It might be hard to believe, but we’re halfway through 2009 already.

The mid-year is always a good time to evaluate then and now, so let’s take a look at an article on www.seniorhousingnews.com, which posted in January. The article listed 10 senior housing issues predicted to be hot topics; the list included (to name a few) reverse mortgages, senior housing entities filing for bankruptcy, and the emergence of innovative housing models (remember the March blog on GrandParent Family Apartments?).

An item that I found interesting was issue #4, which predicted that 2009 would reveal “more children moving back home with their senior parents or moving parents into the children’s home.  The unemployed are more likely to care for elderly parents at home, instead of putting them in more expensive retirement homes or assisted living communities. They also might pull parents out of facilities and move them back home to cut costs.”

I wouldn’t doubt that this trend is on the rise, and in her article “When Mom Moves In: Statistics, Trends and Benefits” posted on March 5^th of this year, Linda Lowen affirms its truth. The article states that, according to US Census Bureau statistics released in September 2008, “The number of parents, siblings and other relatives who live with adult heads of households grew 42% from 2000 to 2007.”

Intergenerational households aren’t a new phenomenon, but the numbers clearly show a sharp rise in the percentage of family members moving in, whether it’s to save dollars, provide care & support, or both. In some cases, grandparents move in to help take care of their grandchildren. Whatever the reasons, these arrangements may save dollars that would be spent on residential care, but sometimes, especially in difficult caregiving situations, the costs are often beyond what dollars can measure.

Item #7, which proposed the emergence of innovative senior housing models, also caught my eye because of the examples suggested: “[will we see]…small bands of seniors bonding in 4 flats?  Privately held small apartment buildings self managed by seniors that live there?  More co-ops?  College dormitory style living?  The return of the travel trailer?  So many choices…”

Necessity is the mother of invention, right? With the exploding senior and baby boom generation (it is projected that the 60+ crowd will represent 25.1% of the population in 2030), it will take more than just nursing homes and retirement communities to fill the need, so I wouldn’t be surprised if these and other innovative models emerge on the scene.

Seniors for Living followers, I want to hear from you! What do you think about these innovative housing models (or have ideas to add)? Have you noticed an increase in the number of intergenerational households? What other senior housing industry trends have you observed?

-Michelle Seitzer

Beach trips, BBQs, afternoons at the pool – almost everyone loves summer activities and sunny days. But summer has its downside: hot, humid weather that can lead to heat stroke or other heat-related illnesses. Our elders are particularly vulnerable to this issue. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are three main reasons that the 65+ crowd must use extra precautions during the summer season:

· Elderly people do not adjust as well as young people to sudden changes in temperature.

· They are more likely to have a chronic medical condition that upsets normal body responses to heat.

· They are more likely to take prescription medicines that impair the body’s ability to regulate its temperature or that inhibit perspiration.

While encouraging time in the great outdoors is certainly worthwhile, be aware of the risks and warning signs. And know that just because you’re not outside doesn’t mean you’re home free. On extremely hot days, a car or a residence can be a dangerous spot when the temperature rises.

Any illness whose culprit is “being hot for too long” is classified as hyperthermia, say the experts at the NIA (National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health). Heat cramps, heat edema, heat syncope, and heat exhaustion are all possible reactions to extreme temperatures (for definitions and recovery tips, see “Hyperthermia: Too Hot for your Health”). But the CDC affirms that heat stroke tops the list as the most serious heat-related illness, capable of causing death or permanent disability if treatment is not provided immediately.

If your elderly loved one lives alone, be sure he or she is aware of the risks and warning signs for heat-related illness. Also, check to see if the habitat is heat-ready. Cold weather signals that it’s time to cover the windows with plastic and bring the garden hose inside, but in this day and age of central air and movable air conditioning units, do we think about “summer-izing” the house? Many older homes do not have central air, and just the act of carrying a heavy air conditioning unit up from the basement is a precarious task for the senior on his own, much less going without some form of air conditioning on those extra toasty days.

