Senior Housing News might have to change its name—Margaret Wylde, the president and founder of market research firm Promatura Group, LLC, is vehemently opposed to the concept of “senior housing.” With changing timelines and attitudes toward retirement, it should be about “lifestyle” and communities that are a great place to live, not just a place to be taken care of, she says.

Wylde’s mature market and housing research afford her extensive knowledge and expertise in the senior living industry to attune her to what consumers want. As the boomers head into the traditional retirement age, the researcher predicts they won’t abide by the same rules the “Silent Generation” did; instead, like the famous Burger King slogan, boomers are going to want to “have it their way.”

Senior Housing News: At this point, everyone’s aware of the 10,000 baby boomers who are turning 65 each day, and will be for nearly 20 years. What is this generation’s attitude toward retirement and retirement communities?

Margaret Wylde: It’s quite varied; there’s a greater portion of boomers who aren’t going to retire at the traditional age, and a lot who aren’t going to retire at all. The majority are going to seek retirement later than they had planned, but still have retirement on their horizon.

The average age of retirement will go up with the baby boomers, largely because of the economic crisis. But we can’t put aside the fact that for the most part, we’re all living longer. When people look at retirement from one job, they might go on to do something else. The word retirement doesn’t really mean what it used to mean. Before, when you worked for someone for 30 years, it was time to retire. Today, we’re living longer and healthier, so typical retirement doesn’t mean stopping work and having a leisure life. And it’s not just for the baby boomers—this is happening worldwide.

SHN: How has seniors housing changed in the past decade or so?

MW: We’ve already seen a shift in how “seniors” housing is perceived. Twenty years ago, the average age that people moved to a traditional retirement community used to be 75. Now, the average age is probably closer to 82.

A traditional retirement community, if it stays as it is today, will only see that age get older. We have to kind of divorce ourselves from talking about our product as a function of the age of the people who move to it. Everything that’s labeled “senior” should be buried, and we should start over.

We have great, great communities, but we have to stop selling that it’s for seniors. It’s for people who want a great time in life, for people who enjoy lifestyle, who have interests, and forget about the age of those who are moving in. We’re going to have to make that switch, and it’s going to be long and painful.

Even in assisted living, it’s labeled as the limitations of people, that they NEED assisted living, and they only get a small amount of care time each day. If we want to entice the boomers at an age before they get to the significant need level, we’re going to have to look at lifestyle, and not start labeling them by their age. We’ve got to get age off of the brain.

It’s not just a retirement community, it’s a residence and a place to live. It’s a great place to live that happens to have opportunities built in, instead of having to go somewhere else. Instead of saying, ‘Let us take care of you,’ it’s, ‘This is a great place to live.’
We can have the added advantage because our industry does know how to provide these other services, to have those there, but we have to quit marketing it from the side of ‘needs and services and age.’

SHN: What might be holding people back from entering senior living communities?

MW: People need to be able to have that sense of control of their own independence. As long as we continue doing what we’re doing, people will stay at home rather than coming to a community if they don’t need help.

A lot of people are living by themselves in their homes. They’re not getting out or enjoying opportunities, but they don’t feel like the communities, or what they’ve seen in them, enhances them or gives them a life that they want. They would rather stay home alone, even if it meant not having a sense of community.

The residential environment isn’t just the bricks and mortar; it’s the fabric of the people who live there. We don’t capitalize on that enough in the industry.

The social fabric of the community, the residents and the employees and the sense of family that gets created—that’s what’s important, more than the physical real estate aspects. We don’t let people feel that.

SHN: How will retirement trends change with the boomers compared to previous generations?

MW: They need a sense of control, which has been true all along. I’ve seen this quite a bit. Part of that fear of entering a community [is], instead of being in a residence that they feel in control of, it’s more like a residence where they feel like there’s going to be a loss of control.

Part of that is needing to eat meals at a certain times. When we test how many meals you need included in your pricing, a lot of people will select 30. But it’s the sense of having to go eat your meal in the dining room, within a certain time frame.

