New VA Outpatient Clinic Serra Mesa

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced Monday that it plans to develop a new outpatient clinic in Serra Mesa to replace and expand its existing facility in Mission Valley.

“Over the years, the demand for outpatient services has continued to grow in the central San Diego area, so we are very happy to be moving forward on this project to expand our ability to meet those needs,” Dr. Robert M. Smith, of the VA San Diego Healthcare System, said in a statement.

The new clinic, which will open in a renovated office complex along Aero Drive, will include almost 100,000 square feet of examination rooms and other space for area military veterans who seek medical and other services on an outpatient basis. The project is expected to cost $22.2 million. The VA said the remodeling work is scheduled to begin in October and will be completed in December 2021.

The new clinic will allow VA staff to expand the services now available to the local veteran community, which surpassed 240,000 last year. “More veterans are coming to VA for care, so having better access for veterans is definitely one of our priorities,” Butler said. The Serra Mesa clinic will be able to expand its core primary care, mental health and specialty care and laboratory services, Butler said. The new complex also will have more than 500 parking spaces.

VA Serra Mesa artist’s rendering VA San Diego Healthcare System
VA Serra Mesa artist’s rendering VA San Diego Healthcare System

 

More important;

The new facility will allow the VA to expand into additional services such as an eye clinic, blindness rehabilitation, audiology, podiatry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, prosthetic’s, radiology and pharmacy. It also will feature a gynecology center and women’s clinic. “There will be a lot more services,” Butler said. “It’s double the size of what we currently have so this is going to be a really nice new clinic for the veterans in that area.”
The facility will have about 200 employees, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, social workers, dietitians and mental health providers, among others. The VA San Diego Healthcare System has been working to expand the Mission Valley clinic for more than eight years, Butler said. The VA previously secured funding for an expanded center in Chula Vista, which is expected to open late this year.

In February 2016, The San Diego Union-Tribune published a special report

detailing at least 27 local veterans under the age of 45 who took their own lives between 2014 and the end of June 2015. Family members of several suicide victims blamed the VA system, saying it failed to properly diagnose and treat cases of depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.
The investments in veteran healthcare come after years of complaints that services were too often delayed or withheld at VA facilities across the country. Others complained for years that the VA system wrongly delayed medical services, falsified records to reduce backlogs, denied disability benefits or otherwise failed to deliver services earned by American veterans.

Butler said the VA facilities in the San Diego region do not have lengthy wait lists; she estimated that the most a veteran would have to wait for primary care services would be one day. When finished, the new center will be double the size of the current facility on Rio San Diego Drive, and it will handle far more than the 160,000 patient visits Mission Valley’s clinic handles each year and has limited staff and parking, said Cynthia Butler, a spokeswoman for the VA San Diego Healthcare System.

Jeff McDonald

Interest Rates Steady; Home Buyers

The Federal Reserve decided Wednesday 3/20/19 to hold interest rates steady and indicated that no more hikes will be coming this year.

The announcement comes three months after the central bank said two hikes would be appropriate in 2019.
The central bank also says it will complete its balance sheet roll-off program at the end of the September.
The Fed also reduced expectations in GDP growth and inflation and a bump higher in the unemployment rate outlook.
As expected, the benchmark funds rate is kept in a range of 2.25 percent to 2.5 percent.

The good news for home buyers comes in a unanimous move that coincides with market expectations and demands, the central bank’s policy making Federal Open Market Committee took a sharp dovish turn from policy projections just three months earlier.

After the announcement, 10-year Treasury yields fell to their lowest level in a year. Committee members had estimated in December that two rate hikes would be appropriate in 2019 after four increases in 2018. They also pointed to at least another one before ending a round of policy tightening that began in December 2015.

However, there now appears to be no likelihood of a hike unless conditions change significantly. In its post-meeting statement, the FOMC indicated it would remain “patient” before adopting any further increases.

The Fed currently holds its benchmark funds rate in a range of 2.25 percent to 2.5 percent. The rate is used as a key for determining interest on most adjustable-rate consumer debt, like credit cards and home equity loans.