The NIA’s “Hyperthermia” article offers a robust list of things you can do to lower the risks of heat-related illness, including information on what to do in an abode that does not have air conditioning. Check the CDC article for warning signs, symptoms and tips for emergency response to a heat-related illness. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to print these lists in large-type font and post them in high-traffic locations in your parent’s home (and vehicle), with emergency contact numbers included.

This article is not to say that the senior in your life should stay indoors all summer long. But heat-related illnesses are a serious issue. No matter what our age, hanging out in 110 degree weather without taking breaks or having a tall glass of water nearby is risky behavior. I learned that one the hard way a few summers ago after sunbathing on a humid, hazy day with no water, no suntan lotion and no time limit on how long I should stay there.

Be vigilant, be cautious, and be smart – summer is our friend (especially for all of you teachers, students and retirees who don’t have to work), but it can quickly become the enemy if we aren’t prepared.

-Michelle Seitzer

This guest blog post is contributed by Boomerater, a free online resource for Baby Boomers helping you find everything from a financial advisor to a great vacation idea. Seniors for Living contributes its senior housing properties to Boomerater’s local directories including Arizona assisted living, Florida Alzheimer’s care and more.

A new Q&A discussion from Boomerater’s forums appears here each Friday. In this week’s post, readers tell us about their favorite brain games, and what they do to keep their mind sharp.

Boomerater Question: Word puzzlers, card games, mind twisters. What’s your favorite brain exercise, and is there any evidence it keeps those neurons firing away?

Responses from other Boomerater members:

• I’m addicted to Facebook’s Pathwords….though I’m not sure if it keeps those neurons firing.
• Doing Sudoku puzzles is a wonderful way to exercise the brain. I do them online or I print them and work on them at lunchtime, while waiting in a doctor’s office, etc. You can start with the easy puzzles and work up to the advanced ones. Try it!
• Luckily, my work keeps my brain going as if on a high-wire; constantly learning new skills on the computer. But, when I want to challenge my brain to “create new pathways”, something which conventional wisdom once said couldn’t be done, I try brushing my teeth with my left hand. It’s not pretty, but the belief is that it takes approximately 21 daily repetitions for the brain to think it’s learning something new and that it’s time to create a new pathway. Things like that (feeding yourself lefty, working out with weights while standing on one foot) are all considered brain exercise. There is a lot of research to back this up, so those of you who can’t handle the Sunday crossword puzzle might want to try this method.
• I try to do the New York Times daily crossword puzzle. It gets more difficult as the week progresses. I feel good when I finish one quickly. I hope it is helping to keep my mind sharp.
• Reading book reviews on “Good Reads”, B&N, Harriet Klausner. Gives me great ideas/reviews on what to read, and generally leads me to having 10 books lined up on my nightstand. Only trouble is I fall asleep after 15 minutes of reading at bedtime!

To read more responses from Boomerater members and to share your own suggestions, go to the Boomerater post: What are your favorite brain exercises?

Welcome to the June 23, 2009 edition of Boomers and Seniors – News You Can Use – the first of the summer! And with the new season comes new trends, advice, and resources for boomers and their aging loved ones, courtesy of the fabulous blog contributors below. Enjoy, and keep cool!

Boomer Trends

Here’s an interesting trend to consider: Retiring Overseas. SeniorsForLiving’s very own Michelle Seitzer highlights author Barry Golson’s tips for spending the golden years abroad.

Looking for a fun activity for you and your grandkids on a rainy day? Kaye Swain presents Rainy Day + Chuck E. Cheese = Happy Grandkids & Grandparents posted at SandwichINK.com, which offers some practical tips for navigating the popular play place.

Confused by the big move by TV to digital? Maryan Pelland of the Digital Grandparent blog presents TV’s Changing Bandwidth to help demystify the technology behind the changes. “The TV conversion has befuddled lots of us,” she says. “TV is a big part of life and here’s an explanation of one more piece of the puzzle.”

