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What to Look for When Choosing an Assisted Living Facility

9/10/2019

If you are considering moving to an assisted living facility, you may be wondering how to pick the best one to call home. All assisted living companies have options to help you feel comfortable in your new residence, as well as options to help you keep your independence. It is important to consider all options that are available at an assisted living facility when you are choosing where you want to live in your senior years.

Aspects to Consider
According to Assisted Living Center, when it’s time to consider an assisted living community, finding one good enough means you want the best in comfort, amenities, and services. It is up to you to determine what is important to you in your new home and base your decision upon those factors. Some assisted living facilities have amenities such as meals, housekeeping services, transportation options and frequent social gatherings. Try to determine how often you would need these services and which services you would consider luxuries to find the best fit for you in an assisted living facility.

Cost
With the amenities and services offered come increased costs that you may have to pay. While medical insurance may cover some of these costs, make sure you find out what services are considered optional so you know what you will personally be paying. Another way to keep costs down is to look at various locations, as the price of assisted living may be less in areas that are more rural. Waiting until the last minute to find an assisted living facility can increase costs, as you may be forced to pay higher rates to live in a home that is good enough instead of taking advantage of great pricing and the ideal location for your new home.

Location
While you may want to stay in the same location as your family members, this may not be possible depending on which assisted living facilities have openings at the time. People who live in urban areas may have more options available in surrounding suburbs, and rural residents may only have one or two facilities to call home. This may also be a perfect time to move to a new town you are interested in if you want a fresh start or better winter weather conditions.

In conclusion, finding an assisted living facility involves careful planning to help find the perfect new home for you. Factors such as the cost of the services, services offered and location are just a few things to consider when choosing a new assisted living facility.

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Where Are You Going to Live During Your Golden Years?

9/9/2019

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Once you are approaching retirement age, it is time to take into consideration where you will spend your life once the senior years arrive. Some folks adamantly insist they will never leave their homes. Some demand that none of their loved ones have the responsibility of providing care. Possible conflicts between family members can be avoided if a senior living plan is developed beforehand.

Staying at Home
There truly is no place like home. For seniors who need extra care in their later years, their lives can change so quickly. Living each day in a familiar environment when you're no longer able to fully care for yourself is a benefit. When care is provided by a loved one in a loving environment rather than strangers in a strange place, the mental and emotional benefits can manifest physically. Caregiving is a big responsibility though and should be shared by several family members when possible. Preparing the home for in-home care is also very important.

Assisted Living
One thing that family members sometimes lose sight of when they are acting out of care for their elders is pride. Autonomy should not be taken away from any human being. For those that can still take part in their everyday well-being, assisted living is the best option. Additionally, your loved one will then be a part of a community. Outings and activities are always available in these assisted living centers. However, assisted living centers are not set up to care for certain medical conditions or for dementia patients.

Nursing Home
As Will Ferguson points out, nursing homes can be a great option for seniors who need extra care in their later years, it is important to choose one carefully, as elderly adults are often abused in nursing homes because they can't protect themselves. Nursing homes are often located on the same grounds as assisted living centers. The difference between the two is there is more care administered to the resident in the nursing home environment. The nursing home resident still has a sense of community and can make friends where they live. It is of utmost importance to investigate the facility you are trusting with the full-time care of your elder, though. If there are noticeable issues with sub-par cleanliness or resident care upon a tour of the facility, keep looking. There are very clean facilities out there who will give your loved one the same tenderness and care that you do.

It is so important to make these decisions before you are forced to make them so that you and your loved one can take the time to research and decide together. Having a voice in their future will allow them to keep an aspect of their autonomy intact when the time comes to make a change.

Let us help you get your Long Term Care options in order!

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Common Retirement Expenses Every Senior Should Plan For

9/6/2019

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You have worked hard your entire life so that you can make the most out of your retirement. In order to leverage this special time in life, you will need to plan for all of the expenses. Here are three common retirement expenses that every senior should plan for.

