Raleigh Archives - Senior Housing Options | Raleigh NC

A Parent’s Future is Now!

February 27, 2013 By Your Next Move NC

If your parents are elderly, living in the Triangle or in your old hometown, but still in good to reasonably sound health, this is the critical time in their lives to start a future care plan with them. Schedule a family meeting so everyone is on the same page and is involved and supportive. You know you parents. You know their physical and mental condition. If they need help and guidance for their normal daily activities, the most important consideration is naming someone, possibly you or one of the siblings, the durable power of attorney and then putting together a solid plan for their health care directives.

Name someone responsible the Durable Power Of Attorney

This is the individual who will assist in financial matters and pay your elderly parents’ bills, collect and deposit their income and takes care of any other aspects of revenue. You’ll need to find all of your parents’ legal and financial documents and you must feel comfortable with you or someone assisting with their assets, income and expenses.

Here’s a list of documents to gather in one secure place:

Wills
Bank and brokerage accounts
Deeds, loans and ownership statements
Pension and retirement benefits
Social security information
Insurance policies

Advanced health care directives

These directives help ensure that your parents’ health care requests are communicated to health care providers so you act as the guardian on their behalf. Advanced health care directives also include a living will that gives preferences for life-prolonging treatments such as the use of a respirator, CPR, dialysis, surgery and antibiotic drugs.

After all of the papers have been signed and notarized, be sure to make plenty of copies and keep the originals in a safe.

At Your Next Move we are a leading expert in the Triangle NC for compassionate and sound guidance when you are planning for your parents’ future care plan. Handing the details for them is a lot of work, but you will be saving so much time and stress if the financial, legal and health care matters are well-planned before a parental move into an assisted living facility or if there is a need for home service care.

Remember, we will help you every step of the way. We are local and we care.

Contact Your Next Move Today to Help You With Your Next Move. We are there at your side.

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 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com

Photo: Ambro, freedigitalphotos.net

3 Invaluable Tips for Triangle NC Caregivers

February 6, 2013 By Your Next Move NC

If you’re caring for your elderly parents here and around the Triangle, you may be an unintended target for depression or a host of other stress-related problems if you don’t take adequate care of yourself. Many caregivers fall ill to viruses and other infections and also have elevated blood levels that may lead to chronic health issues such as heart disease, sleep apnea and hypertension. It is a sobering fact that 80 percent of the long-term care in the United States is done by close friends and family. If you are a caregiver and family included in this category, you’ve probably given up enjoyable vacations, job transfer opportunities, hobbies, friends and even your own savings for your elderly parents and family members.

There are times when help and support are really needed. Your Next Move can provide assistance and support anywhere in the Triangle. You have to take care of yourself. It is essential. You’ll be in a much better position to take care of your elderly family when you are energized and focused. But many caregivers don’t want to ask for help because they feel that it’s their singular duty to care for the individual. Many believe no one else can do as good a job as they can. But not asking for help will often lead to your health and mental burn-out.

3 invaluable tips for every caregiver:

Hire an in-home aide for three hours a day, once a week: Caregivers need to make sure they are taking care of their backs (from the heavy lifting and carrying), and having an aide will help alleviate some of this extra physical stress.

Take proactive steps to stop neglecting yourself: Use the buddy system for exercise, eating better and social activities. The buddy system also works for chores around the house. Be specific with the friend and outline exactly where you need the help. Do you need to be driven to the gym? Do you need help clipping coupons, wrapping presents, or mowing the lawn?

Stop feeling overwhelmed: Always consider breaking the big “to do’s” into smaller parts. Schedule appointments ahead of time and tell yourself you will call the doctor for a mammogram or colonoscopy at a certain date and time. Writing it down is often great therapy. Plan on arranging care your elderly family while you run errands or pick up prescriptions. Put things into a day calendar.

Remember that asking for help is a show of strength, not weakness. Help can come in the form of neighbors, friends, loved ones, fraternal and alumni associations, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, the local Center on Aging, community transportation services, and many more.

We can help.

Contact Your Next Move today to help you with these life changing transitions. We are there at your side.