Several communities now have gone toward a 12-hour dining day, where their dining venue are open and you can eat any time you want. That takes away from the “March down there at 4:30 to get in line to eat.” That’s a lot of what people react to, that regimentation when they haven’t that before.

A different psyche is coming up with the baby boomers. The GI generation was more regimented; they weren’t as pampered and as catered to as the baby boomers have been. The so-called “Silent Generation” sort of went along with structure, and were not as demanding, although that’s a big generalization.

The boomers as a group, because there were a lot more to deal with, have been catered to more than any group before, and probably more than most of the groups since, as far as having stuff their way.

SHN: Senior Housing News recently did a series of articles following one titled “Will the nation go broke paying for senior housing & long-term care.” What are your thoughts on the affordability of senior housing, especially as the recession left many unprepared for retirement?

MW: It depends on what is meant by “affordable.” We have a larger number of people who require care, and a smaller proportion who are care providers. Living collectively and sharing the costs is more economical than having somebody come drive around going from house to house to house.

I think as far as lifestyle is concerned, even today, we know lifestyle in our independent living communities, particularly if you are someone who enjoys being with other people, your lifestyle is much better there than if you were to remain in your own home.

I don’t think we need to have so many communities that are Taj Mahals. We have had a lot of our developments focus on the upper-income groups, and there are many people who would probably enjoy a community, but one with less finesse. They just need to be in a place that feels good to them, where they get that sense of being at home relatively quickly. For a lot of people, that’s not going to be great, big expensive buildings. They don’t need the indoor swimming pool. They don’t need a lot of stuff. They need a great place to live, good people to be around, a sense of belonging, and some support to their life, particularly if it could be more engaged with the life that they have.

Affordability can go both directions. You can’t afford the Taj Mahal, but you can afford a communal place where costs of services are shared.

In the next 10 years, the age to enter communities won’t go down in our current form. The industry needs to have new product, and new positioning.

SHN: Is lifestyle marketing catching on?

MW: Some are beginning to implement it, yes. I’m not sure that we really know yet what it is that we need to do. I don’t think we’ve discovered enough yet about what really would entice people, what would be enticing.

We still have our communities designed first, and then we might do a little bit of primary research to find out what people want. It’s starting now with architects driving what the product is, which is driven by what’s been done before. Instead of starting with a blank sheet and talking directly with residents: ‘What do YOU want? Let’s work it out,’ we’re just taking what we’ve been doing and modifying it a little bit.

I think we have a lot of knowledge that can support just about anything that people want, we just might have to package it differently.

Start with consumer, instead of with an architectural drawing or site plan. Create concepts, test concepts with people. You have to give them a vision before you can help them get away from thinking of the last retirement community they’ve seen. Avoid using terminology that exists, like “senior housing.” Ask, ‘What would be a great day for you, and how can we build a community that would give you that experience?’

SHN: What are some hot market spots right now, in terms of location and demographics? Are there any new or unusual ones cropping up?

MW: We just did a study in January, of people aged 55 to 79, and found that in the Northeast, that market sector, over the South, Midwest, and West, is significantly more likely to move, more than any of the other regions in other states.

We have seen some markets which really haven’t been much affected by the economy. For many retirement living providers, the economy has shown the result of poor performance or lack of knowledge of what or how to sell.

We looked at 110 markets recently, and in 65 of them, we looked at the independent living product. In those, 61% of the markets had at least one property with 98% occupancy. But they all had product that was underperforming. But out of 65 markets, only 11% had all of the independent living product in that market with occupancy under 90%.

That means that in 89% of the market, there were at least some properties above 90% occupancy. We keep looking at industry averages of occupancies, but it doesn’t account for the ones that dipped and keep going down. They’re bringing the image of the whole industry down.

What the economy has done is let us see who can perform, and who can’t perform. All the markets have been hit by the economy, but the better ones are succeeding. The ones that haven’t learned, are the ones that are bringing them down.

Mark Rosenberg, M.D. developer of CardioQ, a healthy heart vitamin formula for optimum cardiovascular health, reports CardioQ is one of his most prescribed supplements.