Economic forecasts downgraded

The move came along with reduced expectations in GDP growth and inflation and a bump higher in the unemployment rate outlook.

For a central bank not so long ago intent on normalizing policy from its financial crisis-era accommodation levels, the developments at this week’s meeting represent a striking change in direction.

The Fed had held its benchmark rate near zero for seven years as it looked to stimulate the housing market and overall economic activity. Its low-rate programs coincided with the longest bull market on record for stocks.

John Ernst: Reuters; Interest Rates Steady
Fed Holds Interest Rates Steady

However, Chairman Jerome Powell, and before him Janet Yellen, has sought to get policy back to a place where the Fed would have room to move in case of another pronounced economic downturn.

Along with the historic lows in rate came three rounds of bond buying that helped provide liquidity to financial markets. The program had pushed the Fed’s balance sheet to $4.5 trillion, which it has sought to lower through a program that allowed proceeds from the bonds to roll off each month.

Balance sheet unwind ending

That roll-off program also will conclude at the end of the September, a decision that also occurred in conjunction with financial market pressure on the Fed to stop tightening policy at a time when economic uncertainty is running high.

Fed officials now see economic gains of just 2.1 percent this year, down from the 2.3 percent estimate in December, and inflation reaching 1.8 percent, a 0.1 percentage point reduction.

The unemployment rate for this year is now seen at 3.7 percent, up 0.2 percentage points from December.

The lowered rate outlook was expressed in a sharp shift downward in the committee’s “dot plot” – a chart anonymously the expectations of each of the FOMC’s 17 dot-posting members.

In the previous quarter’s projections, just two members anticipated interest rates steady. That moved to 11 in the current plot. December’s meeting indicated 11 members believing two hikes would be appropriate. That shifted to two this time.

In the statement explaining its decision, the committee said economic activity “has slowed” even though the labor market remains “strong” despite February’s weak 20,000 growth in non-farm payrolls.

More specifically, the statement said “recent indicators point to slower growth of household spending and business fixed investment in the first quarter,” a period during which GDP gains are expected to be modest. Inflation also has “declined” due largely to a drop in energy prices, the statement added.

Jeff Cox 

Hiring Professionals for Home Improvement

Undertaking Due Diligence in Hiring Professionals for a Home Improvement Project

 You may be like a growing number of people who plans on undertaking a more substantial home improvement project at your residence such as a kitchen upgrade. Toward that end, you may be planning on essentially acting as your own contractor. In that capacity, you will be seeking out a variety of service providers and professionals to work on different aspects of your home improvement project. As a result, you need to understand the due diligence you must undertake when hiring professionals for home improvement on your home.

 

Conduct a Face to Face Interview when hiring professionals for home improvement

 An important, and surprisingly oftentimes overlooked step, part of the due diligence process is having a face to face interview with any professional you are considering hiring for the home improvement project. Currently, and largely due to the internet, many people hire professionals and service providers of all types online and without having any in-person interaction.

No matter how helpful the internet can be currently, a great deal can be ascertained when you meet with someone in person. This holds true when you need professionals to assist you with a home improvement project. In advance of such a face to face interview, you should take the time to prepare a written list of questions. By making a written list of questions, you will be far less likely to overlook an issue that you need to discuss with a person you are considering hiring for work on your home.

Undertake a Thorough Background Check

 

Another important aspect of the overall due diligence process when hiring professionals for home improvement project is to undertake a thorough background check. The background check should include an examination of criminal history.

 When it comes to criminal history, there may be some types of prior convictions that do not necessarily require excluding a person from working on a home improvement project at your home. Crimes involving fraud or theft are likely ones that potentially should preclude a person from working on a home improvement project at your home. You may also want to consider avoiding hiring a person who has a drinking or drug related crime. Precluding a person may also need to be based no only on thy type of crime but how long ago it was said to be committed.

 

Verify Insurance, Bonding, Certification when hiring professionals

 

The due diligence process associated with hiring professionals home improvement project also needs to include a verification of a insurance, bonding, and certification. You need to make certain that any person coming to work at your residence is properly insured and bonded. In addition, depending on the specific tasks a service provider will undertake at your home, you need to confirm that such an individual has appropriate certification of licensing to undertake a designate task.

