Real Sage Advice

Sharing Family History

One of the reasons I chose to be a Senior Real Estate Specialist is because of how much I learn, and the life stories I get to hear.

This article aobut sharing family history appeared at The Senior Housing Search.com and it was so good, I thought I would share it here.

A Fun Way To Share Family History
By Carla Sutter, Geriatric Care Manager, Fairview

How do we impart to the younger generation an appreciation for experiences of those before? Can we engage children and adults in conversations about the differences and similarities of their lives?

This is a typical exchange:
(Older Man) "Son when I was your age, we had to ..." (Young child) Blank stare.

To some extent, we are losing touch with our family heritage. No one wants to inherit the boxes of family pictures and old diaries anymore. Videos, computer games and MTV are today's orators, so it's little wonder that our children won't sit quietly with grandma and grandpa.

Is it inevitable that our children and elders drift further apart?

No, there are ways to pass the stories from generation to generation. Life story books are one such way to engage the whole family. Life story books capture the life of an individual using words and pictures. These books might begin at birth or focus on a particular year or event in someone's life. Even children with little or no writing skills can participate.

What you will need:

• Paper (white or colored)
• Markers, pens, crayons
• Photographs (bring originals to copy center for duplication)
• Glue & tape
• Stickers (many craft stores now have "old fashioned" stickers)

A life story book is similar to a scrap book except it tells the story of one person. Let's take the example of an 80 year old grandmother, 45 year old daughter and 12 year old grandson who are creating life story books.

The grandson wants to begin with his birth. He looks through his baby book and asks questions about his first days of life. He finds baby pictures and puts together a page showing the events. Mom puts together a page about her own birth. She asks grandma for more details. Their discussion brings to light differences between mom's birth and her son's. The grandson learns that hospitals and medical care were different when mommy was born. Grandma tells the story of her own birth to continue the dialogue.

After a while, the trio completes a few chapters of their life stories. Some time later, there is enough material to make copies for other family members. This is one history lesson everyone is sure to enjoy!

Sandwich Generation can Benefit from Home Health Care Services

Every day I read more and more about how the 55+ generation will be healthier and will live longer than any generation before them. The good health of this group is due in part to the fact that men and women in this group generally have a healthier and more active lifestyle. Golf, tennis, swimming, water aerobics, yoga, Tai Chi, walking, running, weight training and host of other activities help people maintain good health.

If caring for a parent or spouse keeps you from continuing to remain active, a home care service can come into your home, stay with a spouse or parent help with some cleaning, laundry or meal preparation and give you the peace of mind to leave your loved one with a reliable, loving care giver while you take a break and take care of yourself. Some organizations like the Parkinson Foundation even offer some grants to care givers to cover some respite help.

This article was offered by:

Marilyn Christenson
Seniors' Choice at Home
763-546-1599
email: crseniors@usfamily.net

Strategies to Help Aging Parents with Money Management

An estimated 34 million Americans are now caring for an aging loved one in some manner. You may be worried that one day, you too will have to assist your parents with money management, moving to senior housing or getting help in their home.

Many people find their aging parents need assistance handling their finances.  Perhaps there have been warning signs such as stacks of bills unpaid, unopened mail or creditors harassing calls. You may want to offer assistance but some seniors feel it is an intrusion into their lives. Maybe they won’t admit that they need some help. Letting go of their independence can be interpreted as loss of dignity for them.

One of the first steps you can take is to call a family meeting. Find out what your parents’ financial situation really is at the current time. This will help you assess what steps they have taken, what their concerns are and who can help if necessary.

The ideal time to call this meeting is before there are money problems and while they still have options to ensure their financial stability and independence. According to Elinor Ginzler, the author of “Caring for your Parents” the indirect approach is usually best. Try not to overwhelm them. Assure them that you want to help them on their terms and that you are not taking control of their lives. Your parents may welcome your help.