VitalMax Vitamins reports their improved formula, CardioQ, has the most bioavailable form of CoQ10 that can be found. CoQ10 is necessary for cellular energy, a strong immune system and a healthy cardiovascular system. VitalMax claims their CardioQ formula works to safeguard heart health, improve circulation, and replenish CoQ10 levels decreased by taking cholesterol lowering drugs.

As one of VitalMax Vitamins’ medical experts, Mark Rosenberg, M.D. explains, “For years scientists and researchers have known that CoQ10 levels drop drastically after taking most statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs). CoQ10 is an important natural substance that fires the mitochondria – or power centers – of heart cells. CoQ10 helps destroy free radicals that can damage the heart.”

About VitalMax Vitamins,

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For more information about VitalMax Vitamins products, visit their website http://www.VitalmaxVitamins.com

Belleville, IL (PRWEB) April 02, 2012

The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (PDF) is calling on individuals, support groups and healthcare professionals to make a difference during Parkinson’s Awareness month this April. Allsup is making a difference by educating individuals on their disability benefits and Medicare options. This is especially relevant for those affected by Parkinson’s during their working years. Allsup is a nationwide company specializing in Social Security Disability insurance (SSDI) representation, Medicare plan selection and disability life planning services.

According to the PDF, Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological disorder that affects nearly one million people in the U.S. There is no cure for or definitive cause of Parkinson’s disease. The incidence of Parkinson’s increases with age, but an estimated 4 percent of people with Parkinson’s are diagnosed before age 50. A diagnosis of young onset Parkinson’s disease does not necessarily mean an individual cannot continue working, but for some, continued full-time employment eventually becomes impossible.

These people and their families should be aware of and understand their available options, so they can make well-informed decisions as they plan for and meet the challenges of decreased income and increased healthcare costs.

Allsup offers the following advice:

Determine your eligibility for SSDI benefits. If you are under full retirement age (65-67) and meet the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) definition of disabled and have worked and paid into the program for five of the last 10 years, you may be eligible for SSDI. Parkinson’s disease is in the SSA’s diagnostic group, ““neurological disorders.”. This group includes epilepsy, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis. About 9 percent of current SSDI beneficiaries are in this diagnostic category. Allsup offers a free SSDI eligibility screening and can contact the SSA on your behalf to help you determine your eligibility.

File immediately. “If the impairments brought about by Parkinson’s disease render you unable to work for 12 months or longer, then you can and should apply for SSDI as soon as possible,” said Ed Swierczek, Allsup senior claimant representative. “Many people make the mistake of thinking they need to wait until some specific time period has passed. This simply isn’t true.”

Filing quickly can protect retirement savings and guard against lapses in income in the event other benefits are exhausted while waiting for SSDI benefits.

Get expert help with your initial application. A 2010 SSA report found that Parkinson’s is among the top conditions denied at the initial application but subsequently approved at the hearing level (where about 78 percent of individuals have representation). That means individuals with PD may wait an additional 500 days to receive their SSDI benefits. The earlier you seek help, the more likely you are to receive benefits with your initial application.

Make sure your doctors are aware of your filing for SSDI. Ask them to document your symptoms and limitations thoroughly. Many doctors are willing to draft supportive letters for their patients, which can lead to quicker awards. According to the SSA medical listing (11.06) for Parkinson’s disease, SSA considers you disabled if you exhibit:

Significant rigidity
Bradykinesia
Tremor in two extremities, which, singly or in combination, result in disturbance of gross and dexterous movements, or gait and station

“The impact of your medication is also considered in evaluating a disability claim,” said Swierczek. “The side effects of certain drugs may improve your ability to function day-to-day, but makes it impossible to work.”

The PDF encourages individuals to educate themselves and others about Parkinson’s disease this April. Allsup recommends making SSDI literacy part of that education. For more information on SSDI literacy, visit AllsupAlliances.com. For a free disability eligibility screening, call (888) 841-2126, or visit Expert.Allsup.com.

