It's time for a move to an assisted living community, now what should you do with the family home?  Keep or sell, where do you even start? There are a few factors that will determine the answer and we discuss those on this episode.
Good Reasons to Keep the House After a Move to Senior Care
If someone in the family has an emotional attachment to the home than you'll need to think through the details that will determine if keeping the home makes sense. Here are some things to think about;
 It makes sense to keep it as an investment.  
The location of the home is a major factor in it's investment potential. In some markets selling could mean losing more money than you may gain by hanging on to it.  If the market the home is in is increasing in value then keeping it might be a good investment. It's important to consult a realtor and a CPA/Financial planner who can help you make sense of the financial factors.  Turning the family home into a rental property can help fund our loved ones care. It can also offset the cost of care provided by a family member. A investment property can enable you to make money while you wait to sell.
A family member wants to live there. 
If a child or grandchild wants to inherit the home then there may be no need to sell it.  It can stay in the family and continue to be used. Your parents can know the house they loved is still in loving hands (and maybe visit sometimes) and the family will know that there's someone to take care of the maintenance and associated costs of keeping the home.
You have a good use for it. 
Keeping the family home for another family member or turning it into an investment property are both good options for your parents home but there could be a third option. If the home is in a central meeting location it may make sense to keep it as a family for family get-togethers. Later you can decide to allow a grandchild or great-grandchild to inherit the home or you can turn it in to an investment property when the time is right.
Important Factors If You Keep The Home
Whatever you decide to do, it's probably wise to consult a financial planner and a realtor. Regardless of what you decide to do it's likely you'll need an appraisal to get the current home value. After you learn that, there are other factors to consider.
Covering monthly costs.  
Even if the mortgage is paid off there are still maintenance issues, on goin upkeep and taxes and insurance that must be paid.  You'll have to decide as a family how those costs will be covered.  Will all the costs be covered by the rental income if you decide to make it an investment property? If you keep it as a family meeting spot, who will be in charge of maintaining the home and how those costs will be covered.
Finding a tenant.  
Since there is an emotional attachment to the home it's in everyones best interest to hire a property manger. A good one will be able to find a tenant and coordinate on-going and emergency maintenance with little fuss on your part.  If a family member does the managing there will likely be time involved that should be compensated in some form.
Keeping up with on-going maintenance.
If you don't hire a property manager you will have to have a family discussion about who will coordinate maintenance issues, manage gardening contractors, etc.  This is not always just a few hours a month. Some maintenance issues may require working with a contractor or handyman.  A good property manager will have a ready supply of people to call to handle all the issues that come up with homes.
To Keep or Sell After a Move to Senior Care
For some families, it will make better financial sense to sell the home regardless of emotional attachments.  Here are just a few reasons that selling may make more sense.
Keeping it is too much work & cost.  
A paid off mortgage is great but there are still regular maintenance, “emergency” maintenance issues, taxes and insurance that must be kept up with.

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The Family Home – What to do now? Part 2
Part 1 of this series is here.

Seniors want to age in place, a completely understandable desire which makes it vitally important to do what we can to make their home safe & enjoyable.  There are many things to consider so starting sooner rather than later is important.  Starting now is better than putting it off until there’s an issue.

It’s important to have the home evaluated for safety and accessibility.  There are so many things to consider that getting an outside opinion is honestly a good idea.
To make their home more comfortable and safer, consider the following:

Widening doorways; this is especially important for wheelchair and walker users. 
Adding more lighting;  as we age, dim lighting makes it very hard to perform everyday tasks & lack of contrast can make memory related confusion worse. 
Changing flooring to prevent tripping hazards, throw rugs are especially dangerous.
Changing all door knobs to easy-to-use handles. A D ring shape is recommended
Adding handrails near the  bed and getting chairs that have an armrest making getting up & down much easier.
Raising the height of appliances, and installing pull-out shelves.  Pull down shelves are also a plus in upper cabinets to prevent straining to reach things or the necessity of a step ladder that can pose problems for seniors with balance issues.
Installing grab-bars in the shower and around the toilet. You may want to look into an elevated toilet seat. A shower seat is also recommended.

