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Downsizing Boomer-Style
...by Marilyn Gardner
As longtime owners of a nearly 4,000- square-foot house, Ciji Ware and her husband,
Tony Cook, enjoyed spacious living.
But when he received an
unexpected job offer in northern
California, they made an abrupt
change. They put their possessions
in storage and moved into a 395-
square-foot apartment in San
Francisco.
"Our son was grown and our dog
had just died," Ms. Ware recalls. "We
decided now was the moment to do
this."
Later, when they bought a
two-bedroom, two-bath home in
Sausalito, Calif., they pared down
drastically. "We had learned how
little we needed our abundance,"
Ware says. As baby boomers, they
also realized that they were in the
vanguard of change.
Unlike many in their parents’
generation, who often waited until
their later years to move to smaller
quarters, some baby boomers are
pulling up stakes in their 50s, while
they are still working. They are
moving to condos, active adult
communities, or city apartments.
Although parting with belongings
can be hard, a surprising number are
fi nding new freedom.
"Boomers may have an adventurous spirit, following
careers, following dreams," says
Carol Orsborn, co-chair of FH
Boom, a marketing group that
studies this generation.
About 6 percent of Americans
between the ages of 55 and 64
move each year, according to the
Over-50 Council of the National
Association of Home Builders.
Some change addresses when
the nest empties or an early
retirement beckons. Others are
eager to reduce upkeep or spend
time traveling. They want a "lock
and leave" approach to housing.
Whatever the motive for
moving, some experts see a
shift under way. For an older
generation, downsizing can be
a tough one, says Lisa LaCount,
author of 1,001 Active Lifestyle
Communities. "They have family
heirlooms and large pieces of
furniture. They have a lifetime
around them." By contrast,
baby boomers are a more transient
generation.
"Baby boomers will have an
easier time parting with things," says
Margit Novack, president of Moving
Solutions in Haverstown, Pa. "They’re
less invested in things because of their
monetary value. Boomers grew up in
an age of everything being disposable.
Many are still working. They look for
the most expedient way to get rid of
stuff."
She and her husband, baby
boomers themselves, recently went
from a six- bedroom house to a home
one-third that size. "We’d look at
things we had collected. He’d say, ‘Do
you care about this anymore?’ " The
answer was often no.
For Ms. Orsborn, the hardest
part of paring down was letting go of
children’s mementos. They gave both
grown children plastic bins in which
to store their school papers, artwork,
and diaries.
Downsizing has its limits, of
course. Many empty nesters still want
1,800 to 2,400 square feet when they
move, says Bruce Nemovitz, a real
estate broker in Milwaukee. Those
in an older generation prefer 900 to
1,200 square feet.
Smaller quarters sometimes require
a new approach to space. When Ray
Betzner and his wife moved they lost
a bedroom offi ce. To compensate,
they turned their dining room into
an offi ce. Last Thanksgiving they set
up a long table in the living room. "It
worked out just fi ne," says Betzner.
Three years ago, Michael and
Kathleen Babini reduced their space
by one-third when they moved from a
house to a planned community. They
had to part with many valued antiques
and found that their grown children
prefer more functional things, and
although they took some items, their
own space is limited.
"Young people under the age
of 40 prefer things that are more modern and contemporary," says
says Bert Rosengarten, co-owner of
Antiques on Cambridge Street in
Massachusetts.
"They don’t see the value of old
things. If the kids don’t want it, try
to sell it to friends or a dealer. Or
consider auction or consignment.
Sometimes it pays to hire an appraiser
fi rst.
In deciding what to keep, Ware
devised a three-question test: What
do we need? What do we love?
What do we use? "That became my
mantra," she says. "We had croquet
sets, Weed Whackers, and stuff
we no longer needed." They gave
many things to relatives. They also
held a garage sale. She turned her
experiences into a book, Rightsizing
Your Life: Simplifying Your Possessions
While Keeping What Matters Most.
Sometimes it is not the valuable
items that mean the most to us. Be
sure you know what items will help
make your new house truly feel like
home.