To view the webcast “Social Security Disability Insurance: Understanding the Process,”
presented at the National Parkinson Foundation and American Parkinson Disease Association’s 2011 Northeast Young Onset Parkinson’s Conference, go to http://shows.implex.tv/Qwikcast/Root/NationalParkinsonFoundation/5025/player_5979.htm

ABOUT ALLSUP
Allsup is a nationwide provider of Social Security disability, Medicare plan selection and disability life planning services. Founded in 1984, Allsup employs more than 800 professionals who deliver specialized services supporting people with disabilities and seniors so they may lead lives that are as financially secure and as healthy as possible. The company is based in Belleville, Ill., near St. Louis. For more information, visit AllsupAlliances.com.
Contact:
Tai Venuti
(800) 854-1418, ext. 68573
t.venuti@allsupinc.com

March is National Nutrition Month, a great reminder for individuals of all ages of the benefits of choosing foods that promote good health. Good nutrition and physical activity are the basic elements of feeling happy, healthy and fit. And the foods that are good for the body can tickle your taste buds, too, especially at Welch Healthcare & Retirement Group’s Allerton House Assisted Living Communities, located along the South Shore of Massachusetts.

The Allerton House chefs take the guesswork out of the equation for the assisted living residents. They are well-versed in the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They know that certain vitamin and nutrient needs change with age. They recognize that the right foods enhance both physical well-being and mental abilities. Best of all, they prepare and present a colorful and appetizing array of menu options that we think is comparable to the fare at many excellent restaurants.

Allerton House chefs balance menu choices that will lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer with classic New England fare that residents also relish. Superfoods such as blueberries, broccoli, oranges, spinach, tomatoes and salmon share the menu with prime rib, baked stuffed shrimp and zucchini parmesan.

The chefs at Welch Healthcare & Retirement Group’s Assisted Living Communities are no strangers to the culinary cutting edge. Several Allerton House chefs recently met up with Marc Orfaly, executive chef of Pigalle in Boston. Orfaly, who is among Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs shared some of his secrets, as he prepared clam chowder, grilled tuna steak, and lobster boil with homemade sausage. The cooking demonstration and wine pairing was one of several programs recently organized by Orfaly, who earned his culinary arts degree from Johnston & Wales in Providence. His resume includes experience cooking at Olives, owned by Chef Todd English; No. 9 Park in Boston, with Chef Barbara Lynch and L.A’s Patina, owned by Chef Joachim Splichal. Orfaly and his wife, wife, Kerri Foley, co-own Pigalle.

Good nutrition is important to maintain and enhance physical health, mental sharpness, energy levels and resistance to or recovery from medical issues. That’s why Allerton House Assisted Living Communities along Boston’s South Shore pay special attention to the dietary needs of residents. Visit Allerton House for a complimentary luncheon to sample the assisted living community’s menu. Visit online at: http://www.welchhrg.com/allertonhouse

Vitamin D and Testing Vitamin D Serum Levels Plays an Essential Role in Many Aspects of Health, Particularly Your Child’s Dental Health.

February has been dubbed National Children’s Dental Health Awareness Month, and is a time when parents, teachers, and other health and child care providers are reminded of the importance of oral health, particularly in children. It has been proven that having optimal vitamin D levels is an essential component of dental health for children, however, this issue remains widely unaddressed in the current model of dental care and education, and this is where GrassrootsHealth hopes to make a monumental impact.

National Children’s Dental Health Awareness Month began with the premise that “developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits can help children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums,” as stated by the American Dental Association. Most are aware of the benefits that regular brushing, flossing, and check-ups have on dental health. However, according to GrassrootsHealth, it is just as important that people become aware of the fact that vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, could potentially play an even bigger role in dental health, and that this message should be incorporated into dental health education for parents, children, and providers.

Dozens of studies from back in the 1920s through the 1940s resulted in uncovering a strong correlation between sunshine exposure, vitamin D, and cavities. More than 90% of the studies concluded that supplementing children with vitamin D does prevent cavities, according to the Orthomolecular Medicine News. It was also concluded that the potential mechanism behind the prevention of cavities, with increased sunshine exposure and vitamin D levels, was not only due to the fact that vitamin D improves calcium absorption and metabolism, but also due to the fact that the vitamin induces the production of cathelicidin and defensins, which have strong antimicrobial properties and defend against cavities.