STRATEGIES FOR HELPING YOUR PARENTS

• Simplify their lives. Arrange for direct deposit of their Social Security and pension payments. This will eliminate trips to the bank and possible theft from their mailbox.
• Set up automatic payments for routine expenses such as utilities and health insurance premiums.
• Ask your parents if they would consider adding your name to their accounts. If something happens (such as hospitalization), you will be allowed to continue paying bills by having your name as a co-signor.  Check with your parents’ attorney as a precaution to be sure this does not conflict with their estate planning as the account will most likely pass to you upon their death.
• Hire help as needed. You may not be able or willing to give your parents as much time and/or assistance as they need. There are qualified daily money managers who can come into your parents’ home and help with bill payments, organization of documents and financial paperwork. Typical rates are from $35 -$70 per hour. You can get referrals for persons in your area from the American Association of Daily Money Managers at www.aadmm.com
• Home health care agencies. There are many types of services from simple homemaking chores to personal care attendants. Check your local directory listings.

Having a plan in place is key.  As difficult as it is to think about your mom or dad being incapacitated by illness, it would be worse if a crisis occurred and you did not have a plan in place or had to obtain court orders to assist them. Be sure your parents have consulted with an attorney to obtain both financial powers of attorney and health care directives. For example, with a health care directive they can specify whether they want to be buried or cremated and whether they want measures taken to keep them on life support. These documents allow their wishes to be carried out if they become incapacitated.

Let them maintain as much control over their lives as possible.  Unless they cannot make decisions for themselves, keep them in the loop for finding professional help. After all, you want someone who will work well with them and vice versa. There are many attorneys whose primary focus is Elder Law. A good resource is the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys www.naela.org.

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This article is offered by Barbara Grimm, Founder of 
Along Life's Path
Daily Money Management and
Concierge Services for Seniors
612/385-6446
Website: www.alonglifespath.com

email: alonglifespath@juno.com
 

Senior Comic

Vision Loss and Seniors

In my work I spend a lot of time gathering information about professionals my clients may want to know about. Vision Loss Resources is fantastic resource for anyone with aging parents who might be struggling with some loss of vision. This article is submitted by Vision Loss Resources.

Today more than 6.5 million Americans over age 65 have a severe visual impairment. According to a recent study, the National Eye Institute found that the risk of low vision and blindness increases significantly with age, particularly in those over the age of 65. This, combined with an aging population, means that rates of vision loss from diseases like age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts are expected to double by the year 2030, as the nation’s 78 million baby boomers reach retirement age. Like many other issues of aging, vision loss will present challenges for keeping seniors independent and connected to their communities.

So what do you do when you or a loved one begins to lose their vision?

For many seniors, normal age-related vision loss can be corrected or stopped with glasses, medication or surgery. For others, vision aids and making changes to their homes and routines help them stay safe and independent. The important thing to know is that many services and supports are available through MN State Services for the Blind and several non-profit organizations. One local non-profit resource is Vision Loss Resources. In 1993, two of Minnesota's leading providers of services for the blind (Minneapolis Society for the Blind and Saint Paul Society for the Blind), merged to create what is now Vision Loss Resources. The mission of Vision Loss Resources is to assist people who are blind or visually impaired in achieving their full potential and to enrich the lives of all persons affected by blindness or vision loss.

Staff at VLR work daily to educate and inform clients and family members about the options available to them, the emotional aspects associated with vision loss and what programs might be beneficial to help maintain independence. Staff are available for in home consultations, ongoing support, classes and referrals to services other agencies provide. VLR’s programs are carefully designed to help clients learn new techniques and skills for living independently which can include: meal preparation, household chores, laundry, clothing organization, managing finances, correspondence and more.

Most programs and services are available free of charge. Vision Loss Resources is an independent, nonprofit 501C(3) agency with offices in both Minneapolis and St. Paul. Our programs serve the 11-county Twin City Metro area. To learn more please feel welcome to visit our website at

www.visionlossresources.org or call 612-871-2222.

By – Ellen Morrow, M.A.

Family Caregivers Can Get Paid with Long Term Care Insurance

As a member of the Society of Senior Advisors, I recieve a monthly enewsletter called Senior Spirit with helpful articles. This month's Long-Term Care Strategies for Seniors discusses an option for paying family members who act as caregivers. The excerpt follows:

A common misunderstanding about long-term care insurance (LTCI) is that there is no compensation for informal - usually family - caregivers. It's true that LTCI policies based on reimbursement models don't pay for informal care. However, policies known as cash plans put you in the driver's seat.

