With the recent recession forcing young adults to move back in with mom and dad, and the aging baby boomer population requiring care and support from their adult children, the Generation Xers are feeling the pressure. Currently, more than 66 million Americans are in the role of caregiver – financially and emotionally – for an aging parent or parents, and their own children and spouses, according to AARP. And the average care giver is a woman in her mid-forties with a full time job of her own. That’s a lot of support falling on one person’s shoulders.

According to a recent Kiplinger article, here are four ways for the Sandwich Generation to help their aging parents:

• Discuss long-term care insurance, but do it while your parents are still healthy enough to qualify
• Investigate adult-day care so you don’t have to quit your job
• Take advantage of tax breaks through your employer’s dependent care flex spending account
• Ask your employer about care-giving benefits

So what about the grown kids who’ve moved back in after getting laid off, or unable to find a job after college graduation? Well, Kiplinger’s also has some advice for helping your kids as well:

• If you can spare the cash, give them a one-time lump sum gift that encourages them to budget wisely.
• If you can’t afford the lump sum outlay, help them pay essential bills like health and auto insurance.
• Set ground rules before they move in with a length of stay and rent expectations.
• Consolidate mobile phone plans, add them to your car insurance, or health coverage to lover premiums, and possibly save both of you money.

The Sandwich Generation can be a stressful, pressure-filled place to be, especially when you’re the one in the middle. But surprisingly, according to a recent Pew Research Center study, adults in the sandwich generation are just as happy with their lives overall as are other adults. Some 31% say they are very happy with their lives, and an additional 52% say they are pretty happy. Happiness rates are nearly the same among adults who are not part of the sandwich generation: 28% are very happy, and 51% are pretty happy. So don’t lose sight of yourself and don’t forget to care for yourself.

Your Next Move can help you locate the perfect senior housing for your aging loved one. Our team of relocation specialists are also with you through every step of the transition process including home sale, estate sales and moving household goods.

This blog post is brought to you by the team at Your Next Move. If you are interested in further information you may contact us below. LIKE us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get the most current communication on the subject of senior relocation. Please join our mailing list.

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition
Julie Kopetsky, President
www.yournextmovenc.com
919-601-8203
Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com

In a recent post, we talked about the benefits your elderly parent or parents can get from selling their over-sized house and moving some place smaller with less money and maintenance to worry about. So where will they go? Finding the perfect place begins with answering the question: Why do they want/need to move in the first place? Is it because they don’t need a large house? They want to travel more? Or their age makes it difficult to get around these days on their own.

Here are 15 questions to assist your parent’s in determining what is most important to them when it comes to daily living so they can search for the perfect place.

1. Do they want to live closer to family, grandkids?
2. Are they happy with the current climate? Are you tired of shoveling snow?
3. Do they prefer the city or rural living?
4. Do they want amenities – pool, fitness room?
5. Do they prefer 24-hour, gated security?
6. Do they need a guest room or extra space for creative projects?
7. Do they enjoy working in the yard?
8. Will they rely on public transportation or still drive?
9. Do they intend to spend a lot of time at home? Do they plan to travel a great deal?
10. Do they enjoy going to the movies, plays, theater?
11. Are they tired of the hassles of home maintenance?
12. Is their retirement fund low? Do they need the income from of their home?
13. Is their property tax too high? Are their monthly utility bills out of control?
14. Is their health making it difficult to climb stairs, do daily chores, live unassisted?
15. Do they require easy access to medical centers, hospital?

Your Next Move can help you locate the perfect senior housing for your aging loved one. Our team of relocation specialists are also with you through every step of the transition process including home sale, downsizing, estate sales and moving household goods.

This blog post is brought to you by the team at Your Next Move. If you are interested in further information you may contact us below. LIKE us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get the most current communication on the subject of senior relocation. Please join our mailing list.

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition
Julie Kopetsky, President
www.yournextmovenc.com
919-601-8203
Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com

Our elderly loved ones often experience some from of anxiety and depression as they age, whether they’re dealing with life changes like retirement, death of a spouse, health problems or even an overwhelming concern about their own future. But caregivers, especially adult children, are often prone to their own anxiety and worries. More than 1 in 10 family caregivers report that caregiving has caused their own health to deteriorate, so it’s important to recognize the signs of anxiety and take care of yourself.

So, what exactly is anxiety? According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety is an emotion that creates feelings of tension, worry, and increased blood pressure. Signs of anxiety can include:

• racing thoughts and worries that arise throughout the day
• anticipating the worst case scenario and making unnecessary adjustments to your life and your loved ones in response.
• sense of panic
• physical symptoms like sweating, rapid heartbeat, dizziness and trembling.
• weight loss, weight gain, hair loss, stomach discomfort

Some of these symptoms can become so severe you may actually think you’re having a heart attack. But don’t let anxiety get out of control. Once you recognize the signs, you can control it head on with these self-help tips:

• Breathing exercises, relaxation techniques
• Practice Yoga or meditation
• Eat healthy
• Reduce alcohol and nicotine intake
• Get enough sleep
• Have fun and relax
• Get help with your responsibilities

Sometimes the symptoms of anxiety may be severe enough that they’re causing extreme distress and disrupting your daily routine, then it’s time to consult a physician who may suggest cognitive behavior therapy or medication.