Senior Care/Caregiving

With the largest generation of Americans entering the latter stages of life coupled with our longer life expectancy, it is crucial that patient care is readily available, writes Victoria Powell in her post Arkansas’ Institute on Aging Gets $33.4 Million. Read more about the good news at the VP-Medical News blog.

Mary N. presents a roundup of blog resources suited for Only Child Parent Caregivers. Posted at Eldercare on Hubpages, if you’re an only child taking care of an aging parent, you’ll find some useful advice and realize you’re not alone.

Caring for an elder is tough work, and if often takes it toll on the caregiver, who is more often than not female. Patricia Grace uncovers The new ‘female problem’: Caregiver stress at the Aging with Grace CareConnection blog, revealing why it’s vital for caregivers to first take care of themselves.

Financial Issues

The prescription drug bills of a senior with medical conditions can be staggering! SeniorsForLiving’s guest blogger from Boomerator.com offers some great tips on how to save money despite the rising costs of prescriptions.

No matter how carefully you think you planned out your retirement, the economy has more and more people adjusting their best laid plans. Check out Super Saver’s post Planning to Retire Later Also has Risks for some resources on how and why you may have to reconsider your retirement at the blog, My Wealth Builder.

When it comes to the golden years, two areas of finance that you’ll spend countless hours thinking or worrying about are your pension and your social security check. Jeff Rose covers both topics at the Good Financial Cents blog. Check out Company Is Going Bankrupt. What About My Pension? and Cash Your Social Security Check Now Not Later; your wallet will thank you for it.

Mr. ToughMoneyLove offers unique strategies for those living on a fixed income: How to Make Your Retirement Money Last posted at the Go To Retirement blog. “Find a strategy that works for you,” he urges.

If your parents’ money is disappearing, you need to intervene, poses Patricia Grace in her post, Does the Buck Stop Here? at the Aging with Grace CareConnection blog. “If your elderly loved one is spending money inappropriately, this could be a warning sign,” she says. Find out why…

If you’ve got another minute to think about your financial future today, Jeff Rose has one more important post to share:  What’s in a Number? Choosing a Withdrawal Rate for Your Retirement Assets.

Health & Wellness

You’ve seen the commercial, now get the facts about RLS. Heartstrong’s post Restless Leg Syndrome May Increase Your Risk for a Heart Attack posted at Healthy Hearts with Heartstrong sheds some light on the relationship between the two ailments. If you have RLS, it’s a definite read.

Catherine Eagleson presents Improving Your Memory posted at Crosswords For Fun, saying, “It seems to be harder and harder to remember the stuff that matters amongst all the chatter and static of the ever-increasing, technology-based information overload.” Click into her post on Improving Your Memory at  Crosswords For Fun for some slick memory tricks.

When you reach a certain age, some health examinations must be done, one being the colonoscopy. “Recently there has been a movement to find an alternative technique to colonoscopy that will bring more people to get their routine screenings done,” claims the How To Live a Longer Life blog. A recent post, CTC Scan vs Colonoscopy: Which Is Better? weighs the pros and cons of the latest CTC Scan technology.

Dale Carter poses an interesting question at Transition Aging Parents: Can Memory Loss Be Prevented? “Read about a new research trial assessing whether learning a new skill can preserve cognitive function,” she encourages. “Quilting, anyone?” Don’t miss her short and sweet list of tips to incorporate into your lifestyle to prevent memory loss.

With all the depressing news about retirement (reference “Retirement 2.0”), we’re left to wonder if there are any good choices for life after work. But if you’re up for an adventure, consider this attractive alternative: retiring overseas.

Enter Barry Golson, author of Gringos in Paradise, which chronicles the experiences of Barry and wife Thia enjoying life on a small fishing island in Mexico, off the Pacific Coast. While Golson jokes that he doesn’t live there full-time because he’s “too busy being unretired,” he explains the birth of Retirement Without Borders: “People loved [Gringos] the book, loved the story, and wanted to know ‘how to’.”

