Senior Hunger is a Growing Problem

Recently, the newspaper in our California retirement community contained two letters to the editor that distressed me.  The letters exposed a serious problem that has been going on right under my nose, not only in my own area, but in communities across America.

In the first letter to the editor, a woman wrote in to say she had discovered that one of her neighbors was eating pet food in order to survive.   The woman who wrote the letter expressed her shock that such a thing could be happening in affluent Orange County, California and she was distraught that she had neighbors who could not afford to buy fresh, healthy food.

A week later, a local church wrote their own letter to the editor.  They were reaching out to our community with the news that they operate a well-stocked food bank in the neighborhood and that they would happily provide food to anyone who was having difficulty obtaining food.  They mentioned that they could provide both basic staples as well as fresh fruit and vegetables.

These letters were particularly interesting to me since our community requires that residents prove they have a household retirement income of at least $42,000 (in 2013), as well as substantial assets in addition those required to make their home purchase.  New residents must provide this financial information before they can purchase a home in our age restricted community.  Of course, the income and asset levels are adjusted every few years and they were much lower a decade or two ago.  Sadly, even people who had adequate financial resources when they originally moved into the community may have eventually found themselves under financial stress after 30 or 40 years.  Over the decades, assets can easily be used up and cost of living increases do not keep up with inflation.

After reading about hunger in my own neighborhood, I began to wonder how common it is for senior citizens to be experiencing food shortages across the United States.  I thought my readers who are newly retired or who plan to retire soon would also be interested in this information.

Senior Hunger Facts from Meals on Wheels

According to Meals on Wheels, in a report released in May of 2012, hunger is a serious problem among the elderly:

One out of seven seniors is threatened by hunger.
8.3 million seniors were threatened by hunger when surveyed in 2010.
Hunger among the elderly has increased 78% since 200l, and 34% since 2007.

Meals on Wheels is one of several programs that has been organized to help millions of people eat a more healthy diet while continuing to live in their own homes.  This worthwhile organization welcomes volunteers and may be able to assist you if you need food.

If you want to find a local chapter, you can go to the Meals on Wheels website at:  http://www.mowaa.org

For those who are able to help, you may want to make a donation to this worthwhile organization or volunteer to deliver food to senior citizens in your community.  My own grandmother delivered Meals on Wheels when she was in her 80's!  I have several neighbors who also deliver meals throughout our neighborhood ... which makes it all the sadder when I realize that there are still people living here who slip through the cracks.

Feeding America Also Helps Senior Citizens

Another organization that is attempting to provide food assistance to the elderly is Feeding America.  They serve about three million elderly people every year.   They have several different programs designed specifically to help feed senior citizens:  brown bag lunches, senior nutrition sites (such as local senior centers where lunch is served) and home delivered meals that are coordinated through organizations such as Meals on Wheels.

The seniors who use these programs often have reported that, without the help, they would have to choose between either buying food or medicine or paying their utility bills.

This one fact from the Feeding America website was of particular interest to me:  They expect the number of food insecure seniors to increase by 50% by the time the youngest Baby Boomers reach age 60 in 2025.   In other words, millions of my fellow Baby Boomers are expected to be living with "food insecurity" during their retirement years.  That is the primary reason I posted this article.  Should you find yourself in this situation, I hope you will have this information at your fingertips so you know who to contact for help.

How To Make Sure There is Enough Food for the Seniors You Know

For senior citizens, the hunger problem is particularly complex.   That is because their problem may not be a lack of money for food, but an inability to drive to the store or prepare the food. Some elderly individuals with arthritis in their hands find it too daunting to use a can opener or use other items in their kitchen.  Therefore, we cannot assume that our neighbors are eating well simply because we believe they have an adequate income.

First, if you or someone you know is not eating properly, assess the cause and see if you can address the specific problem.  Is it a lack of money, lack of transportation, or an inability to safely prepare the food?

Once you have determined the problem, see what can be done to address it.  For example, if money is an issue, contact your local Social Services department to find out about food stamps.  In addition, locate the nearest food bank and see what supplies are available there. If the problem is transportation, many communities (like my own) have organized programs that match up people who can no longer drive with people who are willing to provide free rides to the store or doctors' appointments.  If it has become difficult to prepare food, contact Meals on Wheels or Feeding America to see if prepared meals can be delivered to your home.  If you do not know how to access these programs, contact your local senior center.  Many of them provide low cost lunches to senior citizens.  In addition, the senior center will be able to put you in touch with local charities and organizations that are available to help.

Senior hunger in America is a problem that we can address.  Let's reach out to our neighbors to make sure they are not suffering needlessly.

If you are interested in learning how to do a better job of preparing for your own retirement, you may want to check out the index articles below.  They each contain links to a number of other articles on that topic.  It is my sincere hope that better long-term planning may help my readers avoid some of the problems mentioned in this article:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement

Resources:

http://www.mowaa.org/about-senior-hunger

http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-facts/senior-hunger.aspx

You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of empty plate courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Cresswind at Lake Lanier Active Adult Community

A few years ago, a Baby Boomer couple we know moved from Southern California to Georgia, just outside of Atlanta.  They were attracted there because of the affordable home prices and the fact that their grown children both live on the East Coast.  The longer they have lived in the Atlanta area, the happier our friends have become with their new home and the Georgia lifestyle ... despite the fact that they have had to grow accustomed to periodic thunderstorms, occasional snow and an abundance of mosquitoes!  They feel that the beauty of the area and the relaxed lifestyle more than compensates for those minor hardships.

Although our friends did not move into an over-55 community, it would have been an easy option for them.  One popular retirement community that is located about an hour's drive northeast of Atlanta is Cresswind on Lake Lanier.   Lake Lanier is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is considered one of America's favorite lakes, with several million visitors a year.  The lake has 38,000 surface acres of water and 540 miles of shoreline.  There are numerous golf courses, resorts, restaurants and other recreational facilities located around it.  Being able to retire along the shores of this gorgeous lake is a dream come true for many Baby Boomers.

Amenities at Cresswind

To many retirees, it is not enough to simply have a lake house on the shores of Lake Lanier.  Boomers are also looking forward to an active retirement with a variety of ways to stay busy.  That's exactly what you will find at Cresswind.