What A List!
This is likely only a partial list of the items to take into consideration. A list like this is why I strongly recommend getting started as soon as possible.  Tackling all these issues at once would be exhausting and costly.  Consult a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS), a contractor who has undergone special training to help homeowners make age-related home modifications. I’m sure they can help create a list of items in order of priority and a good specialist should be able guide you in what you can tackle and what is best for a professional to handle.  Safety is the primary concern. 
Some Things To Think About
Before looking for a specialized contractor consider the following:

Do I want to add a bathroom and possibly a bedroom to the main level? Main floor master bedrooms are a huge plus and even help with resale value.
How can I make my kitchen more functional?  Keep in mind that kitchens can be costly so do only what is absolutely necessary. Staying out of the frills is important unless you have unlimited funds and time.
Am I worried about preventing falls?  The answer to this question is always yes.
How much money should I budget for this project? Whatever they tell you, double it because we’ve all heard contractor horror stories or seen them on HGTV.
Will I need to get a home equity loan?
How will other members of my family benefit from modifications?  
Can remodeling increase the energy efficiency of my home? Making energy efficient modifications is a good idea if your initial list of changes isn’t too long or costly.
Where do I find a professional I can consult with about my needs? 

 
Safety Is Just As Important Now As When We Were Young
Like baby proofing a home before the baby is mobile it's important to tackle potential safety issues before something happens.  I didn’t do this until my daughter started crawling and it was literally a race to keep her out of harms way. I ended up baby-proofing on the run.  You don’t want to wait till there’s an issue to tackle getting Moms' home fixed up. Doing things in advance will give everyone peace of mind.  It also spreads out the work and the cost.

The biggest challenges our home creates for aging in place are multi levels, bathrooms and kitchens.  It’s difficult to “fix” a multi level home but there are some things that can help reduce potential tripping hazards. Again,

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This week I have a conversation with a professional cleaner and home organizer on how to start the process of getting the family home decluttered so our loved one can age in place safely. Facing a lifetime of memories in one household is overwhelming so Patty's tips should come in handy.

Patty suggests that you approach the conversation with grace and understanding. It's also important to forget about the past and focus on right now and moving forward. This process is for the health and safety of aging loved ones which is helpful to keep in mind when emotions start to run high. In our conversation I suggest that you tackle the decluttering process one drawer or cupboard at a time.
START NOW FOR FUTURE PEACE OF MIND
Starting sooner rather than later will allow you to go slowly which should keep the emotions from getting out of control. Patty has suggestions for how to make a suggestion sound like a completely natural thought. One thing we didn't cover is where to start. That's obviously a personal choice, I would start in the room they spend the most time in or a room that presents challenges to their mobility or daily functioning.

A decluttered family home is calming & peaceful, exactly what you want for aging in place.

As you declutter, consider donating as much as possible to women's shelters, charity thrift stores, you can even get creative with some things. I donated a huge bag of old, faded towels to a friend who does cat rescue and she shared many of them with the dog rescue people. She was as thrilled to receive these items as I was to get rid of them.

You can use old CDs as a way to help scare off the birds who eat your garden plants or you can Google what to do with old CDs. You'll find a lot of ways to reuse them in fun and creative ways. Maybe give them to a school with directions for a project, a teacher would love that.

However you go about decluttering the family home remind yourself that the end result is for safety and peace of mind for the entire family. If you have a home that needs decluttering know this; it's a gift to your children and grandchildren not to leave the entire project to them after your gone. Call a professional organizer to help you stay on task. It's hard because we attach so many emotions and memories to items, a neutral person will help you navigate them all.
Useful Links & Information on Decluttering The Family Home
Home Safety Tips for Loved Ones With Alzheimer's

ReniRenaissance Cleaning and Staging Services

Decluttering Checklist

More on this topic!

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up (Book)

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Dogs provide us with unconditional love and emotional support that we can't always get in a human.  My neighbor Bella is a therapy dog and she's one of the best dogs I've ever met.  On today's episode, Terry, Bella's human, and I talk about the benefits a therapy dog can bring to hospitalized people, seniors in memory communities and even at-risk children.  It's a heartwarming conversation we had on a rainy day while drinking tea and talking about all things dog.
What Is A Therapy Dog?
A therapy dog is a dog that might be trained to provide affection, comfort and love to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, hospices, disaster areas. They are defined but not covered or protected under the Federal Housing Act or Americans with Disabilities act. They also do not have public access rights with exception to the specific places they are visiting and working.