Get References of professionals for home improvement 

 Another key element of a comprehensive a due diligence process is to get references from the individuals or businesses you are considering to hire to work on your residence. References can include former clients or existing colleagues of a service provider that you are considering retaining to work on your home improvement project.  Make certain that you do contact the references that you’ve obtained. Time and again, people in your position get the names and contact information from references; however, once armed with this information, many homeowners fail to reach out and contact these identified individuals to obtain a reference.

In addition to obtaining references from prospective individuals you’re considering hiring to work on your home, you may also want to think of obtaining recommendations from your family members, friends, and colleagues of different types. You should consider obtaining these recommendations upfront as you build a list of professionals for home improvement project.

 In the final analysis, by undertaking comprehensive due diligence, you will greatly increase the prospect that you will hire the best and most suitable people to work on your home improvement project. You will be able to pursue a cost-effective home improvement project surrounded by professional service provides who will assist you in meeting your goals and objectives.

Call me or send me an email, I’ll be happy to help you sell your home when you are ready.

Gloria Roma

Call 726-999-0566

or Email Us

9 Ways to Help Kids Thrive When Moving

9 ways to help kids thrive when moving shows compassion and helps them make a healthy transition.

Moving closer to the center of San Diego was on my mind when my brand new car hit 36,000 miles in the first year I owned it.  Our son was three at the time and was not attached to many things so we thought nothing of it. It’s when he began hugging our living room walls good-bye and asking if he could bring at least one of his toys with him to the new house that we realized he thought moving meant he left everything he owned behind.

One of the top major stressful transitions in life is moving your family home – right up there with death and divorce and no matter how resilient you or your children are or how used you are to moving, each move is a physical, social and emotional strain on everyone involved.

As adults, we have better coping mechanisms in place to be able to deal with moving because it’s usually our choice whether we decide to move. However, our children aren’t the ones who were involved in the matter and it’s usually scary because it’s a surprise or new information that they haven’t had a chance to fully grasp.

Some children are more affected than others and according to Psychology Today, children that suffer the most with a move are those who are introverted, have tendencies towards anxiety and inflexibility and are in the middle school years.

It is our job as parents to help our children prepare for the move and ensure a smoother transition. With the right tools and strategies in place, we can do just that. In our list of 9 ways to help kids thrive when moving is more about the tools of patience and strategies of love for them.

Here are some thoughts to help your children thrive during this transition.

 

1. Talk about the move early

When you find out about the move, discuss it with your children. There is nothing worse than letting them find out from an overheard conversation. Keep your kids informed every step of the way of what is happening and when, as it pertains to them. If they are much younger, still talk about it but don’t confuse them with dates. Prepare them for what it will feel like, look like and what will happen on the day and the months afterwards. Don’t dwell on it but talk about it so they’re prepared. If you move a lot, be upfront about how long you might be in one place and make the most of it.

2. Focus on the positives of the move

The positives for your kids and family will change for every move. It might be that you are going to be closer to family and friends, moving to a new location with lots of adventure and travel, more sporting opportunities, having their own bedrooms or making new friends. You might be moving to your own house or a bigger house or a better location.

Research the location together and find the best parks, restaurants and places to ride bikes (if that is what your kids are into). If you can’t go to location beforehand, Google Maps are great to see where you will live and what is around.

Focus on positives from the last move. When we moved to America, we lived in a suburban street and didn’t know anyone. We had to form our own community and while we were doing it. We relied on each other for entertainment and adventure and it has been pivotal for all other moves to remember this. Maybe the last move was easier because you already knew people there or know the location you were moving to.

3. Be super organized before and on move day

Ensure the house is move ready. If the kids are old enough, have them to help you put everything in place.

Prepare the kids for the day by talking about the timings, what happens and where the truck goes with all their belongings. If your kids are young, organize for them to be else where on the actual day everything is loaded onto the truck. It is hard when their favorite bike or bed is put onto the truck and they don’t understand where it is going.