Qualifying to buy a cash plan and the triggers to access benefits are the same as with any LTCI policy. You have to be healthy to be insurable, so buying sooner rather than later is wise. And you must require help with two of six ­activities of daily living (eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring and continence). Or cog­nitive impairment alone can validate your claim.

Finally, an elimination period applies. This refers to the length of time you must pay for covered services before the insurance company will begin to pay benefits; think deductible.

Once all of the above is satisfied, the insurance company will begin sending you the entire monthly benefit of the cash policy. You can use it to pay family caregivers or to address any other care you need. You need not submit bills or show how you're using the money. Cash plans also pay for international coverage, but funds are paid in U.S. dollars.

LTCI brokerage manager Aaron Eisenach likes cash policies. “They are the most flexible plans in the market, and in many ways, the most attractive,says Eisenach. But people tend to buy the reimbursement model, because the premium can be half that of a cash plan.

According to Eisenach, there are other LTCI products that give consumers a less expensive way to get cash to cover home care. Some carriers offer riders giving you the best of both worlds,he says. One offers the choice between the monthly maximum for home care supplied by a qualified provider OR 40 percent of your benefit as cash. Other insurers offer other iterations of this hybrid model.

At issue is planning. Never make a purchase decision based on a product brochure alone. Make sure you deal with an experienced LTCI planner, who will ask you how and where you want to receive long-term care and how much control you want, rather than just how much premium you can afford. And remember, some coverage is better than none.

Change in Assisted Living Community Policy Means 99 Year Old Has to Leave

NPR just ran an article about a policy change made at an Assisted Living Concepts senior community in Seattle.  It seems when Cornelia Robertson first moved in 10 years ago she was promised she would always be able to stay, even if she ran out of money. Well she has now run out of money and due to a policy change, can't stay. It seems this Assisted Living Concepts community is no longer accepting Medicaid patients.

When we read stories like these, we often get angry at the injustice of it all.  I ache for Cornelia and her family. What a terrible situation for them to be in.

But, I do have questions about this situation that aren't covered in the NPR story.

• What kind of care does Cornelia require?
• Is her current home meeting all of her needs, or has her health changed so that she requires something her current home can't provide her?
• Is the Assisted Living Concepts community licensed to provide the kind of care (or new care) Cornelia needs?
• What is the current vacancy rate at that Assisted Living Concepts community?
• What does Cornelia's contract say about what happens when she runs out of money?  Is it the same or different than what she was verbally promised at the time she moved in?
• When this policy change occurred, how much advance warning did Cornelia or her family have?
• Where is Cornelia's financial planner that is keeping an eye on Cornelia's assets so she isn't put into a position where she runs out of money without advance warning?

If you have aging parents, read this story. Learn from it.

Here's a quote from the NPR story

The industry... is serving fewer and fewer low-income residents. A recent federal report noted that while the number of assisted living facilities has grown over the past few years, the number of residents on Medicaid housed in those facilities has been falling. Today, about 10 percent of all assisted living residents use Medicaid.

Other Blog Articles

8 tips for finding the right Assisted Living Community
Seniors: Make Sure You Know What the Contract Says!
Independent Living, Active Adult, Housing with Services, Assisted Living. What's the Difference?!?

More Men in Senior Housing

Walk through any Senior housing community in Minnesota, and you'll see large number of women wandering the halls, with a noticeable shortage of men. My male clients that move in to senior housing communities have lots of stories to tell about their instant change in social status when they move into these communities. Men become celebrities-of-sorts with invitations to lunch, phone numbers being tucked under their doors and a social calendar that is as busy as they want it to be. For the first time in their lives, they aren't the ones doing the pursuing! 

Marketdigest posted an interesting article with quotes from Glenn Sheriff, the senior director of marketing analytics for Brookdale Senior Living:

The most significant numbers...are noted when looking at the overall trend from 2004 until now.

We do have an upward trend in male move-ins year to year.