The most relevant assumption of these noteworthy studies is the following: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations at or above 30-40 ng/mL should significantly reduce the formation of dental caries in children and young adults. This leads to another major issue, one that GrassrootsHealth is hoping to solve with its current public health intervention study and vitamin D testing programs. It is estimated that up to 40% or more of children today have vitamin D serum levels below the range stated above; the range which is needed to help prevent cavities and improve oral health (reference http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18524739). The problem is that most people, including parents and providers to children who are affected by vitamin D deficiency, are unaware of the issue or the fact that they must get their levels tested in order to be certain that they are getting optimal amounts of vitamin D.

There is a world-wide vitamin D deficiency epidemic affecting today’s populations, and it is especially harming children. GrassrootsHealth is an organization which promotes vitamin D education and awareness, regular testing, and an optimal serum range of 40-60ng/mL, as supported by over 40 international vitamin D researchers. Visit GrassrootsHealth.net to get involved in a world-wide public health prevention study, which includes vitamin D level testing for each participant. Learn more about the world-wide vitamin D deficiency epidemic and what can be done to stop it.

Help spread the word that daily sunshine and vitamin D might be just as important to dental health in our children as regular brushing and flossing.

It isn’t just hospitals switching to electronic health records that have created a big demand for health IT employees. New health information exchange initiatives are also creating a lot of health IT jobs.

Many health information exchanges (HIEs) are understaffed and are having trouble finding qualified health IT employees, according to a recent report from the eHealth Initiative.

Most HIEs have small staffs, with a majority of those surveyed employing five or fewer full-time employees dedicated to the initiative. However, they’re also struggling to find qualified employees for health IT jobs – of 196 HIEs that responded to the survey, 37 said they have one or two positions to fill, along with 21 with three or more vacancies.

The reason so many of those health IT jobs are open: HIEs are having trouble finding candidates with the right IT experience. More than 25% of those surveyed said they’re short on staff with IT skills.

At a typical HIE, the candidates most in demand are those that can handle clinical implementation and support, according to the eHealth Initiative. That includes jobs such as:

1.project managers
2.analysts
3.application coordinators
4.report writers
5.trainers
6.informatics staff, and
7.technical writers.

Due to difficulty finding qualified candidates, many HIEs are turning to consultants and contractors, with 62% of HIEs reporting a staffing shortage saying they planned to hire consultants.

To help prevent staffing shortages for health IT jobs, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) created the Health IT Workforce Development Program. The program offers training programs in healthcare technology at select academic institutions.

However, HIEs have yet to start using those programs as a pool for candidates, with just 15% saying they plan to hire a graduate from an ONC program, including only 28% of HIEs that reported a staffing shortage.

For organizations with trouble finding qualified candidates for health IT jobs, the eHealth Initiative recommends using the ONC training programs as a source for employees. Also, the report suggests organizations offer their own training to close skills gaps with current employees.

According to a new survey issued by the Heart Rhythm Society, the majority of Americans are unaware of two serious and potentially life-threatening heart rhythm disorders: atrial fibrillation (AF) and sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). In fact, only one in three Americans have ever heard of AF or recognize the number of lives claimed each year from SCA. Throughout February, Heart Health Month, the Heart Rhythm Society spotlights the need for public education on heart rhythm disorders affecting millions of people, and the specialists best suited to treat them – electrophysiologists.

More than 250,000 deaths occur each year as a result of SCA–more than breast cancer, lung cancer or AIDS. Yet, according to the recent survey, more than 65 percent of Americans not only underestimate the seriousness of SCA, but also believe SCA is a type of heart attack. While this current data does show a 5 percent increase since the Society’s 2008 SCA awareness survey, the lack of awareness remains high and further education is needed. Additionally, more than 2 million people in the United States (U.S.) live with AF. Yet, survey results showed only 50 percent of Americans know AF is a type of heart rhythm disorder.

