The graying of the American homeowner is upon us. The question is: Will communities be ready for the challenges that come with that? The number of households headed by someone age 70 or older will surge by 42 percent from 2015 to 2025, according to a report on the state of housing released last month by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University (JCHS). The Harvard researchers note that a majority of those households will be aging in place, not downsizing or moving to retirement communities. That will have implications for an array of support services people will…
As baby boomers age, families have more options for providing and paying for their care. Much has changed in the past two decades when it comes to long-term care options and how to fund them. Baby boomers and subsequent generations will need to plan for long-term care in a different way than their parents in light of factors such as longer life spans, the uncertain future of entitlement benefits, and rapidly rising medical costs. Choices when it comes to planning for long-term care include earmarking savings for long-term medical expenses, relying on entitlement benefits, or depending on their families. Long-term…
When you die, your debts do not expire with you. Most debt still needs to be paid off, if possible, although who is responsible for paying the debt depends on the type of debt, and some assets are protected from being used to satisfy a debt. Outstanding debt may include mortgages, credit card bills, car loans, personal loans, or condominium fees — even car leases, where death is considered “early termination” of a contract. Usually your estate is responsible for paying any debts you leave behind. If the estate does not have enough money, the debts will go unpaid. In…
One of the greatest fears of older Americans is that they may end up in a nursing home. This not only means a great loss of personal autonomy, but also a tremendous financial price. The average nursing homes cost, in our area, is approximately, $10,000 per month, that’s $120,000 a year, and the average stay in a nursing home is 4 years, that’s $480,000. For many people this will wipe them out financially. Most people end up paying for nursing home care out of their savings until they run out. Then they can qualify for Medicaid to pick up the…
A health care agent is a person you appoint to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are incapacitated or unable to make any decisions. A Living Will (Advanced Directive) expresses your wishes about your health care including, but not limited to, resuscitation, life sustaining treatments (respirator, feeding tube, etc.) and withholding / withdrawing of life sustaining treatments. The Living Will is only effective when you are terminally ill or unconscious and unable to communicate your wishes. When it comes to making decisions regarding end of life issues, do you know your wishes or have you communicated those…
The Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services recently released a report showing self-neglect is the most common form of abuse in the elderly or disabled. Assistant Director of Henrico County’s Social Services, Shawn Rozier, says self-neglect is where “adults are losing the capability of meeting their day-to-day needs.” From July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013, Adult Protective Services in Richmond, Henrico, and Chesterfield received over 2,000 reports of abuse, neglect or exploitation of the elderly. In Henrico alone, two-thirds of their cases could be attributed to self-neglect. Unfortunately self-neglect is an issue that is kept hidden from the…
We can all look forward to growing old with buckets of bolts that will watch over us, assist us, and maybe even entertain us. That's the message at the International Robot Exhibition (iRex), a trade show here highlighting elderly care along with the latest developments in factory automation. Marking its 20th year, iRex drew 334 companies and groups, its largest showing ever, with 100,000 visitors expected. While there were no knockout exhibits, the biennial state-backed exhibit was notably more peppy than previous editions overshadowed by the global financial crisis. iRex has grown in its offerings, from a strong focus on…
Scams against the elderly are on the rise. And there are so many different scams, police have a hard time keeping up. Since 2008, elder abuse cases in Honolulu have risen almost 300 percent. Honolulu Police and prosecutors teamed up that year to form an Elder Abuse Justice Squad. The size of the squad has since doubled in 2010, then expanded again last year. The unit does not just handle scams against seniors, but also physical abuse and neglect. "The elders do not complain," says Honolulu prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro. "When they are physically abused, they do not complain. And when…
Maine needs to find ways to capitalize on its high percentage of older adults and the growing number who are staying in the workforce longer, an economist who specializes in workforce development said. John Dorrer of the Boston-based organization Jobs for the Future said that with an increase in those ages 55 and older in the labor market, the state will need to ensure these workers have the skills and education to remain active participants in Maine's economy. "We need to stop thinking that life stops at 62 or stops at 65," he told a special panel of Maine lawmakers,…
Here's the plan: Find someone, get married, grow old together. But what if you've done that, and suddenly you find yourself back at square one? For those 50 and older, AARP is helping to find that special someone. "I never expected to be single and 50," says Dina Mande of Santa Monica, Calif., a frequent user of the site. Enter the AARP Dating site, powered by the online dating engine How About We. It's a site where you say, "How about we go to the beach?" and someone who thinks that's a great idea comes with you on a date….
Frederick, MD 
301-663-9230
