Joan Rettmann from Transforming Age joins Suzanne to talk about the definition of a life plan community and what it offers residents. Joan says, "A lot of different terms are used in the industry, and this is a classic example of where things get confusing. A life plan community is really an umbrella term that covers independent communities that have additional care levels available, such as assisted living, memory support, and normally skilled nursing as well. 

"That term 'life plan' is actually replacing, if you will, the term CCRC, or continuing care retirement communities. So they can really be used interchangeably now. Within that umbrella of life plan or CCRCs, there are various models that differ from one another — different contracts such as a type A life care, a type B modified, or a type C fee for service."

* Transforming Age website
* Hear more podcasts about discovering senior living

Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

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Somebody comes into independent living in a retirement community. What does it offer? Generally it takes care of housekeeping, provides meals, and lots of social activities. Joan Rettmann from Transforming Age joins Suzanne to summarize the various offerings.

Joan says, "One of the things that a lot of people appreciate most is a release from some of the domestic responsibilities, like housekeeping for instance. Not having to do that is quite appealing to a lot of folks. There's always a meal plan. So it's not surprising that food is oftentimes towards the top of the list. Various meal plans are offered; sometimes it might be one meal a day included, or potentially up to three. The third key area would be in terms of the activities that are offered, or lifestyle events that are offered in a community. So that might be lectures, seminars, fitness classes, those kinds of things.

"If it's one that's just independent living, and there aren't additional care levels available, it's usually on the lighter side with meal services. So it might be one meal a day that's included. Housekeeping may not be as frequent as, say, in communities that offer additional levels of care. There might be a great activities calendar, but it might not be quite as robust as the other models. Regardless of what option you're looking for, it's good to compare to make sure those differences become very clear."

* Transforming Age website
* Hear more podcasts about discovering senior living

Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The term 'retirement community' covers a lot of different types of options, some with care, some without care. Joan Rettmann from Transforming Age joins Suzanne to talk about what they all mean. 

Joan says, "There are a lot of terms that are used out there in the industry. The first step may potentially be one that falls in the category of 55 plus, starting with a younger age group. A lot of times those communities can be designed in an apartment-like complex. They can be more of a campus-like setting or a town home. Some folks choose that option if they're ready to have a little bit of a lower maintenance lifestyle, but still have it feel most similar to the situation that they had been living in. They typically come with some sort of a community space too. Maybe it's a specific building designed for that, or there are common areas, central areas for people to come together and enjoy that social experience without necessarily all of the maintenance responsibilities of their former home."

If you're looking to retire or downsize, ask yourself some key questions. Joan says, "Regardless of age, sometimes a lot of folks assume that, they have to wait till a certain age to consider it. Or that's a goal that they have in mind. Rather than looking at a number, look at other things. Ask yourself some other important questions. First of all, 'Do I have any health diagnosis that might I might need care within the next year or two?' Then that might tell you, maybe I'll focus on communities that have care services built in as part of it, instead of ones that are independent only.

"Next would be: 'What are my goals? What do I want? What would be my expectations when looking at a community?' For some people, the socialization piece is top on their list. Maybe where they're living right now, that piece is missing. So they want that piece, which is really common in retirement communities. Other people are more private by nature, so what's more important to them would be the types of care available. If something changes in the future, maybe they're more focused on certain amenities. A big reader will want to make sure they have a great library. Or a pool, or other things that I want to do more independently. So the amenities can be part of it. But definitely think about what's important to you in the long term as well. If something changes down the road, how comfortable am I with the the plan for the services that may or may not?"

* Transforming Age website
* Hear more podcasts about discovering senior living

Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Rettmann from Transforming Age joins Suzanne to talk about various independent living retirement options. People are starting to explore senior living options at an earlier age. We're seeing a shift to people in their 60s and early 70s, people looking to improve their quality of life. What seems like a forever home could get in the way of other priorities. Retirement communities can provide a low-maintenance lifestyle with more social opportunities.

Joan says, "The use of technology has changed, become more and more important. You'll see that play out in a lot of different ways in retirement communities. One that stands out to me that's most fun is in one of our communities, Madison Park. They use innovation in the form of robots as dining servers, to provide more opportunity for the dining team to kind of be front and center and more personal with the residents. These adorable little robots named Salt and Pepper are running back and forth from the kitchen to deliver food. Residents love it. Residents were involved in naming the robots. They're fun topics of conversation. When grandkids come in, they want to make sure they get to see the robots. So that's a lot of fun, but also just in the design of building. Juanita Bay will be lead certified to become one of the greenest communities in the nation. So a lot of great changes and and a lot of great changes evolving with technology."

Transforming Age is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the lives of older adults by integrating housing, community services, technology, philanthropy, and partnerships. The Transforming Age network of affiliates offers high quality housing communities in great locations including Continuing Care Retirement Communities, Active Adult, Affordable Housing, Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Support and Skilled Nursing.