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition

Julie Kopetsky, President

www.yournextmovenc.com
919-601-8203 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com

Photo: bigstock, freedigitalphotos.net

4 Good Reasons for Your Next Move!

January 23, 2013 By Your Next Move NC

We know how hard it must be to move you or your loved one out of the home they have been living in for 30, 40 or maybe even 50 years. Perhaps your parents are relatively healthy and don’t have too many issues with mobility yet, so they do not want to leave their home for an independent living facility. Over the years, they have been hardworking homeowners who have enjoyed a cozy living room, garden, and kitchen; but how much is that home costing them? After crunching the numbers, you may be surprised to learn “Home Sweet Home” is gobbling up all of their retirement savings. Their next move will be a good one to consider. Here are four good reasons:

Watch out for pesky monthly maintenance and homeowner fees. These include lawn and exterminator services. They can really add up.

Major repairs often affect older homes and involve a multitude of expenses such as roof repairs, exterior painting, wood rot repair, and window replacement. These repairs add up fast and can often involve thousands of dollars!

Be aware of your own involvement and high stress levels from repair bills. It takes you away from work and takes a good deal of your time. There are numerous calls with multiple contractors, as well as being constantly involved to supervise the contractor work and answer questions.

Stress will affect your rest and the body’s immunity to repair and restore cells. You may never get over that lingering cough or flu during the winter months because of stress and lack of sleep.

Your Next Move understands completely what you’re going through and we’re here to help. We know you value your privacy and your parent’s independence. We support that and we promise we can help locate a facility that meets your needs. At an independent living facility residents come and go as they please while enjoying weekly housecleaning, laundry services, activities, trips, and dining plans. There are no more lawns to mow and no more flights of stairs to climb!

We’ll also take charge of selling the home so they can transition easily into the independent living facility. Our expert real estate relocation team will coordinate the sale of the home, locally or anywhere in the country. We also provide a Broker Market Analysis and review these results to determine the best possible price to list the home.

Let us help you eliminate unnecessary housing costs so Mom and Dad and other loved ones can really enjoy their retirement years. Contact Your Next Move today! We truly want to help.

Contact Us Today to Help You with Your Next Move!

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 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com

Photo: Your Next Move NC

The Holidays and the Elderly

December 18, 2012 By Your Next Move NC

Look for Any Changes

On your holiday visits this year, pay close attention to your parents and elderly family.

Is Dad watching too much TV?
Is Mom not baking her traditional sweet potato pie?
Have they recently lost weight due to uncooked or forgotten meals?

If the normally neat and tidy home is becoming a messy and disorganized, there might be a problem. If you notice memory problems or physical unsteadiness, these are also areas of concern. Finding out that your parents need some extra help for their own safety can indeed be a very tough conversation to have with them.

But you need to have the courage to do it. Coming up with a game plan will make any new transitions easier makes every one more focused.

4 Senior Care Preparation Tips

Assess your parents’ needs first. Find out through information from their doctors’ visits how challenging any mental and physical limitations might be. Living in their current home may not be an option in 2013. At Your Next Move we can help you navigate the process of finding maintenance-free senior care housing.
Do a check at www.BenefitsCheckUp.org to discover what benefits, discounts and programs your parents might be eligible for based on their age and background. You might be surprised to find out your mom can access a discount drug program or a senior nutrition program.
Check to see if your parents’ long-term care is covered under Medicare and if not, are they covered under Medicaid? Your parents may not be eligible if they have made a cash gift or issued an asset transfer within five years of applying for Medicaid. It is important to check and find out.
At Your Next Move we can also check to see if your parents’ new assisted-living facility or residential car home works with hospice—not all places do so.

We know you have been charged with the responsibility to make some critical changes for your parents. It seems like it is always on your shoulders. We also know that you ove your parents and want the best care for them in their golden years. If you see visible changes in their habits, take action quickly so the start of your New Year will begin with less stress, better health and peace of mind for you both.

Contact us today to help you With Your Next Move. We provide stability, opportunity, and accountability and we are always there to serve.