“The Heart Rhythm Society is committed to helping educate the public about heart health and creating the best possible environment to improve long-term patient care,” said Bruce L. Wilkoff, MD, FHRS, CCDS, president of Heart Rhythm Society. “We want people to become more aware of the life-threatening heart rhythm conditions affecting millions of Americans every day–those that go beyond heart attacks or other well-known types of heart disease. Heart Health Month is a great time to spread the word.”

The Heart Rhythm Society has developed two consumer awareness initiatives to focus on risk assessment, prevention and treatment of SCA and AF. The “Apples and Oranges” campaign explains the differences between SCA and a heart attack, while the “A-Fib Feels Like” campaign brings to light the warning signs of AF and the link between AF and stroke. Altogether, these campaigns provide detailed information to help people become more informed about common heart health issues and the field of electrophysiology.

Know Your Risk: Heart Rhythm Society Prevention Pulse Points

During Heart Health Month, take a close look at heart health and five simple ways to help prevent and seek early treatment for these common heart conditions.

Small Choices, Big Heart Benefits: Live a healthy lifestyle — exercise regularly, eat healthy foods, maintain a healthy weight and avoid smoking to help reduce the chances of heart health problems.

Know Your Rhythm: Pay attention to abnormal heart rhythms — palpitations, fast heart rates, really slow heart rates, fluttering in your chest and shortness of breath can also be signs of rhythm disorders.

By the Numbers: Treat and monitor health conditions that can contribute to heart problems, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Family First: Know your family medical history and understand the associated risk for other cardiovascular related conditions, like heart failure.

Don’t Skip a Beat: Document your symptoms and discuss them with a clinician/electrophysiologist to determine the best treatment options for you.

Learn More Online: Visit our website, http://www.HRSonline.org, for interactive tips and tools, patient resources and more.

Gain Unique Insights: New Educational Videos Show Real World Impact of AF & SCA

The Society has issued its first ever patient education video series as a resource to address the common misperceptions around heart rhythm disorders. The videos use a mix of real-world footage and animation to help patients and caregivers understand AF and SCA, including the warning signs, treatment options and a symptom tracker. Check out the new videos to learn more: AF Patient Education Video and SCA Patient Education Video.

“We must continue to raise the bar when it comes to educating people about their heart health,” added Dr. Wilkoff. “It is not only important for people to better understand common heart rhythm disorders, but also to know more about the doctors who treat them, called electrophysiologists.”

What is an Electrophysiologist?

There is a special type of heart doctor that treat patients with heart rhythm problems—called an electrophysiologist. Electrophysiologists are cardiologists with advanced medical training to treat problems with the heart’s electrical system, which result in heart rhythm disorders. The electrophysiologist can also help you learn if you or your family members are at risk for life-threatening rhythm disturbances, including SCA and AF. Find one near you by going here.

For more information about the Heart Rhythm Society and resources please visit, http://www.HRSonline.org.

By Bonnie Miller Rubin, Chicago Tribune reporter

January 25, 2012

Sherry Wolf always indulged her husband’s love of Costa Rica — until he brought home a book about moving there.

“I told him, ‘Don’t even think about it, because I’m not going,’” she said.

While Scott Wolf, a 61-year-old Flossmoor radiologist, envisioned a retirement of surfing and mojitos, his wife carried a very different snapshot in her head of theater, restaurants and concerts. Also, she has obligations anchoring her to the Midwest, including a 90-year-old mother in Northbrook.

“If something happens, it takes two days to get home from Central America,” she said. “So, for now, we’re just not dealing with it.”

As the first wave of baby boomers hit 65, they are confronting one of the most fundamental questions of retirement: Where are we going to live?

After years of earning a paycheck and raising children, couples say the prospect of finally having time to pursue their own interests can be delicious — or daunting. And while there’s plenty of advice on how to navigate this chapter financially, landing on the same page emotionally as your spouse can be far more elusive.

The Wolfs, who have two grown daughters and have been married for 31 years, were surprised to reach this crossroads and discover that they had different road maps. For now, Sherry Wolf, 59, is content with working — which includes supervising student teachers for Governors State University and leading Weight Watchers meetings.

Her husband, though, had tired of medicine and retired two years ago. He longed to live near water, which doesn’t enter into her equation at all. “I can handle the beach for four or five days … but after that, I need something more.”