4. Organize schools in advance

Getting your kids into the ‘right’ school is so important to a great transition. It may be the reason you’re family is moving in the first place.  If you know where you’ll be in advance find the schools and apply about a year early. Hedge your bets and apply to three or four schools that suit your family and your children. For example, if you are moving to San Diego or Carlsbad ask around and research three schools you can see your children going to in high school and do your best to apply to them as soon as possible.  Use sources like Greatschools.org or Niche.com and California School Dashboard to help you understand how schools are rated.

San Diego Unified School choice is from mid October to mid November every year for the following school year. Charter schools usually want you to have applied by early February in the spring prior. Great privkeep everyone involved in the moveate schools have at least a year wait list.

If your move is imminent and you know which school your child is going to, organize a school visit or attend an open house. Also, some schools dress code requires the children wear uniforms. Buy their uniforms before they start school so they can picture it.

Once your child is at school, make settling in socially and emotionally the number one focus. Academics will follow.

If your child has a supportive teacher, makes a good friend or two early on and enjoys the classroom – they will thrive. To facilitate this, be at school pick up to meet some of their friends and the other parents, organize playdates early on, find other community groups to join, take an interest in their new friends and talk about how their lunch was and who they played with. You may need to talk about strategies here with your child to help them make friends.

5. Validate EVERYONES emotions

All children will all react differently. Some will lash out with anger, other retreat, others cry – whatever it is, validate it as a real feeling and talk through it.

For example, if your child is sad because they will miss their friends, validate that feeling. Tell them is it completely normal to feel like this and you feel like it to. Talk about what they will miss about their friends and all the fun things they have done together. The worst thing to say here is ‘don’t worry, you will make new ones’. Right now, they don’t want to think about any new friends and it will probably spark more anxiety over leaving their friends to have to find new ones. Talk about their great ability to make friends and how easily they did it at this school.

A great resource for exploring emotions around moving is the movie ‘Inside Out’ – watching it may help your child name their feelings and talk to you about it.  This is only one of the 9 ways to help kids thrive when moving tips that will keep you and your family sane.

Validate them and talk to your children about how you are feeling (without over catastrophizing). Talk to them about what you do when you are sad or upset to help them with their own feelings.

6. Stay in control

If you are strong and in control – your children will be too. If you are positive – you will help your children to be positive. While it is a lot of added pressure for parents at move time, we are our children’s biggest role models currently and need to remember this.

There is so much to do physically that tensions can build at this time between you and your partner. Try to resolve them quickly and work together as much as you can. Your children will pick up on every little bit of stress and adversity and react accordingly.

This is where you can use your support networks to help. Ask a friend to pick up your kids on the days of your move or bring you dinner or come over with a coffee on move day. Don’t try to do it alone – others will help you to keep it together and stay strong for your families.

7. Keep boundaries, routines and habits in place as much as possible

As much as possible, keep you children’s regular boundaries, routines and habits in place, especially around morning and bedtime routines. If your kids clean their teeth and then you read them a story before bed – keep doing it. Remind them to use their manners, if it’s already considered a habit. Continue to feed them lunch at a certain time, do it. Keep meeting their needs as much as possible; otherwise this puts added strain on emotions and relationships.

Be prepared that some of this will slip because everything is every where and that is OK if you can get back to it as quickly as possible. When the rules and boundaries stay the same, your kid’s feel reassured this is a relatively normal thing to do.

8. Create a Special Ending

Saying goodbye to friends is an important step to finishing in one place and moving to the next. They feel significant and belonging from the community they have been part of and leave on a good note. You could organize a class leaving party after school, or invite a few friends over for a sleep over.

Taking an idea from someone else- consider having your children take a school shirt in for every student in their class to sign and also made up little ‘Stay In touch’ cards with their new address to hand out to friends. As a family, you might spend the last few weeks doing your favorite things while you are still in your current home, like going to your favorite restaurant or going to your favorite park.

This will cement the fun memories you have had in this location. Share Skype or social media contacts with the parents (or among the children if they are old enough) and promise to keep in touch. This tip of the 9 ways to help kids thrive when moving is my favorite.