Therapy dogs are usually not assistance or service dogs, but can be one or both with some organizations. Many organizations provide evaluation and registration for therapy dogs, sometimes with focus on a particular therapeutic practice such as reading to dogs.

A recent study on elderly nursing home patients now offers scientific support that brief weekly visits from man's best friend can have a positive therapeutic impact. Terry has experienced this and tells us about it in this episode. It's one reason I gave it the title of Unconditional Love.

If you want to hear more about seniors and dogs, check out the episode I call Misty Tales. It's all about my Mom and her dog. I promise, it's a good one with quite a few laughs. You won't regret listening to Misty Tales.

 

Therapy Dogs Seem To Boost Health of Sick & Lonely – National Geographic article

15 Best Breeds for Therapy Dogs

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In today’s episode I have a conversation with Pam about her journey with her Mom Marge.  Marge is my Mom's “next-door neighbor” and started her journey in a different way than my Mom. Pam talks about her Mom, their struggles, what it’s like now.  Marge does not have Alzheimer's, she has frontal temporal dementia that was caused by a stroke. Her memory had been declining for a while before the stroke and Pam juggled a lot to keep her Mom safe. Listen in on our conversation and hear Pam's advice to anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation.

Some advice from Pam:

Once you know if your loved one needs help, pull the bandaid off, and find an Assisted Living community that feels like home and has them make the move. The peace of mind and reduced stress is priceless.

Once your loved one is in a care community, take them out as often as practical because there will come a day that you won’t be able to take them out.

Get into a support group and learn everything you can about dealing with this disease, it’ll save your sanity if you do.

Network with the other residents' families, it’ll be a lifesaver when you do.

Everything you’re doing, you’re doing out of love. Telling little “fiblets” is a lifesaver, also known as “not inviting Mom to our reality”.

Utilize the resources of the Alzheimer’s Association, they have a great website and great services to help you along the journey.

Connect with them any way you can.

I hope you enjoy hearing another family’s story. I find it extremely helpful to know that I am not alone on this journey.

Related Episode

Living With Alzheimer's

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The original and ultimate meal delivery service, Meals on Wheels.  Their mission; support homebound elders to maintain their health and dignity. They serve seniors with chronic health conditions that prevent their preparing nutritious meals for themselves.  Lack of transportation is also an obstacle to providing for themselves.  By receiving meals seniors are helped to live independently in the comfort of their homes.   Meal delivery and good conversation go a long way toward supporting our vulnerable senior population.

People who are 65 and older now make up 8.5 percent of people (617 million) worldwide.  Ten million current seniors face the threat of hunger, and millions more live alone in isolation. Doubling that population of seniors by 2050 will put a great strain on all social services. Knowing that consider becoming part of a new generation of Meals on Wheels providers.  Being a provider doesn’t take as long as you may think, I know, I went along for a delivery and was home by lunch!
On this episode
I talk to the Program Manager for Meals on Wheels. She explains how the service works and dispels any confusion.  There is a lot to the program, so listen in.  I learned a few things I never knew about Meals on Wheels and I’m pleased to bring you this episode. My goal with this episode is for you to learn all you need to know about this fantastic meal delivery service. Meal delivery is an integral part of a healthy aging-in-place plan.

In my household, we use a meal delivery service and we love it.  We started the service to help us try new foods and it's been a great weekly treat.  Maybe someday we'll be using Meal on Wheels, the original meal delivery service!

 

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This Is Your Brain On Nutrition

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According to the executive director of my Moms community, 70% of us will need some sort of living assistance at some point in our life. What should you consider when choosing to age-in-place versus an assisted living community?  This conversation should help answer many of the questions you face when deciding where to spend the rest of your senior years.

One of the best things about an assisted living community is the diverse population in terms of life experiences. You can find yourself living among people who have backgrounds varied from your own.  Some residents may have lived through World War II or other major milestones in history.  Another plus is the peace of mind. Described as “hitting the reset button” there are a lot of benefits associated with an assisted living community.
Social Things to Consider for Aging In Place: 

Would you rather be alone frequently, or do you want easily available access to companions and social activities? While aging in place can be a solitary experience, a retirement community minimizes solitude. Choose which you’ll be most comfortable with over the long term.