Instead, she is lobbying for Santa Fe, N.M., with its change of seasons and vibrant cultural scene, even though surfing isn’t an option in landlocked New Mexico. They considered buying a second home but decided against the responsibilities of owning two dwellings.

So, for the last three years, he has gone to Costa Rica solo for a month, while she keeps her daily routine here. They talk by Skype every day — about the kids, the dog, everything but living arrangements.

The Wolfs are hardly alone. In a 2011 study, the MetLife Mature Market Institute found that only 51 percent of respondents have even identified personal goals in retirement. Some 63 percent of those 55 and older say they plan to age in place, while 12 percent plan to move and 26 percent are undecided.

John Migliaccio, MetLife’s director of research and gerontology, gives couples paper and crayons to draw their post-work life. When it comes time to compare sketches, one spouse might have a remote mountain retreat while the other has an urban loft.

“They can be married 40 or 50 years and they’ll look at each other as if to say, ‘How could you not know that I was thinking about this?’ A lot of couples approach retirement in their head … but it never gets externalized to their partner,” Migliaccio said.

Baby boomers differ from their parents in several key ways, including longer life expectancy and being more accustomed to pulling up stakes, experts said. Also, unlike the World War II generation, women — who have their own careers and pensions — are less likely to leave all the decision-making up to their husbands.

Today’s retirees also can choose from far more options on how to spend these bonus years. The Peace Corps, for example, saw a 44 percent increase in applications from older Americans between 2007 and 2009. If one mate envisions this as a time for public service, while the other dreams of verdant fairways in a 55-and-over enclave, expect some sparks to fly.

“It’s one reason why you see more couples end their relationship at this stage,” Migliaccio said. “They’re both on different paths.”

Julia Valentine, author of “Joy Compass: How to Make Your Retirement the Treasure of Your Life,” agreed that this can be a tricky transition.

“Just having the right amount in the bank is not enough,” Valentine explained. “You need to ask yourself: What do I need to be fulfilled? Then find specific ways to ensure those needs can be met.”

Valentine was one of the speakers at the recent Ideal Living Resort and Retirement Expo in Schaumburg. The event brought together a dazzling array of Sun Belt communities, touting lush landscapes, championship golf and tennis, all enjoyed by smiling, sherbet-attired couples.

At every booth, balmy winter temperatures and low taxes beckoned — as did salespeople ready to swat away objections, including proximity to children and grandchildren.

“What happens when the kids choose to move for another job? Are you willing to sacrifice your own life for the sake of your children?” asked Carol Schulz, formerly of Barrington. She now works for The Villages of Citrus Hills in Hernando, Fla., about an hour’s drive north of Tampa.

Still, Schulz conceded that uprooting yourself late in life is a big step. When she and her husband first moved in 2004, she would return to Chicago about eight times a year. Now, she has whittled the trips down to three.

“We’re asking people to change everything they know. … It’s a process, and you have to baby them along the way.”

Ginger and Tom Waeghe of Algonquin — he’s in construction; she’s in banking — admitted to feeling overwhelmed by all the exhibitors, including 24 locales in Tennessee alone.

“It’s stressful,” said Ginger Waeghe, 55. “The only way we can talk about this is on our cellphones during our commutes. … It just seems to go better that way. By the time we’re done with our day, we’re too drained to have these conversations.”

So far, she and her 50-year-old husband agree that the next stage will probably include part-time jobs. She likes Florida, but he doesn’t. They’ve checked out Arizona, which they both rejected. They share a straightforward but contradictory idea of what they require from a retirement spot. “We want to live simply, but we do like nicer things.”

So, it’s back to the drawing board, to tweak — not abandon — their plans. Ginger Waeghe knows that time is precious, especially because both of her parents died in their 60s. “We’re not waiting.”

Added her husband, “We don’t want to be so busy making a living that we don’t make a life.”

brubin@tribune.com

The draft framework was created based on input from the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services, which is comprised of over 20 representatives from federal agencies and organizations outside the Federal Government. The framework seeks to address five goals:

■Prevent and Effectively Treat Alzheimer’s Disease by 2025.
■Optimize Care Quality and Efficiency.
■Expand Patient and Family Support.
■Enhance Public Awareness and Engagement.
■Track Progress and Drive Improvement.

