Wanted to Share this Article that was shared by SRES and written
byDave Hughes
February 23, 2017
It's fun to imagine the possibilities
for exciting and exotic, yet affordable places you can live
after you retire. But most people don't actually follow through with
a move to a new place. According to an AARP study on aging in place, nearly 90
percent of people over 65 want to stay in their home for as long as possible,
and 80 percent believe that their current residence is where they will always
live.
Just as there are good reasons to move after you retire, there
are several compelling reasons to stay right where you are. You may love your
current home and have a strong emotional connection to it. Perhaps you want to
remain close to your network of family, friends and support systems rather than
start over with making new friends, learning a new area and finding new doctors
and other service providers. If you are planning to start a business, you will
need the network you have built up over many years. Sometimes moving is not
financially feasible. Or perhaps it boils down to inertia and it's easiest just
to stay put.
If you want to remain in your current home for the rest of your
life, here are several considerations that will help you decide whether this is
the best choice for you.
1. Does your current community have good infrastructure for
supporting seniors? This
includes good public transportation or perhaps the availability of
city-sponsored transport vans, good health care and a strong senior center that
provides activities as well as support services. You should also consider
whether you live close enough to public transportation and if the places you
visit regularly are on transportation routes.
2. Is your house adaptable to meet your needs as you grow older? A one-story floor plan, or at least a
floor plan with a bedroom and all necessary facilities on the first floor, will
make it easier if you should require a walker or wheelchair during your later
years. You might need to make other adjustments, such as replacing door knobs
with lever handles, adding ramps and retrofitting your bathroom with handrails.
If you or your spouse should someday require a wheelchair, you should evaluate
whether doorways are wide enough and if countertops, cabinets, closets and
bathroom facilities will still be accessible.
3. Are your house and yard small enough to maintain as you get
older? This
concern can be managed if you have nearby family members who are willing to
assist you or you can afford to hire people to help you with cleaning and
maintenance. Keep in mind that family members may move.
4. Is your current house in good condition and energy efficient? Depending on your house's age and
condition, you may incur costs to repair or replace an aging furnace, air
conditioner, carpet, appliances or roof. Occasional home maintenance tasks such as repainting or removing dead
plants may become things you can no longer do yourself.
5. Are most things you need available within a reasonable
distance? Driving
all over town and maneuvering on high-traffic freeways will become more
challenging as you get older.
6. Are the amenities you wish to enjoy during retirement close
by? While
you worked, you were probably most concerned with living a reasonable distance
from your workplace. After you retire, your work commute will be replaced by
trips to play sports, take classes, hike and
participate in other activities that you select to be part of your retirement
lifestyle.
7. Will your neighborhood still be safe? As you get older, safety will become an
increasing concern. While it is impossible to know what transformations your
area of town may undergo in the coming years, you may be able to assess whether
your surroundings are improving, holding steady or declining.
8. Does your area have good assisted living or nursing homes
that you would want to live in? It may be decades before you need them,
and a lot may change over the course of those years. When you reach the age
where you will need to move into such a facility, your search will probably be
limited to your current area. Try to determine whether your local facilities
are pleasant and affordable and if there is a long waiting list for spaces.
Questions please call me: Stephanie W. Samuelsohn at 518-392-8484
Check out our website:
Columbia County Homes
Your Hopes, Your Dreams, Our VantagePoint