This blog post about Senior Transitions 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

Care, Advice, and Support Options for Aging Family

November 20, 2012 By Your Next Move NC

You are home for Thanksgiving. And it is great being around family. But you notice that your parents are even more challenged than in past years. The moment might finally be here: your loved one’s issues might be Alzheimer’s or Dementia and they could need specialized care. Don’t wait to find advice and support as you consider this type of decision. It can take a little time to understand that change has come. It is time to explore all of your care options. Your Next Move here in the Triangle NC can help you with all aspects of this new chapter in care for your aging family. Here is some critical information you will find important:

The signs of a good Alzheimer’s care facility:

Flexible staff that can deal with challenging situations and behaviors
A structured daily routine that takes measures against the residents wandering
Your loved one’s individual needs are valued
Comfortable, familiar, and safe surroundings
A compassionate staff
Activities that help an Alzheimer’s patient succeed at familiar tasks such as clipping coupons or making lemonade
Outdoor activities, such as raking leaves or watering plants

Three types of Alzheimer’s care facilities:

In the U.S. over 5.3 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s while affecting the lives of another 10.9 million caregivers. Consequently, there are many facilities geared towards the care of Alzheimer’s patients.

Assisted living: Also called board and care, adult living or supported care, these facilities bridge the gap between living independently and living in a nursing home.

Nursing homes: Also called skilled nursing facilities or long-term care facilities, nursing homes provide long-term care to individuals who require ongoing nursing care and supervision.

Alzheimer’s special care units (also called memoir units): These are designed to meet the specific needs of individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease and other aspects of Dementia.

It is never easy to hand over the care of a loved one to someone else, but we are a company dedicated to assisting with senior transition. Hopefully the above information we have presented will make you feel more comfortable with the important consideration of assistance and process; we want you to make informed decisions.

Contact us today to help you with Your Next Move.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition

Julie Kopetsky, President

www.yournextmovenc.com
919-601-8203 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com

Photo: Your Next Move NC

Is Moving a Parent on Your Agenda?

November 6, 2012 By Your Next Move NC

Moving is one of most stressful events that anyone faces in life. And Baby Boomers can relate. This is especially true if you are thinking of moving your aging parents from the home they have known for decades. There is stress just in the consideration; but it doesn’t have to be this way.

Imagine someone else taking on the cleaning and decluttering work for you, so that your parents can soon relax and enjoy their new home with peace of mind.

Imagine someone who is nurturing, caring, and understanding of your parents’ doubts and fears about leaving the home they have so many memories of after 30, 40 or even 50 years.

Imagine someone who can advocate for you and your aging parents and can assure you of finding the right realtor to sell the home, the right mover, the right new housing, with whatever their specific needs may be.

Your Next Move in the Triangle NC area is the sole solution for moving your aging parents.

This first blog post is the beginning of both help and support for this type of situation in the Triangle region and across Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and the rest of North Carolina. In future posts we will showcase the different aspects and challenges of moving aging parents. We’ll feature posts on moving parents with Alzheimer’s or dementia, to posts on what to do with all of the stuff that has accumulated in your parents’ attics and basements, to convincing your reluctant parents that a new, smaller home is a safer choice than continuing to live in an older home with too many stairs.

We absolutely love solving problems for people, while at the same time making a difference in their lives. We have been doing so by helping people relocate to the Triangle area for more than 16 years.

Julie Kopetsky, President of Your Next Move has had a career filled with professional distinctions, as a Certified Relocation Professional and a Global Mobility Specialist. She is also a licensed Realtor having recently served as the Senior Vice President of Corporate Services at Coldwell Banker Howard Perry and Walston, where she worked with clients who were relocating to the area in a new career opportunity. Before that she was the Director of Business Development for Prudential York Simpson Underwood Realty.

In 2011, Julie formed Your Next Move, the organization that specializes in helping Baby Boomers select the right housing and life choices for their aging parents. Julie knows and appreciates the complexities and challenges of the moving process from having moved her own aging parents.

Let us help you succeed with moving your parents, so all of you can be comfortable and secure. Visit our site at www.yournextmovenc.com . Remember, you are no longer alone.

Contact us today to help you with your next move!

Your Next Move, Easing Your Senior Transition

Julie Kopetsky, President

www.yournextmovenc.com

919-601-8203

Julie.kopetsky@yournextmovenc.com