9. Give your family at least 6 months to settle in

This is so easy to blow off!! It takes TIME to settle in.

Give yourself and your family at least 6 to 12 months to feel like you are part of the new location and communicate this with your children. Don’t expect that after a month or two, it will all be smooth running. It takes time to break into any community and form the friendships and to develop routines.

After you’ve read 9 ways to help kids thrive when moving shows compassion and helps them make a healthy transition and still have questions, call me or send me an email, I’ll be happy to help you sell your home when you are ready.

Gloria Roma

Call 726-999-0566

or Email Us

Read our hyper local magazine that focuses on one of San Diego’s most central family centered neighborhoods, Serra Mesa, here.

Seniors Purchasing a Home in San Diego

Seniors Purchasing a home in San Diego, home buying is a complicated process no matter what your age. Yet, for seniors searching for a property for retirement and beyond there are a number of special considerations in play. Whether you’re new to San Diego or a local whose just beginning to look at properties or are in the midst of downsizing; here are a few things you should keep in mind.

Picking the Right Location

San Diego Home For Sale Senior
Senior Independent living
Senior Assisted Living

San Diego is a big city made up of a lot of small neighborhoods. Depending on where you live, you may rarely need to leave the area around your home. Or you might spend your whole day commuting. For seniors, travel times are less about getting back and forth to a job and more about proximity to hospitals, senior centers, and amenities. Before putting an offer on your favorite property, take a look at what’s nearby and think about the commute. If you’ll be driving, you have a bit more freedom, but if you’ll be relying on public transportation, it’s essential to know which stores and parks are on the MTS routes.

Every neighborhood in San Diego comes with its own distinct vibe. Get artsy on the mural-lined streets of La Jolla, enjoy convenient access to the San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park in Hillcrest, embrace your bohemian side in Encinitas or keep exploring until you find the spot that feels right.

All About Amenities

Speaking of getting around, there’s a reason most retirement communities have club houses and other key amenities. The more amenities there are, the less transportation becomes an issue. Some communities keep it simple with a pool, gym and game room, while others go all out and include everything from a movie theater to a salon. If you love the great outdoors, look for a home with HOA-tended parks and walking trails. If you prefer spending your time indoors puzzling or reading, you may think about putting a community library and arts-and-crafts studio at the top of your list.

Mind Your Budget

There’s a difference between how much you’ll pay for your mortgage each month and how much you’ll pay in total housing expenses. When you’re calculating your budget, remember the following:

  • Property taxes
  • HOA fees
  • Landscaping and property maintenance
  • Home insurance
  • Utility bills
  • Activity or facility fees (more common in retirement communities)

While many of these expenses apply to all home buyers, seniors are more likely to have a limited income and less able to accommodate sudden expenses. Living by the ocean is an incredible experience, but it comes at a cost. San Diego’s cost of living is above the national average, making it especially important to accurately estimate monthly expenses and choose a property accordingly.

Account for Accessibility and Mobility

Before you decide on a home, think about your current mobility needs and how you may be restricted in the future. Approximately 39.5 million Americans have some type of physical difficulty.  Those struggles tend to increase in severity as we age. Choose a home you’ll be able to navigate even if you’re physically limited. Single-level homes are a good choice thanks to the lack of stairs, or if you’re interested in a condominium or townhouse, look for units close to the elevator and parking.

Don’t Ignore Resale Value

Your opinion is the most important factor in your home-buying decision, but chances are you won’t be in your home forever. When you’re ready to try something new — a new city, neighborhood or style of living — it’ll be easier to offload a property that has wide appeal. According to some sources San Diego may soon be a buyer’s market, though, at this time (end of 2018) I am experiencing a more balanced market.  A home customized to your tastes or with polarizing features is less likely to draw as many offers if it’s not priced right. Choose a popular neighborhood, invest in amenities and weigh those unique attributes against your desire to one day make a quick and stress-free sale.