Here are some of the features that are making this community especially attractive to active retirees:

Security gated entrance with a stunning waterfall
214 acres of maintained greenspace
Private marina with boat slips for residents
40,000 sq. foot clubhouse
Ballroom
Demonstration kitchen with gourmet cooking classes
Rooftop bar overlooking the lake
Aerobics room
Hobby workshop
Arts and crafts facilities
Learning center
Indoor and outdoor pools
Tennis courts
Walking paths
Billiards
Horseshoe pits
Bocce and pickleball courts
Outdoor movie theatre
Approximately 100 clubs run by homeowners

It is important to note that there is no golf course inside the community of Cresswind, an amenity that many retirees have come to expect.  However, within a short drive there are several gorgeous golf courses that are open to the public.

Home Prices and Features at Cresswind

Home prices range from the low $200,000's to the upper $300,000's for single family homes, which makes this community affordable to many retirees.

Floorplans are available in both two and three bedroom models, some with basements.  Among the features you can expect in your home are:

Granite counters in kitchen
Recessed can lighting
GE appliances
Aritokraft birch cabinetry
Oversized showers
Cultured marble tops in bathrooms
EMC security systems with monitoring included
Shaw Danner hardwood flooring in foyer, kitchen and breakfast rooms
Two car finished garages with LiftMaster garage door openers
Exterior flood lights
3-zone irrigation system             and much, much more!


Because there is no golf course, the monthly Homeowner's Dues are more affordable than in some other communities.  In 2013, they were $269 a month.

Community Recognition

This is an award winning community that has won both local and national recognition:

Named the 50+ Housing Community of the Year in 2012 by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association.  The community received awards in several categories, including community, building, and marketing.

Chosen by Where to Retire magazine in their July/August 2013 issue as one of the 50 best master planned communities in the United States.

Contact Information:

If you are looking for a retirement community in the Southern or the Mid-Atlantic states, you will want to pay a visit to Cresswind.  Here's their contact information:

Cresswind at Lake Lanier
3007 Scarlet Oak Lane
Gainesville, GA  30504

(770) 532-4926

www.cresswind.com

If you are interested in reading more about the Georgia lifestyle, tourist attractions and places to visit before making a decision, you may want to use this link to books about Georgia from Amazon.com.

If you are currently making retirement plans, you may also want to read some of the other articles linked in the index articles listed below:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement


You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of Lake Lanier courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Best Companies Offering Jobs for Seniors

Many Baby Boomers are nearing retirement age, only to find themselves unemployed or underemployed at the very time when they planned to continue to work and postpone retirement as long as possible.  If Boomers hope to have a comfortable retirement, most of them need to wait until their mid to late 60's before they collect their Social Security and pension benefits.  However, if someone is unemployed in their early 60's, or barely scraping by in a low paying job, they may begin to feel that they have no other alternative but to give up and take an early retirement.

If this describes your situation, it may help to know that AARP and the Society for Human Resource Management has put together a list of companies that have been recognized as having the best practices for recruiting and retaining mature workers ... those of us who are over the age of 50.

The companies on the list were chosen because they have fair recruiting practices, opportunities for their employees to receive special training, educational assistance and career development, a willingness to put in place workplace accommodations, excellent health, pension and retirement benefits, and a variety of work options including flexible scheduling, job-sharing and phased retirement.  In other words, not only are these great places to work, but they are accommodating about transitioning their employees gradually into retirement.

The Healthcare Industry Has Some of the Best Jobs for Baby Boomers

Insurance companies and healthcare facilities seem to lead the pack as far as offering excellent opportunities for people over the age of 50.  The good news about this field is that many community colleges and trade schools across the nation offer one and two year certification programs to train people to work in a variety of healthcare fields.  Consequently, if you find yourself years away from retirement and you are willing to be retrained, this may be an excellent area for you to pursue.  Over 40 percent of the companies on the AARP list were involved in some aspect of healthcare.

Listed below are the employers who were particularly commended by AARP for their senior friendly employment practices:

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Scripps Health
Atlantic Health
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Mercy Health System
WellStar Health System
West Virginia University Hospitals
Monongalia General Hospital
TriHealth Inc.
Yale-New Haven Hospital
Department of Veterans Affairs-Veterans Health Administration
Saint Vincent Health System
SSM Health Care
Mountain States Health Alliance
Central Florida Health Alliance
Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center
Tufts Health Plan
BlueCross and BlueShield of North Carolina
Ochsner Health System
Massachusetts General Hospital
Pinnacle Health System

If you do not live within commuting distance of one of the above institutions, but you would like to work in the healthcare industry, contact the human resources departments at the insurance companies, hospitals and medical facilities in your community and ask about the opportunities they may have for older workers.

Universities and Colleges

Other organizations that offered great job prospects for people over the age of 50 were institutions of higher learning.  While you may be thinking, "I'm not qualified to be a college professor," universities offer many other types of job opportunities including with their custodial, food services and clerical staffs. Many of these jobs pay well and have good job security.

Here is the list of educational institutions that were recognized by AARP for their great employment opportunities for seniors:

West Virginia University
Cornell University
George Mason University
Swarthmore College
School Board of Brevard County
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
University of Pittsburgh
American University

Even if you do not live near one of the institutions mentioned about, if you have another college or university in your community, don't forget to check out their employment opportunities when you are looking for a new job.

Best Private Corporate Employers of Seniors

The AARP and the Society for Human Resource Management also included a variety of private companies in several different industries on their list.  If you live near one of these companies you may also wish to explore your employment options with one of them:

The YMCA of Greater Rochester, New York
Bon Secours Virginia
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
S&T Bank
FCCI Insurance Group
Stanley Consultants Inc.
Southern Company
Michelin North America Inc.
Cianbro Corporation
Solix Inc.
Securian Financial Group
One Nevada Credit Union
MEI Technologies, Inc.
Coconino County
Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind
Lee County Electric Cooperative
Perkins Cole LLP
CheapCaribbean.com

Federal Agencies that Made the List

There were also a few federal government and regulatory agencies that made the AARP list, in addition to the Veteran's Administration and National Institutes of Health, mentioned above:

Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)

Whatever your background, there may be companies in your area that are looking for someone with your skill levels.  Whether you are looking for full-time work or the best part-time jobs for seniors, you will want to pay particular attention to hospitals, colleges, universities, insurance companies, utility companies, federal offices and financial services employers in your community.  These seem to be the types of institutions that have the best attitude towards hiring older workers.