Heralded by NBC’s Today Show Travel Editor, Peter Greenberg, Retirement Without Borders “gives [you] the compelling reasons, as well as the pitfalls and pleasures, of why the low-cost, high-quality expatriate life is one of the last great – and rewarding — adventures.”

Golson chose 10 countries to cover in great detail –- Mexico, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, France, Italy, Croatia, Spain and Portugal (Drooling yet?  I know I am!) –- and he worked with what he calls “expatriate collaborators” to provide his readers with the most expert, on-the-ground information in each of these fabulous locations.

Now, while retiring in Portugal may sound romantic, it’s a bit more involved than simply renewing your passport. Moving to another country can be a complicated process, but Golson gives solid advice on how to do it successfully. And you don’t have to be independently wealthy to live this dream, says Golson. The book equips readers with all the necessary, practical information to make this expedition possible at any income level.

Before he delves into the specifics on the countries, Golson informs the reader of all the ins and outs: reality checks on whether you’re doing this for the right reasons, doing your homework on real estate, knowing how much money you’d need to live, etc.  He even includes report cards, grading on categories such as crime, culture and health care.

In terms of real estate, Golson recommends that you rent before you buy, or even rent instead of buying. “Many people go into it with stars in their eyes and buy a home right away, which is foolish. They leave their brains at the border,” says Golson.

It’s important to weigh the pros and cons too: on the plus side, Latin America’s cost of living and Europe’s quality of living stand out. Even though the dollar is weak in Europe, there are real opportunities to find affordable housing (homes in Spain now cost half of what they were priced a month ago). Golson asserts that retiring abroad is an adventure that is preferable to simply going on “cruise control” after that last day on the job. And perhaps the most enticing positive, particularly for retirees in Minnesota or Alaska – who doesn’t want to retire in a beautiful location with warm weather?

Which begs the question: are there any cons to this arrangement? You’ve done the homework, secured the finances, and found the location that suits you: what could deter you? Well for one thing, if you’re a parent/grandparent/great grandparent, you’d be away from the kids/grandkids/great grandkids (but on the plus side, it might be more alluring to visit Grandma and Grandpa in France rather than Michigan). Another big one: red tape/bureaucracy. In Germany, Switzerland and the US, says Golson, “The trains run on time.” However, in Latin America, France, Italy, “inefficiency is the norm.” In these countries, who share what Golson describes as “an elastic sense of time,” you might find yourself signing and re-signing documents.

I enjoyed chatting with Barry Golson and I’ve really enjoyed perusing his book (and would recommend it highly if you’re entertaining thoughts of retiring abroad). It is well-written, well-researched, practical and pleasing. For more information on Barry or the book, visit http://www.retirementwithoutborders.com/.

Living abroad sounds great to me… so, when can I retire?

What are your plans for retirement? Do any of them include extended travel abroad? Tell us about it here.

-Michelle Seitzer

This guest blog post is contributed by Boomerater, a free online resource for Baby Boomers. Seniors for Living contributes its senior housing properties to Boomerater’s local directories including California assisted living, New York Alzheimer’s care and more. A new Q&A discussion from Boomerater’s forums appears here each Friday. This week’s topic is about deciding between in-home health care or assisted living.

Boomerater Question: I am trying to decide between a retirement/assisted living facility for my mother or hiring in-home care for her. Anyone have advice? Also what’s the best way to find a quality assisted living community?