Some baby boomers are
determined not to burden their
children with the kind of overfl ow
that their parents bequeathed to
them. When Orsborn and her
husband inherited his mother’s
house in Napa, Calif., she says, "We
had no idea there was so much stuff
stashed away. It’s been astonishing
for people in the boomer generation
to see the quantities of accumulation
- the wrapping paper collections, the
Christmas cards they never threw
away."
Kim Hanna plans to cut her
space in half. "I’ve come to the
realization that material things really
do weigh you down," she says. "I’m
thrilled about moving. It simplifi es
my life."
Novack views it this way:
"Downsizing is like working out. You
don’t enjoy it while you’re working
out, but when you finish you’re glad
you’ve done it."
Marilyn Gardner writes for The Christian Science Monitor
Remodeling with an Eye to the Future
Want to live at home as long
as possible? "Aging in place",
also called universal design,
is the fastest growing trend in
the remodeling industry. These
remodeling elements are designed
to help you stay safely in your
home as you age.
According to AARP, some
common universal design features
are: No-step entry; One-story
living; Wide doorways (32-36
inches wide) to let wheelchairs
pass through; Wide hallways (36-
42 inches wide); Extra fl oor space
(allowing people in wheelchairs
have more space to turn).
Consider a home-remodel so
that you can live on one level if
necessary. Universal design in the
bathroom can include "comfort
height" toilets, reinforcement grab
bars, easy-enter showers and handheld
showerheads. Install lever
handles throughout the house (for
people with arthritis, pressing down
is easier than turning a knob).
Kitchen appliances may need to
be adjusted for easy reach (or the
space between 20 inches and 44
inches above the fl oor to a depth
of 20 inches away from your body
– according to researcher Margaret
Wylde).
Other suggestions include:
using drawers instead of cupboards
when possible; use hard surfaces for
fl ooring, or a low-pile commercial
carpet (these fl oors are easier to
navigate); install a shelf outside
the front door so you can put down
packages while searching for keys;
install track lighting.
For more information visit
www.aarp.org, or
call your local Master Builders
Association and ask about their
members who are "Certifi ed
Aging-in-Place Specialists
(CAPS). Master Builders of King
and Snohomish Counties can be
reached at 425-451-7920 or log onto
www.mba-ks.com
and search for CAPS.
Tips for Choosing a Retirement Community
Today’s retirement communities
offer a wide range of lifestyle choices,
from basic apartments to luxury
accommodations with all the bell’s
and whistles.
Many options await you. Here is a
list of different types of senior housing
along with defi nitions and questions to
ask to help in your decision-making.
Retirement community options
range from completely independent
lifestyles through skilled nursing care.
Features usually include housekeeping
service, from one to three meals per day
in a common dining area, organized
recreational and social activities, van
rides to grocery, medical and other
appointments, and safety features such
as call bells for assistance. Facilities
range from basic apartment complexes
to campus style, park-like or luxury
hotel style settings. Entrance fees and
monthly costs vary tremendously. Care
options range from very little care for
healthy, independent residents, to
help with daily living needs for frail
individuals, to complete nursing care.
Some facilities specialize in treating
people with Alzheimer’s or other
memory problems.
Independent Retirement Apartments/Communities:
Month to-month rental facilities feature
independence for seniors. This
arrangement allows you to enjoy
an active, independent lifestyle in a
community setting with organized
social and recreational opportunities,
but allows you to move quickly when
your needs exceed the services offered.
Facilities are usually apartment or
condo style units, although cottagestyle
living options are growing in
popularity. They come with complete
living units: kitchen, bedroom(s),
living room and bath.
Assisted Living facilities offer
independent, community style living
such as described above, but also
offer more care with 24-hour nursing
supervision for help with needs such
as medication, bathing, getting dressed
and laundry.
Nursing Homes provide skilled
nursing care for people who cannot
live independently. These facilities
offer substantial day-to-day care, have
24 hour nursing and an attending
physician.