Assisted Living Making Life Long Friends

If you do eventually decide to transition from fully independent housing to more supportive senior care accommodations, you’ll have plenty of options. There are 77 assisted living facilities in San Diego proper and another 30 in the surrounding area.

Buying a home is a huge deal, but with a little forethought and a few compromises, you can retire in style and still enjoy all that San Diego has to offer.

Call me or send me an email, I’ll be happy to help you sell your home when you are ready.

Gloria Roma

Call 726-999-0566

or Email Us

Independent Living Using Smart Home Technology for Seniors

Independent living using smart home technology for seniors, the idea of an assisted living can serve as an appealing solution for their loved ones. With the rise of smart home technology, independent living for seniors becomes a more realistic and budget friendly idea to explore.

From everything to automatic stove turn-off devices and medication dispensers to health monitoring sensors there is technology. Smart tech will help your loved one in every stage of independent living because making the aging in place process is more comfortable and less invasive is important.

Door Locks and Security Systems:

A smart security system allows your family to monitor entrance activity to your home, so they’ll always know you’re safe. Smart door locks let you lock your door so no matter your location you’ll always know your safe.

Smart Doorbell:

Communicate with visitors from anywhere inside of your home; like smart doorbells that come with video surveillance, speakers and microphones for added home protection.

Wi-Fi Enabled Refrigerators:

Your smart refrigerator keeps track of your grocery list and delivers it to a participating grocery store near you. Because you want to be cool, you can even view the inside of your refrigerator from an app on your smartphone.

Automatic Stove Turn-Off Devices:

Automatic stove turn-off devices come with many helpful technology. A timer, motion sensors and an automatic shut-off feature to ensure that your kitchen equipment powers down when you want it to because being safe is the key to being able to stay home. Instead of moving to assisted living in the future.

Automated Medication Dispenser:

Medication dispensers that are automated can ensure all your medications are taken on schedule. According to the doctor’s orders because your dispenser alerts you or your family of missed medications. It even provides your physician with detailed reports regarding your medication activity.

Health Monitoring Sensors:

Wearable health monitoring sensors communicate physiological data directly to your healthcare providers in real-time. Monitoring sensors can be worn in a variety of accessories to track heart health, exercise activity and chronic conditions.

Smart Light Switch:

Control the lights in your home by using timers or voice command.  With the help of your smart home assistant or via an app on your smartphone. For more information on the top technologies for seniors visit Home Automation for Seniors.

Call me or send me an email, I’ll be happy to help you sell your home when you are ready.

Gloria Roma

Call 726-999-0566

or Email Us

Seniors Downsizing: Big Changes Will Mean A lot in Your Home

Seniors Downsizing to a smaller, more manageable living situation is an inevitability. Whether you’re moving in with a family caregiver or heading to a senior living facility, you’ll need to remove clutter and downsize. It can be a stressful and powerfully emotional experience, getting rid of belongings that have personal meaning that only you truly understand.

Baby Boomer down sizing
Down Sizing?

Seniors Downsizing can be a liberating experience as well. A way of simplifying and beginning a new chapter in your life. Handled properly, downsizing doesn’t have to be an overwhelming ordeal. Here are a few tips designed to make things a little easier.

Don’t delay

As soon as you know a move is in your future, begin the downsizing process by identifying what can be gotten rid of and what you’ll keep. It’s worthwhile to give yourself plenty of time for this difficult process. Some people are so anxious to get through it that they rush things and end up making rash decisions or accidentally throw away something of real value to them. Don’t try to do it all in a few days or a week. If it takes a full month, let it take a month, because going room by room and taking plenty of breaks you can sort through everything methodically.

Organization

Try starting small by working on getting organized, beginning with a room that isn’t as much of a challenge as your bedroom, family room and storage closets. Consider starting with the linen closet or the laundry room and gradually work your way up to a more demanding room. Make distinctly separate piles, dividing everything into what you’ll throw away, what can be donated or sold, and what you’ll take with you. Keep a sharp eye out for duplicate items – a major source of clutter – though most of your duplicates are probably in the kitchen. That way, you’ll be well-organized and prepared when it’s time to go to your senior downsizing move into a smaller living space.