Your Next Move can help you locate the perfect senior housing for your aging loved one. Our team of relocation specialists are also with you through every step of the transition process including home sale, downsizing, estate sales and moving household goods.

This blog post is brought to you by the team at Your Next Move. If you are interested in further information you may contact us below. LIKE us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get the most current communication on the subject of senior relocation. Please join our mailing list.

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition
Julie Kopetsky, President
www.yournextmovenc.com
919-601-8203
Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com

You know you’ll play some part in your parents care giving as they start the aging process, but maybe you don’t know quite what will be. Whether financial, health-related, living arrangements, or emotional support, it’s a conversation that’s hard to get started. But taking steps now is the best plan of action to prepare for their future care needs head on. Here are 5 ways that you, their adult children, can help them, and yourselves.

1. Start the Dialog. Maybe your parents already have their future care planned out, but you’ll never know until you ask. Talk with them about their preferences for long term living arrangements and healthcare management. If they haven’t made any plans, now is the time to start while they’re healthy and of sound mind. Once you get the conversation started, discuss power of attorney, living wills, advanced directives, finances, and long-term health insurance options, etc.

2. Get it Together. There is a lot you can do to help your parents get organized for the future. Start by pulling all of their paperwork together in a single, easy to get to place. This includes financial account records, investments, life insurance policies, automobile titles, mortgage information, monthly bills, medical history, social security information, birth and marriage certificates, military records, cemetery plot information, legal documents, and the list goes on.

3. Look at Long-term Care Options
In today’s current economic environment it’s difficult to predict how long a retirement income will last. Your parent’s may be wealthy enough to pay for any long term living arrangements and health care services they’ll require, but most don’t think about that as they save for retirement, and come up short. Whether your parent’s future plans include assisting living or aging in place with care giver services, long-term care is expensive. Is it an option for you or siblings to become full time caregivers? Will social services like Medicare and Medicaid provide financial assistance? Is long-term health insurance a solution? All questions that need answers.

4. Keep the Conversation Going
So you’ve had your initial conversation, working together, you and your parents are collecting and compiling the information. But don’t stop there because you assume everything’s under control. Have regular check-ins with your parents. Have they found the answers to the questions? If so, what are the next steps? Do changes in healthcare policies affect the outcomes or decisions you’ve made together. Always stay abreast of what’s new in terms of legal, financial or policy changes.

5. Ask for Help if You Need It
There can be so much to think about and work through when it comes to planning for your parent’s future care, that it’s often a good idea to seek professional help. Consider consulting a Certified Senior Advisor, an attorney specializing in elder law or a financial planner, or all of the above for advice on long term care financial options.

Your Next Move can help you locate the perfect senior housing for your aging loved one. Our team of relocation specialists are also with you through every step of the transition process including home sale, downsizing, estate sales and moving household goods.

This blog post is brought to you by the team at Your Next Move. If you are interested in further information you may contact us below. LIKE us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get the most current communication on the subject of senior relocation. Please join our mailing list.

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition
Julie Kopetsky, President
www.yournextmovenc.com
919-601-8203
Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com

Putting a fair value on your parent’s home isn’t just a number you pull out of the air. You may look at what they paid for it, or what their mortgage payoff is, and add in a real estate commission with a bit of spare change for profit, but there are several factors involved in pricing a home for market – current home prices, square footage, listing durations and interest rates to name a few. These 5 tips can prepare you for going to market.

1. Sentiment Doesn’t Add Value. You can’t ask more than the market is willing to pay. Period. Yes, maybe you yourself grew up in the house, your parents saved every penny for ten years to be able to put a down payment on it, they added a garage with fresh paint five years ago… Buyers aren’t motivated by emotional or sentimental attachment, so you can’t factor that into the price, and you can’t allow your personal view point to of what is a value to stand in the way of setting the price.

2. Get 2 Price Opinions. It’s in your best interest to get two price opinions from two different Realtors. When you work with Your Next Move, that’s exactly what we do. You get two price opinions and we review them with you to help you select the realtor that will best meet your needs.

3. Be Your Own Research Sleuth. Even though you’re working with a great Realtor, it may be beneficial for you to do your own market research as well so you can assess the price variations within your area, see what upgrades or improvements neighbors have made. What’s appeal to a buyer versus your house? Even though your Realtor is best suited to help you price your parent’s home to sell, it helps to gain a better understanding of all the factors that go into pricing a home.

4. Incentivize. Sometimes extra incentives help your home sell faster, like seller-financing, warranties or other allowances. Some buyers have needs other than the bottom dollar, so if you’re in a position to be flexible and resourceful, it can often help put more money in your pocket.

Your Next Move can help you locate the perfect senior housing for your aging loved one. Our team of relocation specialists are also with you through every step of the transition process including home sale, downsizing, estate sales and moving household goods.

This blog post is brought to you by the team at Your Next Move. If you are interested in further information you may contact us below. LIKE us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get the most current communication on the subject of senior relocation. Please join our mailing list.

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition
Julie Kopetsky, President
www.yournextmovenc.com
919-601-8203
Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com