Responses from other Boomerater members:

• There are a lot of factors to consider, including: Is your mother willing to move or does she want to stay in her home? Do you have access to quality in-home care? Is there a good assisted-living community near her or you? What is the financial situation? How is her health and do you anticipate she may need more care as time goes on? If you decide on assisted living, I encourage you to look at a Continuing Care Retirement Community. She can move from independent to assisted living, and if necessary to a full nursing home without leaving the community or the friends she will meet there. Moving once is hard enough, but having to move again for health reasons is very hard for many people. Also CCRCs tend to have a whole range of activities and outings for your mom to chose from to get her involved in her new community.
• Definitely check Medicare.gov. This site has added a 5-star quality rating for facilities of all levels of care. They rate by overall, health inspections, staffing and quality measures. Just go to the bottom of the home page and click on “Compare Nursing Homes in Your Area.” You can search by name, zipcode, etc.
• My mother had open heart surgery and was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. My sister and I thought it best for her to remain in her own home in Florida (we live in NJ) so we hired home health care workers 24/7. Some were from an agency and some worked independently, however, I recommend using an agency because they have many caregivers available on short notice.We eventually moved my mother to NJ to a wonderful facility that takes care of all her needs, helps her maintain her sense of self, provides activities that are both fun and stimulating, etc. thereby providing peace of mind for me and my sister. However, a good facility is costly and this must be taken into consideration as well.
• Have you ever considered a Geriatric Care Manager? This field is the one-stop resource seniors and families need to gather information, implement care and monitor the care needed to stay safely at home. A comprehensive assessment provides a snap-shot of services needed today and helps to plan for future care. Experts relieve your stress, time and cost associated with research and management of senior care providers.
  

To read more responses from Boomerater members and to share your own tips and advice, go to the Boomerater post: In-home health care or assisted living?

I was a young adult when my maternal grandmother was in a nursing home and I remember my mother bickering with her at times for various reasons. During those times, I remember thinking, “Wow, I thought people outgrew that.”

When it was my turn to take care of my mother a few years ago, I learned about the stress, and yes, frustration firsthand. I was a bit caught up in my own anxiety when I was taking her to the doctor one day for breathing problems related to lung cancer, and I’m not sure what exactly I was doing at the time, but she said, “Will you quit? I’m not going to die right this minute!” That’s when it dawned on me that even though I was an adult and she was ill, we could still aggravate each other.

In fact, there’s a study that shows that adult children and aging parents do get on each other’s nerves, and that parents may be more bothered by the tensions:

The researchers asked about tensions related to a variety of topics, including personality differences, past relationship problems, children’s finances, housekeeping habits, lifestyles, and how often they contacted each other.

Parents and adult children in the same families had different perceptions of tension intensity, with parents generally reporting more intense tensions than children did particularly regarding issues having to do with the children’s lifestyle or behavior (finances, housekeeping).

(For the study, supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, Birditt and colleagues at Purdue and Pennsylvania State universities analyzed data on 474 parents and adult children who were at least 22 years old. The adult children lived within 50 miles of their parents. African Americans made up one-third of the sample and the rest were European Americans.)

The study goes on to explain that tensions may even get worse as the child ages:

…parental perceptions of tension increased with the adult children’s age, particularly about topics having to do with how they interact (e.g., personality differences). “Middle-aged children may be less invested in the parent-child tie than young adult children because they’re more likely to have formed their own families and experience multiple role demands.

Of course, tensions in the family may be related to several factors, but it’s a good reminder to look at it from a parent’s point of view. They may not be enjoying some of these things any more than you do, especially when it comes to matters of their increasing dependence.

-Elizabeth Thielke

How do you handle such situations?

The last thing you want to think about is what arrangements you’ll need to make when your currently healthy loved ones pass. However, doing so in advance will save you a lot of heartache when the inevitable does happen.

That’s because the funeral industry has been fraught with scams and dishonesty over the years, and it is imperative that consumers become educated about their rights and options while they are thinking clearly. When my mother died, we were very fortunate to have worked with a wonderful and helpful funeral home, but even so, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was making the correct purchasing choices when I planned her funeral.