Be decisive

Remember, the more you take with you, the more it’s likely to cost in moving fees (movers charge by weight) so be decisive and get rid of as much as you possibly can. If you’re a senior downsizing, you probably won’t have as many rooms to furnish, which means getting rid of an entire room’s worth of stuff. That’s a significant reduction in clutter and in the amount of belongings you’ll need to pack up and move, and it’s what productive removing clutter can accomplish: An easier move and a more efficient way of living.

Planning for your move

Do as much as possible to prepare for a move that should go smoothly and efficiently. Measure the dimensions of each room in your new home so you know ahead of time where furniture should go and whether you’ll need to get rid of some furniture or put it in storage. It’ll make things easier on the movers, allowing them to finish as soon as possible and saving you a few dollars.

Store it

If you’re moving into an assisted living facility after seniors downsizing, it may be necessary to find a local storage facility for all that furniture and over-sized items. Or, you may be able to find a friend or relative who can take some of your furniture.

Seniors downsizing to a smaller home, wherever that might be, is a daunting process for someone who’s spent much of their life in the same place. Take your time and have a plan. Remember that getting started as soon as possible can help take some of the pain out of that process.

Call me or send me an email, I’ll be happy to help you sell your home when you are ready.

Gloria Roma

Call 726-999-0566

or Email Us

 

picture courtesy of Pixabay.com.

Aging in Community: A Guide for Seniors

Aging in community: A guide for seniors will help because it is becoming more prominent in society.  As we age, it becomes harder to live independently on our own. Our physical mobility begins to decline, which can make it difficult to do even everyday tasks like cooking and cleaning. As our memories begin to fail and more medications are added to our schedules, it can be difficult to remember how and when to take everything we need. Plus, it is common for many of our loved ones and friends to move away. This can easily cause us to become lonely, which can have harmful effects on our health. However, where and how we live as we age can have a huge effect on our independence level and overall wellness.

Let’s look at a few housing options to give you a clear view of your options

aging in community- san diego seniors

Senior Roommates

Seniors aging in community means sometimes living together as roommates.  This is becoming more and more common. HomeAdvisor reports, “As a matter of fact, a growing number of baby boomers are turning to shared living as an aging-in-place housing option. A 2014 AARP analysis of census data found approximately 132,000 households and 490,000 women over the age of 50 living with non-romantic peers.”

Not only does living with another senior allow you to split housing costs and save on your budget, but it can also provide you with a key source of companionship. After all, another senior will probably share many interests and might possibly understand your life better than many in the younger generations.

Having someone living with you while aging in community can also decrease your risk of a fall-related injury or overlooked illness. When you have someone else there while aging in community to watch out for you, it raises your overall health and can help you live a higher quality of life. Plus, according to A Place for Mom, loneliness is a serious problem for many seniors and can have disastrous health consequences.

Home Modifications

Not everyone feels comfortable aging in community with getting a roommate. However, especially when they do not know the person very well. If you want to age in community but are not interested in a roommate, it is important for you to make the appropriate modifications to your home to ensure that your changing needs are met. This can be done a lot easier than you might think.

According to Assisted Living Today, there are five must-have modifications that most seniors will need to live comfortably in their home: wider doorways, ramps, kitchen modifications, bathroom modifications, and flooring modifications. Of course, you do not have to do all of these modifications at once. If you are currently not having a problem using your kitchen, you probably do not need to modify it right away. However, you should plan on making these modifications to your home sometime within the near future.

Village-to-Village

 The village-to-village network is a community-based program that expands options for older adults so they can live more independently for longer. While all networks function independently and focus on the needs of their individual members, they are all member-driven and self-governing. The networks’ main function is to provide social activities that seniors can participate in, which lessens the likelihood of loneliness and enlists a network of volunteers to help seniors with daily things they can’t do themselves, such as yard work or walking the dog.

According to the New York Times, these villages is specific to aging in community and are a low-cost way to age in place and delay the added cost of assisted living. When you have such an in-depth network of volunteers who are willing to pick up your prescriptions and take you shopping, it allows you to live independently for longer. Plus, with events like storytelling and happy hour at local restaurants, you have plenty of opportunities to meet new people and make friends.