Other Blog Articles

Brookdale Senior Living
Senior Condominium or Senior Cooperative-What's the difference?

Highview Hills new addition to senior housing in Lakeville

Walker ElderCare has broken ground on it's new $32 million dollar senior housing community that will offer independent living and memory care services. Highview Hills Senior Care will be located in Lakeville along County Road 50 next to St. John Lutheran Church.

In a Minneapolis Star and Tribune article Robert Erickson from the Welsch Companies (the developer on the project) was quoted as saying:

There's not much to choose from as far as senior housing in that whole area. It includes a lot of rural townships in Dakota County whose residents have always naturally gravitated to Lakeville for services.

Really? Look what I found at The Senior Housing Search.com for senior housing in Lakeville, Burnsville and Savage:

Burnsville Senior Housing Snapshot

Burnsville Independent LivingArbors at Ridges 13810 Community Drive Burnsville MN 55337   952-948-2725    Condominiums and Cooperatives (Ownership) Meadowood Village 392 Meadowood Lane Burnsville, MN 55337  Call your Realtor Parkway Cooperative of Burnsville 115 East Burnsville Parkway Burnsville, MN 55337  952-895-8526 Realife Cooperative of Burnsville 12575 Pleasant Avenue South Burnsville, MN 55337  952-894-6524 Market Rate (Rental) Regent at Burnsville 14500 Regent Lane Burnsville, MN 55306  952-898-1910 The Rivers Estates 11111 River Hills Drive Burnsville, MN 55337 952-890-8553 Subsidized (Rental) Eagle Ridge Place 12600 Eagle Ridge Drive Burnsville, MN 55337 651-675-4400 Ebenezer Ridge Point 13800 Community Drive Burnsville, MN 55337  952-898-1989 Park Ridge Place 330 East Burnsville Parkway Burnsville, MN 55337 651-675-4400 Burnsville Assisted Living Carefree Living Burnsville 600 East Nicollet Blvd Burnsville, MN 553387 952-892-5559 Emerald Crest of Burnsville 451 East Travelers Trail Burnsville, MN 55337952-908-2215 Regent at Burnsville  14500 Regent Lane Burnsville, MN 55306 952-898-1910 The Rivers Manor 11151 River Hills Drive Burnsville, MN 55337 952-890-8553 Burnsville Nursing Facilities Ebenezer Ridges Care Center 13820 Community Drive Burnsville, MN 55337  952-898-8400 Condominiums and Cooperatives (Ownership) Market Rate (Rental) The Hamilton 4735 West 123rd Street Savage, MN 55378   952-890-8533 Lynn Court 4350 West 124th Street Savage, MN 55378  952-894-4719 Savage Independent Living Condominiums and Cooperatives (Ownership) Market Rate (Rental) Subsidized (Rental) Fairfield Terrace Senior Apartments 20720 Hott Avenue Lakeville, MN 55044   952-469-1414 Main Street Manor 8725 209th Street West Lakeville, MN 55044   651-675-4400 Winsor Plaza 20827 Howland Avenue Lakeville, MN 55044   651-675-4400 Lakeville Independent Living

New Housing Bill and Reverse Mortgages

The new housing bill President Bush just signed includes some changes for reverse mortgages that take hold in October. These changes will cause Reverse Mortgage Lenders to produce new marketing materials, and will likely increase the amount of discussion about reverse mortgages. Here are the changes in a nutshell:

• A higher borrowing limit on FHA reverse mortgages-- with $625,000 of home value and a $417,000 borrowing limit.
• Fees are capped at 2% of the first $200,000 borrowed and 1% on the balance
• A maximum of $6,000 in fees (this does NOT include interest or insurance).

• Lenders are now prohibited from requiring borrowers to purchase insurance, annuities or other similar products as a condition for a reverse mortgage (although flood or title insurance may still be required).

These changes don't change what I suggest to my clients. Get good information from an impartial party that does not stand to benefit from advising you about your financial options. Reverse mortgages are neither good or evil...they are a financial tool that carry some risk, has pros and cons, and only a qualified impartial adviser can tell you if it's a good fit for you.

Other Blog Articles

Reverse Mortgage-Is it for you?