* Transforming Age website
* Hear more podcasts about discovering senior living

Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sean Joseph, CEO of Jordan River Moving & Storage, joins Suzanne to talk about how to make your move as smooth and stress-free as possible. The better you prepare ahead of time, the smoother the move will be.

Sean says, "If you want the move to be fast and smooth, we would like to see boxes and furniture. So the boxes will be all packed and taped on the top, nicely closed, flat, no items sticking up. Because then our guys will come in, take all the boxes immediately to the truck, and be fast, because they're working fast. Then we will handle the furniture for you. We will disassemble the bed. We will take off the legs of the dining room table, and we're gonna wrap all your furniture with heavy duty moving blankets. And we'll take it to the truck. So what's important here? Clear out spaces. If you leave the room with a bed in the middle like we had last week, all around it was a lot of mess, from clothes. The movers called me and I said, guys, take the bed. It is what it is, but that's not how it's supposed to be. If it's a local move, that will take forever, and it costs you a lot more money. Boxes and furniture. That's what we would like to see if we not find boxes. We will gladly supply boxes.

"We deliver empty boxes to you with no charge. We can come a few times, because we want you to be prepared, do your own packing. We'll give you the tape, we're not charging for the tape. We'll show you how to tape the box properly. We will give you smart tape so you can mark which room to deliver to at the destination. The better you prepare, the easier smoother and money saving it will be."

Sean adds, "If you have questions, go on our website, use the chat. We will answer it even if you're not using us, really. If you want to use a moving company in different state, and you're not quite sure, I will do the research for you... For us educating the consumer is the most important thing. That's why on our website, people should take the time and read the blog. We have informative and helpful blogs. So ask neighbors, ask friends, get advice. We're always ready and willing to help whether you use us or not. We want to protect you."

Learn more:

• Jordan River Moving & Storage on AFE
• Jordan River: Call 877-611-0808 or visit https://jordanrivermoving.com/

Hear more:

• Senior moving podcasts on AFE
• Moving to senior living podcasts on AFE

Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast: Alzheimer’s Speaks.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot of seniors get taken advantage of by moving companies. In this segment, Sean Joseph, CEO of Jordan River Moving & Storage, joins Suzanne to talk about how to avoid moving scams.

Sean says, "A lot of people think that everything on the Internet must be cheap, safe, and good. All those are wrong assumptions. Websites [can be] completely made up, the five star reviews that been posted on the website are completely fake. By the way, I just filed two complaints with the FBI about all those five-star fake reviews that are posted by all of those people. It's a major issue, and seniors are booking with those people, who collect a 35% deposit on a long-distance move, and after that, they sell the job to someone else. It's always go back to the basics. You must ask for in home estimate to protect yourself.

"When they offering you an online binding estimate, forget about it. If it's not in writing, it's not an estimate. So what's happening? Because nobody came and visited, they claim later, oh, based on your information, it was only 10 boxes, but now you have 40 boxes. Stay away from a situation like this."

Regarding cubic feet vs weight, Sean says, "Everybody can [put items] in a truck and spread it to different cubic feet. I can put it in 200 cubic feet, or 300, or 500, that's what [a non-legit] company is doing. Do not move with any company who charges by cubic feet. There is a reason why the state department, the military, and state agencies use weight. If you have any question, you're not sure about anything, you can ask for a reweighing, which should be free. Visit the scale house, watch the first and second weighing."

Learn more:

• Jordan River Moving & Storage on AFE
• Jordan River: Call 877-611-0808 or visit https://jordanrivermoving.com/

Hear more:

• Senior moving podcasts on AFE
• Moving to senior living podcasts on AFE

Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast: Alzheimer’s Speaks.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sean Joseph, CEO of Jordan River Moving & Storage, joins Suzanne to talk about how to find trustworthy providers to help seniors with moving. This segment focuses on in-home estimates. Make sure items that are priceless to you are packed appropriately, and moving companies are there to provide these services.

Sean says, "So when we go to the house, first of all we would like to see what we're dealing with. We will go room by room, and ask what needs to be moved, what services are required from us to perform on the day of the move. And we will engage in conversation, and pretty much try to give advice of how to prepare for a smooth move. There will be a lot of questions that we usually answer with seniors. A lot of them didn't move often. You need to listen to what the customer says is important and what what they want to do.

"You need the person to understand, we can do it for you. They are here to help you. Sometimes it's just five minutes for us, but for you it's a few hours, and maybe involved more physical labor that you don't need. They still think they can do a lot more than what they can really do. And let me give you an example of how we can make it easier for you. Instead of putting all those clothes in your car, I can use wardrobe boxes. We can pack the china for you. It's not going to add too much to the move. We are here to help, we are here to provide service."