There are lots of options available for aging in community for seniors who want to age in place. One of the key problems with aging at home is the likelihood of loneliness, but by aging in community, these problems can be averted.

Call me or send me an email, I’ll be happy to help you sell your home when you are ready.

Gloria Roma

Call 726-999-0566

or Email Us

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Importance Of Estate Planning for Seniors

Estate planning for seniors provides assurance and protection for you, your property, and your wishes. If you don’t have one, it should be at the top of your list. Even if you do have one in place, you should review it annually. When creating or updating your estate plan, there are a lot of considerations to make. Including decisions about your future medical care, final arrangements after death, inheritance and more.

Definition of Estate Planning

According to Caring.com, “Estate planning is a process in which individuals specify how their money and other property should be managed during life and after their deaths.” It also outlines directions about the type of medical care the individual would like to receive if they were unable to communicate those wishes.

In an estate plan, you can outline what property you wish to leave and to whom you’d like to leave it. You can indicate who you’d like to act as a guardian for any dependent children, as well as who should manage their assets. Naming a power of attorney and an executor are also important parts of a good plan. You can even specify how your outstanding debts and taxes should be paid and if you’d like to forgive any debts owed to you at death.

If You Don’t Have An Estate Plan

Without an estate plan, medical decisions could be left up to the doctors and/or your family, who may not make the same decisions as you. For example, if you were in a coma and didn’t want to be kept on life support, no one would know for sure unless it is outlined in your plan. And even if they know, they don’t have to abide by your wishes without a legally binding document.

Also, without good estate planning for seniors, your family and friend will decide final arrangements. Although they may try their best to honor your wishes, a good estate plan can take a lot of stress and pressure off of loved ones if they have your specific wishes outlined. In an good estate plan, you can specify where you’d like to be buried, or you can request to be cremated and state whether you’d like your ashes kept or spread in a specific location.

Assets distributed according to hierarchy instead of your plan

A lack of good estate planning for seniors also means your property and assets will be divided and distributed according to the hierarchy of survivors specified by your state’s laws. This includes property you own both outright and jointly (e.g., real estate, vehicles, jewelry, pets, bank accounts, stocks and bonds, and retirement accounts). It also includes interest and money you may receive later, such as securities dividends and insurance proceeds.

Of course, you don’t have to wait until you pass for some inheritances to be distributed. You can give your jewelry as a gift and set up trust funds while you’re alive. Likewise, you can transfer the title of your vehicles or house while you’re alive. For example, quitclaim deeds are often used when an elderly parent is giving a child a house.

A quitclaim deed is “a legal document that transfers ownership of a home from one party to another party.” Since quitclaim deeds are typically used between parties that have a prior relationship and the individual receiving the property isn’t paying.  The quitclaim deed offers no warranties or guarantees that the owner has good title or ownership, but simply conveys whatever interest exists when the deed is executed (transferred) and delivered.

Reviewing the Estate Plan

A specific rule about when you should review estate planning for seniors doesn’t exist. Experts typically agree that certain situations call for a revision. For example, you should review your plan immediately after a major life event, such as a divorce or the death of someone listed in your estate plan. It’s also advisable to do a quick review every year and a thorough review every five years.

Take the time to fully research and understand each part of estate planning, such as the power of attorney, final arrangements, and trust funds. Also, be sure you understand how your state’s laws impact estate planning. Speaking with a trusted attorney is always advisable when making legal decisions.

Call me or send me an email, I’ll be happy to help you sell your home when you are ready.

Gloria Roma

Call 726-999-0566

or Email Us

About Gloria

Gloria Roma helping seniors move
Gloria Roma works with adult children of seniors when navigating inherited real estate holdings.

 

Gloria is an accomplished Realtor with over 28 years of cumulative experience in real estate and finance. If you’re buying, Gloria knows how to help you, having been awarded as the TOP 3 Buyers Agent in America. If you’re selling, her showcased estates SELL for up to 18% higher with Gloria’s Proven Home Selling System.

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