The plan takes a multi-faceted approach to each goal. For example, in order to enhance care quality and efficiency, the agency outlines a plan to build a larger workforce of long term care providers and others who care for those with Alzheimer’s as well as implement policies that allow for easy transitions between hospitals and long term care settings. The plan asserts a commitment to advancing research but also to maintaining dignity, safety, and other rights for those with Alzheimer’s disease. Many other departments, agencies, and organizations will be collaborating with HHS in the coming years to implement the plan, when finalized.

Read the full document: “Draft Framework for the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease” and submit your comments about the plan to HHS at NAPA@hhs.gov

Marlton, NJ (PRWEB) January 07, 2012

Home Care Assistance, the leading provider of in-home care for seniors, is proud to announce the Hospital to Home Care program, a comprehensive set of educational resources for families managing the difficult transition home after hospitalization. The program helps families prepare for discharge, manage the unique needs of post-hospitalization patients and coordinate recovery at home.

“The hospitalization and discharge experience is a source of tremendous anxiety for patients and their families,” said Lily Sarafan, President of Home Care Assistance. “Individuals are placed in a stressful situation, often without the resources they need to make the best long-term decisions for their loved ones. As the leading experts in post-hospitalization care, we wanted to provide families everywhere with the information and guidance they need to manage every step of the discharge process and recovery at home.”

The program is supported by the book, From Hospital to Home Care, written by Home Care Assistance co-founders Dr. Kathy Johnson, Dr. James Johnson and Lily Sarafan. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and resources associated with each step in the transition from hospital to the home, explains the discharge process from an inpatient hospital stay, outlines common issues associated with specific medical conditions, discusses the unique needs of recently hospitalized patients and emphasizes the importance of home care in patient outcomes and quality of life. Home Care Assistance is also excited to unveil HospitaltoHomeCare.com, a free online resource for families seeking information about the discharge process and recovery at home.

“We hope to offer comfort and provide education to patients and families going through the hospital discharge process with these resources,” said Steve Malone, Owner of Home Care Assistance of Southern New Jersey. “Getting seniors back into their homes with the appropriate level of care is critical to the recovery process. We find that families are not always knowledgeable about this process or prepared for what to expect.”

Hospital to Home Care is part of a long-term initiative at Home Care Assistance to encourage recovery and rehabilitation at home while reducing avoidable hospital readmissions. Alongside the psychological and emotional benefits of recovery at home, patients also benefit from dedicated one-on-one support from a caregiver. In addition, patients avoid the infection risk associated with care facilities and enjoy greater freedom outside of an institutional setting.

“Our mission at Home Care Assistance is to change the way the world ages,” said Sarafan. “We have been able to help countless clients with their post-hospitalization recovery at home and now we’ve been able to transfer that expertise into informative resources for the public. By encouraging patients to recover at home and reducing avoidable hospital readmissions, we hope to re-shape how families and health professionals think about post-hospitalization care.”

From Hospital to Home Care: A Step by Step Guide to Providing Care to Patients Post Hospitalization is available for pre-order on Amazon.com for $17.95. A 16-page PDF guide to the discharge and recovery process is available for free at HospitaltoHomeCare.com.

For more information about Home Care Assistance or to learn more about the transition from hospital to home, please visit HomeCareAssistance.com or call 1-856-988-6495.

ABOUT HOME CARE ASSISTANCE
Home Care Assistance is the leading provider of home care for seniors across the United States and Canada. Our mission is to change the way the world ages. We provide older adults with quality care that enables them to live happier, healthier lives at home. Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers, the responsiveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care. We embrace a positive, balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults. A 2011 Franchise500® Company, Home Care Assistance has received numerous industry awards including Entrepreneur’s Fastest-Growing Franchises and Franchise Business Review’s Top 50. For more information about Home Care Assistance, our services and franchise opportunities, visit HomeCareAssistance.com or Franchise.HomeCareAssistance.com.