Sources:
  
http://www.aarp.org/work/employee-benefits/info-09-2009/how_best_employers_selected.html
http://www.aarp.org/work/on-the-job/info-06-2013/aarp-best-employers-winners-2013.html

If you are currently making your own retirement plans, you may also want to check out the index articles listed below.  Each one contains an introduction plus links to a number of articles on that topic:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement


You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of National Institutes of Health courtesy of wikipedia commons: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NIH_Clinical_Research_Center_aerial.jpg

What to Consider When You Buy a Retirement Home

As a former Realtor, some of the decisions that my buyers made over the years caused me to worry about them.  On several occasions, I tried to talk buyers into purchasing a less expensive home because I was concerned that they were buying something at the extreme upper limit of their budget.  In other cases, I was concerned about the condition of the home they were buying or the neighborhood where they would be living.

Since this blog frequently features different cities, states and retirement communities that may interest those of you who are preparing to retire, this seemed like a good time to discuss some of the issues that buyers need to take to heart before they purchase a home for their retirement years.  As you will see below, no single type of retirement home will be right for everyone.  Some of the items mentioned below will only affect certain people.  However, here are some of the different issues I have noticed over the years.

The Cost of Living in Your Retirement Home

While you may be able to find a low-interest, fixed-rate mortgage or even pay cash for your home, you need to realize that your property taxes, insurance and homeowners dues are going to increase over time.  In addition, your property taxes and dues, in particular, may increase at a faster rate than the cost of living increases on your pension or Social Security benefits.  If you expect to live in your retirement home for ten years or more, the cost of home ownership could become more and more stressful unless you have set aside money or left a little wiggle room in your budget to allow for these expenses.

Maintenance Costs

When my parents left Missouri and purchased a home in Flagler Beach, Florida after they first retired, they loved being across the street from the ocean and enjoyed the wonderful views.  However, they did not count on the extra expenses that residents incur when they live so close to the ocean.  The outside compressor of their air conditioner had to be replaced every few years.  Other items around the house had to be replaced much more frequently than they anticipated, as well.  Eventually, my parents moved to a retirement community that is about 15 miles inland from the coast and they now have much lower maintenance costs.

Maintenance costs can also be high if you buy an older home in a charming historic town.  While you may have always dreamed of living in a gracious old home, it may not be a wise choice for a couple on a fixed income.  While you may plan on doing a lot of the maintenance and repair work yourselves, this can become increasingly more difficult as you age.

Even if you buy a brand new home, you still need to be sure to include home maintenance costs in your budget.  The longer you live there, the more likely there will be issues that will come up.

New Expenses You Never Had Before

If you are moving to a new part of the country, you may discover that you have some large expenses that were either smaller, or non-existent,  in your former location.  For example, if you move to Arizona, your summer air conditioning bill may be quite high.  The reverse is true if you move to a charming mountain community where you need to be prepared for cold winters and high heating bills.  There are also other expenses you should consider. You may want to purchase earthquake insurance if you move to Southern California, or flood insurance if you live in a an area where the rivers occasionally overflow.  Each part of the country has its own unique challenges.

In addition, when you buy special insurance to cover catastrophic events such as floods and earthquakes, you may discover that there are large deductibles.  For example, earthquake insurance usually has a $5000 deductible for your personal property.  If you are concerned about this, you may need to set money aside in a liquid asset account (not your retirement investments) to cover unexpected expenses you may incur in your new location.

Personal Security

I have known of retiring couples who purchased lofts in the downtown area of a major city or purchased homes in eclectic, mixed-used neighborhoods.  Several former retired couples I knew bought townhomes within walking distance of bustling business areas where there were lots of restaurants and bars.  They thought it would be fun to live in such a stimulating area.  Believe it or not, one successful psychiatrist and his wife even bought a townhome in one of these areas despite the fact that a homeless man was sleeping next to the front door when I showed it to them!  They insisted that they looked forward to living in such a "colorful" community.  A few years later, they moved.

While living in these types of neighborhoods may not be a problem while couples are still in the early years of their retirement and they are relatively young and active, this living arrangement could make them much more vulnerable and isolated as they age.  They are also more likely to become the victims of a crime.

Planning Ahead for Health Issues

Are you thinking about buying that two-story home with a basement in a charming old neighborhood?  While this may be your dream home, are the doorways and hallways wide enough to accommodate a wheel chair, should you ever need one?  Can the staircases handle a lift if you eventually have trouble getting up the stairs?  Can you easily add safety features like grab bars to the bathrooms, or does the house have old, plaster walls?

If you dismiss these problems by saying, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it" or "We'll just move to a retirement community if it becomes a problem," you may want to go ahead and move to that retirement community now and save yourself a move.  Many modern homes in retirement communities are designed to meet the needs of an aging population, while still providing lots of stimulation and neighborhood charm.

Think About Your Adult Children

Why should your adult children be a concern when you buy a retirement home?  There are several reasons.  First, they will not be able to move in with you and stay for more than 60 days if you live in an age restricted retirement community.  This is the federal law that governs these over-55 communities, although there are exceptions if your adult child is disabled, either mentally or physically.  However, if your able-bodied child wants to move back in with you after a job loss or divorce, sixty days is as long as they can stay.  To be honest, many seniors feel that this is one of the advantages of moving to an over-55, age restricted retirement community.  On the other hand, there are people who may actually want to have one of their children move in with them and they should consider this when deciding where to live.  There are many very nice master planned communities that are not age restricted, and these might be a better option for some families.

Even if you are certain that none of your children will ever want to live with you, you need to consider whether or not your dream retirement home is too far away from your children and grandchildren.  My parents moved from Missouri to Florida when they were in their 50's, and they have owned a couple of different homes there over the years.  Now they are in their 80's and really need to have family nearby.  However, they are resisting the idea of returning to Missouri to be near my sister and their other relatives.  Nor do they want to move to California, where I live.  My mother, in particular, is adamant that she wants to stay where she is, despite the fact that they are both in failing health and my mother has developed severe dementia, which may be fueling her anxiety and fear of moving.  My sister plans to force the issue in a few months and it will be difficult.