Learn more:

• Jordan River Moving & Storage on AFE
• Jordan River: Call 877-611-0808 or visit https://jordanrivermoving.com/

Hear more:

• Senior moving podcasts on AFE
• Moving to senior living podcasts on AFE

Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast: Alzheimer’s Speaks.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're thinking about the next chapter of your life, and downsizing or senior living is on the horizon, this month Suzanne covers all aspects of the process, starting from the beginning. In this episode, Sean Joseph, CEO of Jordan River Moving & Storage, joins Suzanne to talk about how to plan, what to take with you, and how to find trustworthy providers to help seniors with moving. It's a monumental step for someone who's lived in the same home for more than 50 years, and often an emotional turmoil to depart from that home.

Sean says, "Just last Friday, I went to a couple, I think they were 80 years old. They lived in the same house since 1970, and we're going through the items, and she needed to downsize. It was just difficult for her to go through the process. I was listening and I gave my opinion. And I listened to her, and she said, ' this is my china, this is important.' She had so much stuff, Suzanne, so much stuff. And I told her, you're downsizing to a new townhome, you have to make decisions. I mean, it's not easy. Get the family involved.  She was planning to give it to a family member, and that's a lot of things, but it's important for the family."

Suzanne adds, "It's also the emotional connection to the bricks and mortar of the home, because there's memories. One of the things I always tell families to do is write letters to the new owners, and leave them in different areas of the room. This was my room. This is what I remembered happening here. It's a way of continuing forward that memory, that whoever is going to take that home next to you is going to is going to honor that, they're going to realize that a life lived in that home."

Why Sean goes to your home to make an estimate, he explains, "First and foremost, it is a requirement, even if a lot of people doesn't want it. It's basic protection for the consumer. We want to go visually inspect the house. That's the only way of really doing an estimate. The video estimate it's good too, to deal with the technology, but the elderly are not as computer savvy with the phone and camera. And also, it's a trust issue. We have to visually see and explain, and for us, if we do the job, prepare, and tell them what needs to be done. The last thing we want is to come to a house unprepared, and cause stress to elderly people. You know, for them the movie is stressful no matter what. People coming to their home now, after so many years that they lived there and protected their items, precious things they accumulated during the years. And suddenly, strangers are coming in. We want to make them feel comfortable and build trust."

Learn more:

• Jordan River Moving & Storage on AFE
• Jordan River: Call 877-611-0808 or visit https://jordanrivermoving.com/

Hear more:

• Senior moving podcasts on AFE
• Moving to senior living podcasts on AFE

Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast: Alzheimer’s Speaks.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this bonus episode of Answers for Elders, Suzanne introduces the new podcast of estate planning specialist David T. Phillips: Estate Planning Made Easy. Visit the podcast's YouTube channel to watch the show, or subscribe and listen to the podcast by following these links on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

By law every American can gift $18k annually, to anyone they want, completely gift, estate and income tax free. Many are reluctant to use their gifting allowance. But proper gifting will not only give the giver fulfillment during their life, it can produce generations of powerful, productive people. Learn how to leverage your annual gifts to the max.

Learn more:

• Estate Planning Made Easy website
• Use discount code EPMEZ at shop.empez.com to receive a 50% discount
• The 10 Most Common Estate Planning Mistakes, 4th Edition, by David T. Phillips
• Generational Wealth Strategies newsletter
• Wealth Creation Strategy Table
• Contact: Estate Planning Specialists at 888-892-1102
• The Durfee Law Group at 480 324-8000

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lindsay Friedman and Shannon Lyons join Suzanne to talk about peace of mind and other reasons for getting their innovative health monitoring system Care Bloom to help senior loved ones age in place in their homes.

Listeners, sign up for free to win one year of Care Bloom! Care Bloom is holding drawings in June and September 2024. There's no obligation or commitment to purchase. Learn more at https://carebloom.com.

Lindsay explains the need for Care Bloom. "It's really important because people want to stay in their homes. People are aging much more rapidly than they have been. Caregiving is on the rise. Caregiving is a very hard challenge that we all are going to have to face as our parents are aging. And also our [number of] home health workers are decreasing. If you want it, that cost is increasing. So there's less of them, and it's only going to get more and more expensive to have somebody come and help. It's going to be unaffordable if you could even find somebody. And on top of that, our nursing homes are struggling. The care is not good, the cost is increasing. I see a lot of future closings, and where are you gonna put mom? So we need something that can really help. And Care Bloom is a great care partner to help with care for their family."

Care Bloom is a $199 per month subscription, and you get the hardware for free. Shannon says, "This is something that we spent quite a bit of time on, because it is a hardware, right? We provide a smart watch. We provide hardware for the rooms, but we really wanted to make it an easy purchasing decision for a family."

Multiple family members can use the app. "If brother and sister want it, and then you want a neighbor to have a little bit less [access], that's an option as well. So the app allows you to add as many people as you want, because obviously we can't all be with mom at one time. So we want to make sure that we're giving you the opportunity to provide all the care you can."

Hear more podcasts about aging in place.

Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.