The Funeral Help Program was started for this very reason. The founder is a woman from Houston, Texas whose husband died of Alzheimer’s. The funeral home charged her exactly $12, 000, curiously the same amount as her husband’s death benefit on his life insurance policy. A grant and further research revealed that some funeral homes has outrageous mark-ups on goods and services and others preyed upon families in their most vulnerable state.

According to the Funeral Help Program site:

The FHP was created to give consumers a source of information from someone not trying to sell them something. We have devoted the past 15 years to assisting families in understanding the decisions required and their options at each step, via our toll-free line, email, seminars and public forums. We can help those needing assistance to find funds for funerals (though we do not have the funding to assist ourselves) and try to educate the consumer on all things funereal.

This helpful site covers topics including: Funeral Options, Getting Help, Cemetaries, Choosing a Funeral Home, Ploys & Scams, Payment Options, Casket Choices and even Green Burial.

From my own experience, it’s important to plan ahead as much as you can for a funeral. Even just doing some preliminary research about funeral homes, processes, costs and options can be helpful. It’s a tough thing to do sometimes, but when you need it, you’ll be glad you did it.

-Elizabeth Thielke

By now, many senior citizens have received their $250 stimulus checks from the U.S. Government in the mail.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides for a one-time payment of $250 to adult Social Security beneficiaries, and to SSI recipients, except those receiving Medicaid in care facilities.  To receive the payment, the individual must have been eligible for Social Security or SSI during the months of November 2008, December 2008 or January 2009.

Though the payment is separate from the regular monthly Social Security payment, it is being sent in the manner the senior normally receives the regular Social Security payments -– by direct deposit or check.

If you didn’t receive payment yet (the “target” date was June 4, 2009), contact your local Social Security office to tell them your payment has not arrived.

Check the Social Security website for answers to more question about the stimulus check.

-Elizabeth Thielke

In my opinion, the Nun Study is one of the most fascinating research projects ever. I’m intrigued by almost anything that has to do with Alzheimer’s, but I was also quite interested in the whole idea of analyzing the writings of several study participants. A recent broadcast on Minnesota Public Radio (embedded below) discusses the return of the famous study to the University of Minnesota 20 years later. And although much has changed on the Alzheimer’s research landscape in the past two decades, there is still no cure, still no definitive cause, and still no meaningful treatment for the lifespan of the disease process. There is still a huge need for more Alzheimer’s research, and the Nun Study is just one of many projects in the pipeline.

Over 600 nuns donated their brains to science after their deaths, filling up what is called the brain room by scientists working on the project in Mankato, MN. (Blogger’s note: Can you imagine walking into a room full of brains?!) For neuropathologist Dr. Karen Santa Cruz, the brain room is an exciting place, where she has already observed that about half of the brains show signs of the disease, while the other half do not. She has also been intrigued by the fact that many of the brains with a lot of pathology (signs of disease) are not actually demented.

One hugely important lesson learned from the 1986 Nun Study — and from the current research being conducted in Minnesota — is this: Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging. Many people can live well into their 80s, 90s, and beyond and never show signs of the disease.

Dr. Santa Cruz is joined by Dr. Kelvin Lim, who is serving as the scientific director for the project. Both doctors have accepted the torch passed on by the Nun Study founder, Dr. David Snowdon. Dr. Lim will evaluate the sisters’ handwritten essays, some of which date back to 1893, to seek more evidence that correlates brain health with early education. According to Lim, “The original research has already established a link showing that the more complex these early writings, the lower the risk of mental dysfunction and even disease or death among the sisters in the study.”

The “new” Nun Study researchers at U of M are hopeful about their work, not only in terms of getting closer to understanding why people do/don’t get Alzheimer’s during their lifetime, but also to make some discoveries about other diseases that impact the brain (Parkinson’s, stroke, etc.).

I look forward to hearing more about their progress and growing ever closer to a world without Alzheimer’s. And who knows? Maybe I’ll take a trip to Minnesota to check out the brain room…

- Michelle Seitzer