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!

Senior Comic

Maxine and her boyfriends

For a little Saturday fun...take a look at this website. It was sent to me, so I can't give credit to the author.  Have a great weekend.

Maxine and her boyfriends

Do you have a Senior Housing Story to Tell?

There is a lot of great information on the web for caregivers. Unfortunately the amount of information available on senior housing, or alternatives to senior housing pales in comparison.

If you have moved or have helped a loved one move--whether you downsized or moved into senior housing, let's hear about it! It would be great if we could put together a compilation of stories. A group effort to capture the wisdom of experience.

Either leave a comment, or shoot me an email with a link to your story, or other stories you know about.

Effective Estate Planning for seniors

A hilarious way to talk about wills and estate planning. Make sure you watch it until the end.

Find your Inner Grinch

For a little Friday Fun, find your GRINCH NAME!

Lisa Dunn is Woefulmonster Jerkyham
My husband Scott is Surlybeast Jerkyham.

Surlybeast. That'll come in handy.

Baby Boomers New Babies?

   Other than a new baby, nothing will make you as happy and drive you as crazy as a new puppy (I know I said I was going to get back to aging issues.  Bear with me, I'll tie this in one way or another). At my house all we talk about is the last time the puppy peed or pooped. While they take a ton of time and energy, there's nothing like coming home to that wagging tail and taking time out of your day to play. It's the best stress relief in the world!

Sunrise Senior Living is one senior housing community that understands the importance of pets.  The one located in Golden Valley has a "house dog" named Baxter. He's a big yellow lab that roams the halls of the assisted living community and offers a warm wet nose and a tail wag to anyone who wants to say hello. This is a dog that's shared among many seniors and, in my opinion, one lucky hound.

As senior housing becomes less institutionalized and more like home, and boomers come up with new creative forms of housing, why not incorporate new forms of pet-ownership? There's a new company that hasn't made it's way to Minnesota yet, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. FlexPetz is an organization that offers an alternative to full-time dog ownership.  They offer an opportunity for people to take a pooch on "loan" for a few hours or few days at a time.  The best part is these are rescued dogs that have been vet-checked and fully trained. This seems like a great opportunity for empty-nesters, periodic visits to a friend recovering from an illness, or even therapy visits to nursing homes. If I weren't already elbow-deep in my own business, this is one I would look into!

Finally a joke on the credit card companies

I saw this over at the Silver Fox Whispers blog and just had to pass it on. I don't usually swipe someone else's post to pass along to you, but this is just too good for you to miss.

A lady died this past January, and Citibank billed her for February and March for their annual service charges on her credit card and added late fees and interest on the monthly charge. The balance had been $0.00, now somewhere around $60.00.

A family member placed a call to Citibank. Here is the exchange:

Family Member: “I am calling to tell you she died in January.”

Citibank: “The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply.”

Family Member: “Maybe, you should turn it over to collections.”

Citibank: “Since it is two months past due, it already has been.”

Family Member: So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?”

Citibank: “Either report her account to frauds division or report her to the credit bureau, maybe both!”

Family Member: “Do you think God will be mad at her?

Oh, this isn't all...see the rest of her post here...

Senior Personal Ads

When I teach the REALTOR Senior Advisor class with the Minneapolis Association of REALTORs, I usually throw in a few jokes to keep it fun. Keeping the attention of professionals who are used to constantly moving, and interacting with people is like trying to nail jello to a wall!

This one is a favorite:

SENIOR PERSONAL ADS

The following "Senior" personal ads seen in Florida and Arizona
newspapers: Who says seniors don't have a sense of humor?

FOXY LADY: Sexy, fashion-conscious blue-haired beauty, 80's slim,5'-4" (used to be 5-6), searching for sharp-looking, sharp-dressing companion. Matching white shoes and belt a plus.

LONG-TERM COMMITMENT: Recent widow who has just buried fourth husband looking for someone to round out a six-unit plot. Dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath not a problem.

SERENITY NOW: I am into solitude, long walks, sunrises, the ocean, yoga and meditation. If you are the silent type, let's get together, take our hearing aids out and enjoy quiet times.

WINNING SMILE: Active grandmother with original teeth seeking a dedicated flosser to share rare steaks, corn on the cob and caramel candy.

BEATLES OR STONES? I still like to rock, still like to cruise in my Camaro on Saturday nights and still like to play the guitar. If you were a groovy chick, or are now a groovy hen, let's get together and listen to my eight-track tapes.

MINT CONDITION: Male, 1922, high mileage, good condition, some hair, many new parts including hip, knee, cornea, valves. Isn't in running condition, but walks well.

MEMORIES: I can usually remember Monday through Thursday. If you can remember Friday, Saturday and Sunday, let's put our two heads together.

Memories from the Sixties

While snooping around the web I found this movie about the sixties. Enjoy!

   

Remember the Sixties