If you decide to age in place, will you have access to senior organizations, volunteerism or other activities outside your home? Isolation is a serious health risk for seniors.

When you’re no longer comfortable or confident behind the wheel, what will you do about transportation? Lack of easy access to transportation can result in escalating problems, including isolation, missed medical appointments and lagging nutrition. How will you get around after you hang up the keys?

 
Safety Things To Consider For Aging In Place:

Do you have family and friends who can reach your home quickly, any time of day or night, if you have an urgent need that occurs between caregiver visits? Having a ready back–up plan is a necessity, because you never know when you’ll need to fill gaps between caregiver visits.

Is your home aging-friendly? If not, can you afford to make aging-friendly modifications? Think about bathroom renovations, zero-step entries, improved lighting and widened doorways. Needed modifications like these can be costly.

Will your budget support around-the-clock home care if it becomes necessary? Most older adults believe they’ll never need long-term care, research proves about 70% will need care at some point in their lives. Wwith the average hourly cost for caregivers at about $19 to $20 per hour, serious consideration of the prospect now is sensible.

Are your adult children and other loved ones living nearby where they can help with hiring, screening and scheduling caregivers for you in your home?

Are you concerned about managing your medications? Professional medication management is commonly offered to residents of assisted living and memory care communities.

Questions to Consider About a Retirement Community:

Do you prefer to know help is nearby if you need it? Senior living communities combine independence with security.

Would you rather not worry about home maintenance and repairs? 

Are you still growing? A senior living community will make it easy to stretch body and mind daily, with convenient access to a host of activities.

Could you see yourself leaving at least some of the cooking and cleanup to someone else? Well-balanced meals served restaurant-style in the dining room are a perk most communities offer.

Will you need transportation for errands or appointments? Most senior living communities offer transportation services.

Do you feel safe in your neighborhood? Do family and friends worry about your safety? Senior living communities offer round-the-clock security staffed by people who’ll know you by name and watch out for you. 

Do you ever worry about becoming a burden to your family? 

The move to a senior living community takes care of that. Residents often say their move is a gift to their adult children,

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A senior social program is for seniors who need mild to moderate care and socialization during the day. Participants interact with peers and children through a variety of activities.  Regular activities include group discussions, exercise and mental stimulation.  A caring staff is committed to nurturing each adult spiritually, cognitively, socially emotionally and physically.  At the same time they recognize the uniqueness of each person. Senior social day programs fall between independent senior centers and assisted living care. It is designed to support families who wish to keep their loved ones at home.
Is A Senior Social Program For You?
If you are caring for a loved one, or worse, you are part of the sandwich generation, caring for kids and elders you need to find out if your community has a social day program. If there is one reasonably nearby that combines seniors with children, you should check them out immediately. The benefits to you from programs like this are priceless.

In my hometown we are blessed to have a senior social program that interacts the seniors with preschoolers and school aged children. I learned what an amazingly positive impact this program has on both the children and seniors. The positive impact also extends out to you.  This is why the phrase “it takes a village” kept going through my mind during this interview.

Listen in to learn more about the positive impact a senior social program can have while also learning about the ever increasing option of a program that integrates the two generations. I guarantee that you'll be searching for a program like this near you before the end of this episode.

Check out our episode on Therapy Dogs – it could change your life too!

Photograph courtesy of: ABC News 7. Follow this link to read their related story

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Misty tales is an episode mostly about my Mom and her dog Misty. There are a lot of pros and cons to having a dog in a memory community. First, have a listen to this episode, there are quite a few funny stories. If you are still considering a dog after what you hear, the following text will help guide you through your decision.
Pros & Cons of Getting a Dog
Before you get a new pet consider the following things carefully.  Will you or someone else be able to take care of the pet, feed it properly, make sure it gets any needed medications, take it for walks and make sure it’s trained to have acceptable manners?  If you’ve had pets before these answers will likely come easily but do give some thoughts about the future. 