Retirees need to carefully consider whether they want to live a long distance from their families.  In the early years, it will make it harder to visit grandchildren.  In later years, it will be more difficult for their children to give them the assistance that they may need.

Don't Forget to Negotiate

There is one more issue to consider if you are moving to a new community.  If you have lived in the home where you raised your family for many years, you may not be used to aggressive negotiating when you purchase a new home from a developer.

While you may not be able to get the developer to come down in price, you can frequently get them to throw in a few "goodies" for free or at a discount ... but only if you ask.  I was an on-site agent for a developer for several years, and I want to pass on some practical advice to help you get the best deal possible. Before meeting with the agent, practice sounding a little hesitant about making the purchase.  Don't express too much enthusiasm for the home when the on-site agent is within hearing distance.  Mention other master planned communities in the area that you are considering.  Say things like, "I like this plan, but at that price I don't think I would be able to ......"  Fill in the blank with whatever you want, such as upgrades to your light fixtures, carpet or granite, a hydrotub, enlargements to the patio, or minor alterations to the design.  In order to make the sale, the on-site agent may be authorized to throw in some amenities or upgrades at a discount, or even for free.  However, they won't offer to do this unless you ask or they think a few extras could make the difference in whether or not they make the sale.  It is certainly worth a try!

To get more ideas about purchasing a retirement home, you may want to order the book "Buying a Second Home: Income, Getaway or Retirement" using this link to Amazon.

While you are planning your retirement, you may also be interested in checking out the index articles below.   Each one contains an introduction, plus links to a number of other articles on that topic:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement


You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of homes courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Home Sharing Arrangements with Senior Roommates

Like many other American women, a friend of mine has a husband with several serious medical issues.  In addition, he is fifteen years older than she is, giving her good reasons to believe that she will probably outlive him.  Among her other concerns, she is worried about how she will be able to afford her house payments, homeowner's association dues, utilities and other expenses if he dies and she is forced to live on just one retirement income.  One possibility that she has seriously explored is having another woman move in with her as a roommate.

House sharing has become a popular option among Baby Boomers and older retirees, particularly women.  According to an article entitled "Home Sweet Home" in the June, 2013 issue of the AARP Bulletin, approximately four million women who are over the age of 50 currently live in a home with at least one other woman in the same age group.

Reasons To Consider Sharing a House

There are many reasons why older women who haven't lived with another woman in decades are now beginning to accept the idea of having roommates once again.  Here are some of the more common reasons:

At least one in three women will live a substantial part of their senior years without a spouse.

In addition to becoming widowed, the divorce rate for couples over the age of 50 has increased significantly, actually doubling in the past two decades.

A substantial number of women retirees, in particular, will receive only a small amount of Social Security benefits, often $1200 a month or less.

Many women want to maintain some privacy as they get older, but they also want companionship and friends nearby.   Having a private room in shared housing is a satisfactory compromise.

Safety is another consideration.  Women living alone are more vulnerable to being victimized than women living in groups.  In addition, should one of them fall or become injured, it is reassuring to know that help is nearby.

House Sharing Agreements

If you are considering this option, you and your housemates will need to have a written agreement that covers many of the potential problems that can arise.  What you put in the agreement will vary depending on the specific home sharing arrangement you have ... co-renters, co-owners or landlord/tenant.  Among the issues that need to be clarified in writing are:

The portion of the rent or house payment, as well as utilities, each person will pay.  Everyone needs to be aware that these amounts are likely to increase in the future as rents, property taxes and utilities rise.

The private room or rooms that each person will occupy.

Who is responsible for the various chores, such as cleaning the common areas, taking out the trash, paying the common bills, handling the yard work, etc.

Clearly defined limitations on overnight guests.  If you or your housemates have grandchildren nearby, you may also want to limit daytime visits, as well.  You may think your grandchildren can do no wrong; your roommates may disagree.

Rules that designate "quiet times" in the home, such as after 10:00 p.m. and before 8:00 a.m. Televisions, radios, etc. may only be heard by using earphones during those hours.

Rules regarding other issues such as smoking, having pets, setting up an escrow account for repairs (if you are co-owners), kitchen messes, or noisy hobbies such as playing an instrument need to be worked out and put in writing.

Decisions need to be made in advance regarding what will happen if one of the housemates becomes too ill or weak to continue to participate in an independent living arrangement.  If you are co-owners and one of the parties must enter a nursing home, what will happen? What is everyone's "Plan B?"

Finally, you may want to speak with  attorneys, financial planners and similar advisers, particularly if you and your housemates are purchasing a home together.  There are a lot of legal issues to consider.

House Sharing Websites

If you are interested in senior shared housing, you will want to do additional research.  Here are a few websites which can help you locate roommates.  I have not used any of them myself in order to find a roommate, but these are the sites that were specifically mentioned in the AARP article:

http://www.homesharenow.org/

http://www.livingincommunity.net/

http://www.letssharehousing.com/

In addition, if you are considering a home sharing arrangement with strangers, I strongly suggest that you proceed cautiously, ask for personal references and get a background check.  You want to have as much information as possible about the people with whom you will be sharing a home.

Books to Give You Additional Information

Several people who have gone through the ups and downs of shared housing have written books on the topic.   You may be interested in picking up one or two of them to get additional insight into the things you need to consider before entering into an agreement.  Here are two from Amazon that looked particularly interesting:

"My House, Our House:  Living Far Better for Far Less in a Cooperative Household."


"Sharing Housing:  A Guidebook for Finding and Keeping Good Housemates"


If you are in the process of planning your retirement, or you are already retired, you may also be interested in checking out the index articles listed below.  Each one contains an introduction plus links to other articles in this blog.

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement

You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of three women friends is courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Soleil Laurel Canyon Active Adult Community in Georgia

If Georgia is your dream retirement location, one of the best master planned communities in the state, according to Where to Retire magazine, is Soleil Laurel Canyon in Canton, Georgia.  Residents in this age restricted, over-55 community can fish in their community's own lake while gazing out at the gorgeous Blue Ridge mountains.