Leisure Costs
One item in your budget that is likely to increase when you hit your golden years are your leisure costs. With so much more free time on your hands, you are going to want more disposable money to enjoy your favorite activities. If your retirement plans include a lot of travel, you need to plan accordingly. You also need to budget for leisure activities that will take place close to home. Making an effort to look for free events and activities in your area can help you to mitigate these costs.

Higher Utility Costs
While there are some costs that decrease when you retire, there are also costs that remain the same regardless of if you are employed. Utility costs are a static element that does not change if you are working or not. As the world's consumption of energy continues to increase at breakneck speed, utility costs also continue to rise. When figuring your overall costs in retirement, be sure to figure that your current utility expenses will likely greatly increase over the years. There are a variety of factors that affect these prices, making the costs hard to predict.

Increasing Healthcare Costs
While you will be eligible for federal health programs such as Medicare when you are older, this coverage will not likely cover all of your expenses. You will possibly need to add supplemental insurance in order to bridge the gap. Standard Medicare does not cover vision, dental or hearing aids. Prescription medicine costs can also add up during the retirement years, especially if you have a chronic condition. Poor conditions in nursing homes is sadly all too common in the United States. Because of this, it is important to set aside money to pay for additional care costs as you age. Be sure to shop around to compare plans so that you do not pay for coverage that you do not need.

Make the most out of your golden years by making sure that you have the funds that you need to fully enjoy it. With a little planning and the right execution, you can have the peace of mind that you need to treasure this time.

Most people feel a little lost while planning their retirement. Allow us to help point you in the right direction!

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Put It in Park: Signs You Should Stop Driving

9/4/2019

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One of the first major milestones in a person's life is learning to drive. Getting behind the wheel gave you a sense of freedom. With a quarter's worth of gas, you could drive for miles. However, there are some signs that you might need to stop driving.

The Risks
When you think back over the miles you’ve driven in your lifetime, you can hardly believe it. Whether you learned to drive on a dirt road or in a crowded city, you might not have considered the risks involved when you took the wheel. If someone else was driving, your parents would certainly want to make sure they were responsible. Who could have seen down the road that eyes could fail, that reflexes would dull over the years? Based on miles driven, older drivers have higher rates of fatal crashes than any other group.

Signs
One of the earliest signs that it's time for you to stop driving is failing eyesight. If you are diagnosed with glaucoma or other debilitating eye problems, it is probably a sign that it's time to put your car keys away for good. Forgetfulness is one of the main reasons some elderly people cause car accidents. They forget which pedal is the gas and which is the brake. If you suffer from frequent tremors or seizures as with advanced Parkinson's disease or epilepsy, you probably should not be driving. Your doctor will look at your individual disease and situation and let you know for sure.

Coming to Terms With the Truth
One of the most heartbreaking parts of watching a loved one getting older is having to tell them it's time to stop driving. If you are that loved one and you are still sharp mentally, it can be especially difficult to hear. Regardless of how gently and lovingly it's done, it's a milestone you don't want to reach.

Accepting the fact that it’s time for you to stop driving might be a difficult transition for you. For your whole adult life, you’ve been able to take yourself wherever you wanted without relying on other people. You might feel a loss of independence and frustration that you have to be driven around by other people. Unfortunately, things have changed, and you have had to make concessions that you don't like. Even though it might be something that you don’t want to do, it’s important to come to terms with the fact that it’s time for you to stop driving in order to preserve the safety of yourself and others.

Here’s another article you might like:
What to Look Out for While Planning Your Retirement

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My name is Dan Hopwood and I first started my career in the insurance business back in 1988. 2018 will be the start of my 30th year in the business. My agency is a member of the Better Business Bureau and holds an A+ rating.

What to Look for When Choosing an Assisted Living Facility

Where Are You Going to Live During Your Golden Years?

Common Retirement Expenses Every Senior Should Plan For

Put It in Park: Signs You Should Stop Driving

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