completion of additional training in the needs of older adults and home modifications to allow aging-in-place. The National Association of Home Builders provides a web-based directory, which lists Certified Aging-in- Place Specialists.

For more information contact Senior Solutions at (954) 456-8984 or toll free at 1-800-213-3524