Within five miles of the community, retirees can find restaurants, department stores, dry cleaners and other helpful businesses in and around the town of Canton.  The town also has a weekly Farmer's Market from spring to fall, live performances in the Canton Theatre, and fun festivals.  You'll love the charming town square, shown in the photo at the top of this article.

Since Canton is only located about 40 miles north of Atlanta, you have all the advantages of living near that major metropolitan area, as well.  Whether you want shopping, entertainment, sporting events or fine dining, Atlanta has it all.  In addition, Canton is only about a one hour drive from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which makes it easy for people who love to travel.

There are tax advantages for people who choose to retire in the state of Georgia.  Retirement income for residents over the age of 62 is exempt from state income taxes up to $35,000 per person.  Social security income is also exempt from state income taxes.  Property taxes are quite reasonable compared to many other states.  For an average home priced at $340,000 in Soleil Laurel Canyon, the property taxes for residents over the age of 62 would currently be less than $1000 a year (in 2013).

The weather in this region of Georgia is also very pleasant.  The temperate climate has an average high temperature of 87 degrees in July and 49 degrees in January.

If Georgia is your top choice for retirement, there are numerous reasons why you may want to consider living in Soleil Laurel Canyon:

Amenities

This beautiful retirement community boasts a number of appealing amenities that are centered around the beautiful 28,000 sq. ft. Craftsman-style clubhouse.  Here are some of the opportunities that await you:

Arts and Crafts Center
Gourmet Teaching Kitchen
Theatre and Performing Arts Center
Fitness Center
Walking trails
An amphitheater
Tennis and pickle ball courts
Bocce Ball
Billiards room
Fitness center
Library
Heated indoor saline lap pool
Heated Lagoon-style outdoor pool
Community garden and greenhouse
3.5 acre fishing lake (this lake is, perhaps, one of the most appealing features of this charming community)

There are also two lifestyle directors on staff who plan a wide variety of opportunities for residents to attend special activities such as social events, trips to area attractions, and movie nights.

Golfers need to be aware that this is not a golf community, which many retirees have come to expect in other master planned retirement neighborhoods.  However, golf is available nearby at the Fairways of Canton golf course that is adjacent to the community.  There are also several additional golf courses in the town of Canton, so there is no reason to give up golf or to ever be bored with your golf choices.

If you are interested in taking classes, including in subjects like art or computers, nearby Kennesaw State University has a Lifelong Learning Institute for adults age 50 and over.

Another amenity that is very appealing to many retirees are all the services that are included in your HOA dues, including complete lawn maintenance, a sprinkler system, home security systems with monitoring and Comcast cable television.  It is important to consider these included services when you are comparing the dues of various master planned communities.

Housing Prices in Soleil Laurel Canyon

The well designed homes in this community are energy efficient and have a number of special features that make it easy to age-in-place, including wide doorways, stepless entries and wheelchair accessible showers.

Home prices range from the low $200,000 range to the upper $400,000's for single family homes in this new home community.  As of mid 2013, less than 350 of the 728 planned homes have been built.

Homeowner's Association Fees in mid-2013 are $265 a month.  This is much less expensive than some other retirement communities, and may be partially explained by the fact that there is not a golf course on the premises.

Contact Information

Soleil Laurel Canyon
102  High Mountain Trace
Canton, Georgia 30114

(678) 880-3071

http://SoleilLaurelCanyon.com

If you are considering retiring to Georgia, you may also want to use this link to order books from Amazon about Georgia retirement.

For readers who are busy with their retirement planning, check out the index articles listed below.  Each one contains an introduction as well as links to a number of articles on that topic.  You should find the information very helpful:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement



You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of the Canton, Georgia town square is courtesy of www.en.wikipedia.org/commons

Fighting Elder Abuse Around the World

When I opened the weekly paper for my retirement village this morning, I was interested to see an article about World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.  Until I read the article, I didn't know there was a special day set aside to bring this sad reality to our attention.  Unfortunately, there is no question that it is necessary.  The day has been recognized since June 15, 2006 and is intended to help social workers, police, adult protective service workers, nursing home staff, family members and others who come in contact with the elderly to be better educated and able to recognize the signs of elder abuse.  The program was launched by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations.  Obviously, this is a problem around the world, as Japan recently passed a law allowing elderly parents to sue their adult children if the children neglect or fail to visit them.

Statistics on Elder Abuse in the US

According to representatives from the Ageless Alliance of Orange County, California, one in ten senior citizens is abused.  This amounts to approximately five million people nationwide.  Studies by the National Center on Elder Abuse have found that between 7.6% and 10% of seniors who were part of a study were willing to admit that they had experienced abuse in the prior year.  Sadly, there are indications that many seniors are reluctant to report it, although Adult Protective Services does believe there is a trend towards better reporting.

Financial abuse alone was reported in one study by 41 out of 1000 seniors who were surveyed.

The problem may even be much more serious than these numbers indicate, since the New York State Elder Abuse Prevalence Study discovered that for every one abused elderly person who comes to the attention of authorities, approximately twenty-four cases go unreported.

This seemed almost impossible for me to believe until I read about the different ways that seniors can be mistreated, often by the people they most trust.

Types of Elder Abuse

Seniors can be abused in a number of ways. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse website, it appears that more elderly women are abused than men and that the older a person is, the more likely that person is to be abused.  In approximately 90% of cases, family members, such as adult children or spouses, are most likely to be the abusers.  Researchers have also discovered that people with dementia are far more likely to be victims of elder abuse than those without.  Here are some common types of elder abuse:

Neglect:  This includes incidents in which either a paid caregiver or a member of the family fails to meet an elderly person's basic needs or protect them from harm.  This can happen whether the person is living in their own home or in a nursing home.  In fact, in one study done in the year 2000, 95% of nursing home residents said that either they had personally been neglected or they had seen another resident neglected.  Since so many of us may eventually need to spend our last few months or years in a skilled nursing facility, I found this statistic particularly alarming.

Emotional Abuse:  Emotional abuse can include berating, threatening or demeaning an elderly person.  Emotional abuse may cause significant psychological distress and lower self-esteem.