Continuing Care
Communities are
designed to meet
residents’ needs
from the active,
independent
lifestyles
experienced in
independent
retirement
communities,
through assisted
living, to skilled
nursing care all on
site at the same
facility.
Adult Family
Homes provide
housing, meals and some assistance
with daily living. They are single
family homes in residential areas.
Some considerations when
choosing a retirement community:
Cost –- According to the U.S.
Department of Labor, no more than
60% of your income (or combined
income for a couple) should go
toward supporting you in a retirement
community. Consider entrance fees
and monthly costs. Is this a non-profi t
or for-profi t facility? Are any subsidies
available? Do you have long-term care
insurance, pension benefi ts or other
resources to help with these costs?
*Be sure you know all services that
are (and are not) provided for your
monthly fee.
TIP: Total all of your current
monthly expenses including housing
costs, food*, home maintenance,
utilities, real estate taxes,
housekeeping and other housing
expenses and compare to the monthly
expense at the community you’re
considering. Make sure you know
what the contract covers in terms in
services and meal plans.
Services –- What are the full range
of services available, which of these are
covered in the basic fee and which are
extra? Do you require help with any
day-to-day activities or housekeeping
chores? Fully consider all services or
assistance you need now or may need
soon when selecting a facility. Make
sure you fully understand the contract
and what it covers in terms of services.
- What is covered in the upfront fee?
- Would you (or your heirs) get any part of your
upfront fee back if you move out?
- Make sure you understand the change in monthly fees
should you start in independent and move to assisted living.
- If married, will you have to pay more in monthly fees if your partner needs
assisted living and you want to keep your apartment?
- Consider having an attorney look over any contract before you sign it.
Transporation & Medical Services –-
Consider how frequently you need to keep medical
appointments and if the community
transportation schedule meets your
needs or offers alternatives? Will
you be able to keep your old doctor
or will you need to fi nd a new one
closer to your new home? Can you
transfer your prescriptions and
does the prescription accept your
prescription coverage plan?
Meals –– Do you have special diet
needs? Do you like the menu? How
often are meals served and what meals
are included in the fee? Are snacks
available during non-meal hours?
Activities ––Does the facility offer
the types of activities and programs that you enjoy? Check out their full
schedule.
Location –– Is the facility
convenient to friends, family, and the
activities you enjoy?
Walking & public transportation
opportunities –- Although many
communities offer transportation for
shopping, medical appointments and
excursions, is there a nearby bus stop?
Check out walking trails and routes in
the neighborhood. Is there a nearby
library and other services that are
important to you?
Affiliations –– Does the
facility have a religious, fraternal or
governmental affi liation?
Pets –– Do they accept pets?
Make a list of your criteria and
questions, and visit several facilities
that seem to meet your needs. Bring a
friend or family member to compare
notes and help ask questions. Use
your senses... do you like the looks
of the place? How does it smell? See
if you can have a meal at the facility
and attend some scheduled activities.
Ask about the management, their
experience in the business, their
track record and check out the
management’s reputation at this and
any other facilities they manage. What
is the staff-to-resident ratio? Does
the staff seem harried or irritable?
(might be a sign of understaffi ng).
How long has key staff worked there
(administrator, head nurse, social
worker, marketing person)?
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Check out the book by Dr. Heather Young and Dr. Rheba de Tornyay
of Seattle - Choices: Making a Good Move to a Retirement Community
available through Amazon.com
Dr. de Tornyay reports that her book takes a unique approach and is
meant to help people understand the emotional adjustment of moving to a
retirement community.
Make sure your choice takes into consideration your values – and take
the time to know what is important to you.
Dr. Rheba de Tornyay is Dean and Professor Emeritus of the University
of Washington School of Nursing and has a lifelong interest in healthy
aging. The UW de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging - committed to
advancing and sharing knowledge about successful aging – is named in
her honor.
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Sources include several senior resource
experts including Liz Taylor, freelance
columnist on aging and founder, Aging
Deliberately.
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