Are you physically stable or do you need walking aids?  Pets can get underfoot especially when they want attention.  Cats are notorious for rubbing themselves all over your feet while you walk, a challenge for even the most stable person on the planet.  If you’re starting to have balance issues a small dog may easily become a tripping hazard.  Large dogs are easier to maneuver around but they can also crash into the back of your knees or jump up in your face.  
Benefits
Dogs are great excuses to get out and walk.  There are lots of health benefits of walking so it's nice to have a built-in reminder that it's time to get your move on! You should consider what you will do in cold and wet weather. You can't stay in all winter even if both of you may think that's what you want.  Consider both your energy levels.  Puppies can be extremely energetic so consider adopting an older dog so your energy levels match more closely.

Dogs can also get expensive as they age.  My oldest Golden, Jinx is 10.5 and has arthritis in is hip. He’s getting to the point where we’re probably going to have to get a prescription for pain meds.  If you're living on a fixed income talk to a vet about what costs can be expected and budget for the unexpected while you're at it.

Older pets are vulnerable to arthritis. Their sight and hearing often fade. For owners who may themselves be frail, it's hard to cope with a heavy Labrador who's suffering from hip dysplasia. Aging pets can develop cancer or heart, kidney, or liver disease. The reality is most pet owners will eventually see their animals through sickness and disability. That can take a heavy emotional toll.

 

Mom & her dog Misty enjoying the courtyard of their memory community.
Related Articles
Seniors & Pets – Benefits & Challenges.

Best Dogs for Seniors!
Related Podcast Episode
Dementia Dogs for Caregiving

 
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This Is Your Brain On Nutrition – Brain Health Discussed
On today’s episode I talk with Matthew Peal the founder of the Movement Academy about brain nutrition. The Movement Academy help youth & seniors improve physical and cognitive performance.  Matt works with senior based organizational and executive directors to develop active aging programs that symmetrically prevents injuries and boosts cognitive function. Learn more about brain health and nutrition in this episode.

Last weeks episode was on the benefits of exercise so Matt and I focused on nutrition.  Just like with every other chronic disease there are things we should eat to minimize our risk or to slow the progression of symptoms as well as foods we should avoid.

One of the most important nutritional guidelines we can use is the MIND diet.  The MIND diet, as the name implies, is designed to promote a healthy mind and lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease. It is a mash-up of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet — two diets that have been found to have several health benefits.

Diet information

MIND stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. It was developed by a nutritional epidemiologist, Martha Clare Morris, at Rush University Medical Center through a study that was funded by the National Institute on Aging. Her goal was to lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease by promoting a diet consisting of brain-healthy foods.

The Mediterranean diet focuses on eating foods that are as natural as possible, while limiting unhealthy fats and red meat. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, as its name suggests, is aimed at helping to ease hypertension. It focuses on helping people to eat foods that can lower their sodium intake and blood pressure.
The MIND diet recommends eating 10 foods daily and avoiding five types of foods. The healthy-food group contains:

Vegetables
Green leafy vegetables in particular
Berries, especially blueberries
Nuts
Beans
Wine
Whole grains
Fish
Poultry
  Olive

The five unhealthy foods are:

Fried or fast food
Red meats
Cheeses
Butter and stick margarine
Pastries and sweets

The rules of the diet are:

Get at least three servings of whole grains per day
Eat a salad each day
Eat one other vegetable every day
Drink a glass of wine each day
Snack almost every day on nuts
Eat beans every other day
Consume poultry and berries at least twice a week
Consume fish at least once a week
Unhealthy foods are allowed, but less than one serving per week, with the exception of butter
Less than 1 tablespoon a day of butter is allowed per day

Benefits
The researchers' main goal in creating the MIND diet was to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). According the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, it is estimated that about a half-million Americans younger than age 65 have some form of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.

The study also found that the longer a person followed the MIND diet, the better protected the individual was from developing Alzheimer's. The results of the study were published in March 2015, in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.
Special Bonus for Listeners:
As you heard in this episode I changed my eating and lost 100 pounds. I kept off 90 of those pounds for 3.5 year, then I hit 50, had to deal with my dying Father, with my Mother, you know, life.  I’m still down 80 pounds and working on losing another 10-15 but we all know how that goes.  During the episode I mentioned that I learned to bake differently so here’s a secret very few people know about.

You can swap butter for silken tofu!  Yes, you read that right, there is a good use for tofu.  I make chocolate chip cookies with half butter and half tofu and my husband loves them.  I’ve made them in the past with all tofu and those are good too, but the half butter ones are better.

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