Physical Abuse:  Physical violence against the elderly can increase other health problems and bring on depression or anxiety.  The victims also have a 300% higher risk of death when they are compared to people who have not been physically abused.

Financial Abuse:  Many seniors are especially reluctant to let their family members know when they have been taken advantage of financially, because they don't want to appear to be incapable of handling their own money.  They are often afraid they will lose their financial and personal freedom if their children learn what happened to them.  As a result, they may be the victim of a scam and never say anything to anyone.  As I have reported before in this blog, I have known two different intelligent, well-educated people who were victimized by scammers pretending to be relatives and asking that money be wired to them.  Both of my friends were horrified that they could be so gullible.

Sexual Abuse: Believe it or not, even bed-ridden elderly women have been raped.  To make matters worse, they are often not believed when they report it, which allows the perpetrator freedom to continue to abuse that person or another elderly person in their care.

Examples of Elder Abuse

There are undoubtedly millions of examples of Elder Abuse that have occurred in this country.  One case which was reported in my local newspaper occurred when an 85 year old woman allowed her only son to come stay with her.  He was actively using drugs and alcohol, his wife had left him and he had lost his job.

Before long, her son was growing marijuana on the patio of her retirement condo and threatening that he would report her for being incompetent to handle her own finances so that he could be appointed her conservator.  She was terrified of her son and his threats, although she eventually turned to social services for help.

In another case, our local newspaper reported on the case of a 76 year old man who remarried.  Within four years, his wife had sold everything of value that he owned and left him with $100,000 in credit card debt.   This may not be an unusual situation, since the father of a friend of mine had a similar experience when he remarried late in life.  My friend eventually had to assist her father in filing for both divorce and bankruptcy.

As you can see, elder abuse is something we all need to know about.  It can happen in anyone's family.

Resources:

National Center on Elder Abuse website: https://ncea.acl.gov/FAQ.aspx

You may also want to read:  The Ultimate Internet Safety Guide for Seniors

Another good option is:  "Elder Abuse Prevention Resource Guide"

 

"Village Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day" Laguna Woods Globe, Thursday, July 11, 2013.

If you are interested in information on retirement planning for yourself or your parents, or want to learn about Medicare, Social Security, financial planning, where to retire and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.  Each ones contains an introduction and links to a number of articles on that topic.


You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo of elderly woman courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Do You Qualify for Extra Senior Services or Benefits?

One of the reasons I like living in a retirement community is because they do such a good job of keeping residents informed about issues that could affect us.  Many of the mailers that are sent to us report on programs or events for seniors that I would know nothing about if I lived in a typical residential neighborhood.  This week we received notice of a new Benefits Checkup website that has been created by the National Council on Aging.  Anyone with access to a computer can easily find out if they qualify for additional benefits or special services.  Many seniors suffer needlessly simply because they do not know how to access the programs that could help them.

Even if you are a Baby Boomer who has not yet retired, you may be interested in using this website to see if you can discover any programs that could provide assistance to your parents or other elderly members of your family.

What Senior Citizen Benefits Might be Available?

Wouldn't it be a nice surprise to discover that you may qualify for some additional help as you age?  Here are examples of the types of services or discounts that various government agencies and nonprofit organizations may be able to provide:

Medicare and Medi-Cal
Veterans' benefits
Employment Services
Nutritional Assistance
Home-delivered meals
Prescription drug assistance
Housing assistance
In-home care

The National Council on Aging Benefits Checkup

Thanks to the National Council on Aging, you can do a general benefits checkup using just one website to see which types of assistance you may be eligible to receive.  You will still have to contact the different agencies separately to apply for the actual benefits.  However, you can use this one website to discover specific agencies or organizations that are most likely to provide you with the services you need.  Here is the website:

http://www.benefitscheckup.org

What Information You Need to Provide the Benefits Checkup Website

In order for the website to be able to help you locate senior support services, you will need to be prepared to provide certain information.  Before you log on, make sure you have the following facts available:

Your state of residence and zip code
Whether you live in a home, apartment or mobile home
How long you have lived at your current residence
Your status as a Veteran
Your spouse's status as a Veteran
Whether or not you or your spouse ever worked for:
     A State Government
     The Federal Government
     A local government agency
     The Railroads
Names of all the prescription medications you currently take
The current income for yourself, your spouse and all members of your household
Your assets, including the value of your property, stocks, savings account, etc.
Your estimated expenses, including:
     Mortgage or rent payments
     Utilities
     Out of pocket medical expenses

They estimate that it will take most people at least 20 minutes to complete the benefits checkup.

After you have input all this information, the website will provide you with a list of all the programs that you may wish to contact for assistance.  Most of them will have their own application process.  However, by using the National Council on Aging checklist, you may discover several programs that you never even knew existed.

If you are interested in learning more about special programs for seniors, use this link to find a number of Amazon books about senior benefits.

If you are interested in more helpful retirement information from this blog, check out the index articles below.  Each one contains an introduction to that topic plus links to a number of related articles:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement

You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of computer courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Starting Over in New Retirement Destinations

Many Baby Boomers already have a vague idea of where they would like to live after retirement, whether that means Florida, South Carolina, Southern California, Arizona, some other region of the U.S., or even another country.  However, if you are within ten years of retirement, have you actually taken steps to narrow things down to a few specific retirement destinations where you would like to live?  After all, simply saying Florida or Ecuador is not very specific if you really want a smooth transition to retirement.  You are going to have to put some effort into picking a specific location and then making the transition happen.

Choosing the Best Retirement Destinations

Long before you are ready to move into a retirement home, you have to begin to search for the right community that will work best for you.  This is true whether you are looking at places within the United States or in a foreign country.  Here are some steps you should take:

Years before you expect to move, you should begin to take trips to various retirement destinations.  Be open.  For example, if you think you want to retire in Florida, take some vacations there.  However, you should also spend some time in nearby areas such as Georgia, South Carolina and along the coast of Alabama. Take into consideration issues such as how far you would be living from family members, such as grandchildren or elderly parents.  Compare the distant retirement destinations with a few retirement communities that are located in the same region where you currently live.  Since there are now retirement communities located throughout the United States, there is no reason why you should have to move far away from your loved ones unless you really want to.  This is the time to explore all you options, so enjoy it.

When you go on vacation, try to rent a place to stay that is in or near the retirement communities you are considering.  If you contact some of the newer communities in advance, many of them have special programs that allow you to spend a weekend in their community, take a tour and use some of the amenities.  If this is not an option, call a Realtor in the area and ask if they would show you some of the available homes in the neighborhood during your vacation trip.  Both of these are excellent ways to see which communities might work for you.

In addition to visiting during your annual vacation, I suggest you tour your favorite retirement destinations in the off season.  Go to Arizona or South Florida in mid-summer.  If you are considering retiring in Seattle, Pennsylvania or rural Michigan, go in the middle of winter.  You want to know the worst.

Read up on a variety of retirement locations.  There are many that you may not have heard about.  In addition, there may be negatives about certain areas that the property managers and Realtors will not tell you.  Read the articles in this blog (see the index articles at the end of this article to find links to dozens of articles about specific retirement destinations), and do research on other websites, as well.  You want to be fully informed.

Make a budget for your housing and stick to it.  Don't be persuaded to overspend.  It will only make you regret your housing decision.

How to Make the Transition to Retirement Easy

Even before you make the move, you need to begin to get ready for the change.  The first thing you may need to do is downsize your belongings.  This is a great time to give your children some of your possessions that they would like to have and you no longer need.  In addition, if you are storing things to give your children someday in the future, now is the time!  Three of our four daughters have items that came from our previous, larger homes.  When we go visit our kids, I jokingly tell them that I am "visiting our furniture."  It's important to accept that you are really giving these things away.  Do not get distressed if your old items are not treated with the same care you once gave them.  These items are gifts.  Let them go.

Once you have downsized your belongings, you are ready to actually prepare for your move.  Once you are within a year or so of making the change, put your current home up for sale, particularly if you find yourself in a "hot" real estate market.  That may not be the case in another year, so take advantage of strong real estate markets, when you can.

 If you sell your home sooner than planned, and you are still a few months away from retirement, you can rent a small apartment or home temporarily.  Many apartment complexes will let you rent month-to-month if you know you are going to be there less than six months.

Once you are ready to move to your retirement destination, if you are still uncertain whether it is right for you, lease a home in your chosen community for a year.  After that you will be better prepared to commit yourself.

Starting Over In a New Location

After you have moved and gotten settled, you cannot simply sit at home.  If you do, your new location will eventually stop seeming like your dream retirement.  In Laguna Woods Village, where we currently live in Southern California, there are dozens of activities going on all day long, every day of the year.  No one could possibly participate in a tenth of the activities offered.  However, I know that there are people here who are lonely and never participate in anything.  You will have to make the first move by getting out of the house and becoming active in your new community.  That is the only way to meet new people, which is important at any age.

Get involved.  Join a club, church or sports league. 

Sign up for a class, whether you want to learn bridge, photography or art.  Many community colleges, and even some four-year colleges, offer special Emeritus classes for seniors.  I take several free exercise classes through the local community college, and they are great for me both physically and socially.  The same community college also offers a wide variety of free classes in art, computer applications, history and other interesting subjects, both academic and non-academic.  Have fun learning new things!

Go to the gym or the swimming pool in your community.  Nearly every retirement community has both.

Make an effort to find friends.  Reach out to others.  Many of your new neighbors will also be transplants from other parts of the country, so they may be open to new friendships, too.

Expect some moments of homesickness.  Fortunately, today it is easy to stay in touch.  Call the people you miss and occasionally Skype with them.  In addition, periodic visits back to the old neighborhood can help keep the homesickness at bay.

If you are nervous or worried about meeting new people, you may be interested in this direct link to Amazon books about how adults can make new friends.  With very little effort, you'll soon be much happier in your new home.

If you are interested in learning more about some of the interesting retirement communities that are available, as well as getting other types of retirement information, click on the index articles below.  Each one contains an introduction and links to a number of helpful articles.

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement


You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of suburban home courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Sun City Shadow Hills in Indio, California

Many people who are planning their retirement are hesitant to consider California because they believe it is too expensive to retire there.  However, there are a number of affordable over-55 retirement communities that are attractive and have a wide variety of amenities, especially in the desert towns around Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley.  One of these is Sun City Shadow Hills in Indio, California.

Sun City Shadow Hills was listed in Where to Retire magazine, in their July/August 2013 issue, as one of the 50 best master-planned communities in the U.S.  This list was culled from ALL master planned communities in the United States, not just those designed for people over the age of 55.

Shadow Hills Amenities

This beautiful desert retirement community was developed by Del Webb and has a wide variety of the amenities that many retirees are requesting.

Golfers will love:

18 hole putting course
18 hole Par-3 course that is about 3,000 yards long
18 hole Championship golf course that is 6,773 yard long

Golfers and non-golfers alike will enjoy:

A 35,000 square foot main clubhouse
A second clubhouse, called the Santa Rosa
The amphitheatre
The Performing Arts and Ballroom facilities
Billiards and table games
Fitness centers at the clubhouses
Hobby, card and game rooms
Tennis and Bocce Courts
Both Indoor and outdoors pools and jacuzzies

In addition, the staff and volunteers in the community organize special events and trips to other locations in Southern California, including the San Diego zoo, area casinos and the wine country.

The nearby Coachella Valley communities of Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs, La Quinta, Indian Wells and Indio all offer a wide variety of special events, activities and attractions of their own, including art galleries, art museums, world class tennis facilities, restaurants, shops, movie theaters and a variety of festivals, including a spectacular hot air balloon festival.  The towns have wide, palm lined boulevards that take you past the entrances to beautiful resorts and planned communities.  Street sculptures, like the one pictured in the above photo, are sprinkled throughout the various desert communities.  There is no reason to be bored while you live in Sun City Shadow Hills!

Cost of Living

There are a wide variety of home prices in this wonderful community, ranging from about $200,000 for a 1,321 square foot home to approximately $455,000 for a larger 2,955 square foot single family home.  With 10 different home designs, buyers have plenty of choices in both design and price.

The monthly homeowner's fee in 2013 was $237.

Property taxes run approximately 1.4 percent of the value of your property.  This means that if you purchase a $300,000 home, your property taxes will run approximately $4,200 a year, or perhaps slightly more if there are special assessments or parcel taxes that have been added on.

Conveniently Located

Residents of this area not only enjoy the amenities of their own community and the rest of the Coachella Valley, but they are also less than a two hour drive to the coastal communities of Los Angeles and Orange County.  In addition, a roughly two hour drive in another direction can take residents up into the mountain communities of Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead.  There are an enormous variety of climates and activities available to active seniors who want to have a convenient location to call home.

Disadvantages

The only complaints I have ever heard about this community is the summer desert heat and the periodic wind and dust storms that erupt from time to time.  In both cases, the residents have two choices.  They can either confine their outdoor activities to early morning and late evening, or they can rent a place to stay near the coast during a portion of the summer.

I have had friends who have chosen both options, and they have managed to get through those hot, dry, windy summer days with little difficulty.  However, for people who really hate the idea of a dry desert climate, this community may be less appealing.

More Information

If you would like to read more about the Coachella Valley, you may want to read a few books about the area.   You can use this direct link to Amazon.com books about Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley to see the choices that are currently available. 

Contact Information for Sun City Shadow Hills

If you would like to get more information specifically about Shadow Hills or plan a visit, here is their website and contact information:

http://www.delwebb.com/communities/ca/indio/sun-city-shadow-hills

On the website you can also make arrangements to schedule a two-night visit for only $99, including a tour of the community and participation in an activity.

Sun City Shadow Hills
81-346 Corte Compras
Indio, CA  92203

Toll Free number:  (800) 420-5059


For those of you who are looking for more retirement planning ideas, or want to get information about other places to retire, click on the index articles listed below.  Each one as a short introduction as well as links to a wide variety of other articles on that topic.

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement


You are reading from the article:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of modern sculpture in Palm Desert, California is courtesy of www.en.wikipedia.org/commons

Are Cruise Ships Safe for Your Next Vacation?

One of the preferred vacation venues for many Baby Boomers, as well as people in other age groups, is to travel by cruise ship.  It is incredibly convenient to travel between locations without the necessity of changing hotels or dealing with rental cars in unfamiliar locations.  In addition, it is nice not to have to worry about where to eat, where to find a hair salon, how to arrange for sight-seeing tours or any of the other concerns that can come up when we are traveling on our own.

However, the cruise industry has also received a lot of bad publicity in the past few years, causing concerns about cruise ship safety to receive international attention.  Perhaps the best known event was the tragic accident when the Costa Concordia hit rocks and sank off the coast of Italy in January, 2012, killing 32 people.  Less dramatic events have included people falling (or being pushed) overboard, on-board fires, flu outbreaks, loss of power, overflowing toilets, bad weather and similar problems and disasters.  These events have led many travelers to wonder if the risk is worth the reward.

Are Cruise Ships Safe?

Fortunately, despite the headlines, cruise ships actually have an excellent safety record.  According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), more than 17 million people a year take cruises, virtually all of them without a problem.

Still, crimes do happen.  In 2012, the Coast Guard reported that they investigated 15 crimes on cruise ships.   Eleven of those investigations involved sexual assaults, with crew members being suspected in six of those cases.  In addition, a number of cruise ship crimes are not investigated by members of the Coast Guard, but by Bahamian authorities, because many ships are registered in that country.  Problems occur with ships registered in other countries, as well.  One analysis by researchers of all the cruise ship crimes reported worldwide for 2008 indicated that there were 151 reports of unwanted sexual contact or touching, with 56 of those cases involving a crew member ... either as the victim or the aggressor.  This appears to be the most common type of crime to occur on a cruise ship.

While any level of crime is unacceptable, when you consider the small number of crimes compared to the 17 million people traveling on these ships, the fact is that crime rates are significantly lower on sea than on land.   However, in order to improve our knowledge of criminal activity on board ships, Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia sent letters in May, 2013 to three of the major cruise lines, Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, demanding that they do a better job of reporting crime statistics.  Senate hearings are expected to eventually be held on this topic, although they haven't been scheduled as of this writing.

How to Increase Your Cruise Ship Safety

Of course, no matter how low the crime rate is, most of us would prefer to not be the victim of a crime during our vacation.  Fortunately, there are actions you can take in order to increase your personal safety and enhance your vacation fun.  After all, nothing can ruin a cruise faster than falling victim to a crime, being injured, or having similar vacation hassles.  By taking a few precautions, you can increase the likelihood that you will avoid many emergencies and be able to survive the few situations that you cannot avoid.  Here are a few actions that are highly recommended:

Participate in the onboard safety drill.  The crew members will let you know where your lifeboat is located and may have you try on your life jacket.  Don't skip this activity.  While it is unlikely that you will ever need either your lifeboat or life jacket, you definitely want to know where they are before an emergency!

Try on your life jacket and make sure you have enough life jackets in your cabin, in the correct sizes, for everyone in your cabin.  If your kids or grandchildren are with you, make sure they have jackets that are the right size for them, too.

Be aware of fire hazards.  When my husband and I took our children on a cruise to the Bahamas about 15 years ago, we were watching a magic show in the theater when a fire started in an area behind the stage.  Everyone calmly evacuated the theater, which was then closed for the remainder of the cruise.  However, if the fire had spread or people had panicked, this event could have turned into a disaster.  Fire is a serious concern for cruise ships.  According to reports, fires have been started by people who threw their cigarette butts over the side, only to have them get sucked back into the ship.  Consequently, it is important that you only smoke in designated areas and dispose of your butts correctly,  In addition, don't light candles in your cabin!

Register your name with the U.S. Department of State's free Traveler Enrollment Program.  This will help if you are in a foreign port and you need assistance in an emergency. 

Check the U.S. Department of State's website for travel warnings about any foreign countries you may be visiting on your cruise.  You should take these travel warnings into consideration in planning your trip.  We once went to Puerto Vallarta when the local citizens were rioting over the death of a teenage boy who had been killed by the police.  We also visited Jamaica during a time of so much political instability that guests had been killed in our luxury resort just a few days before our arrival.  In neither case did we have any idea that these things were going on before we arrived.  I would advise other travelers to be a little more responsible than we were and check the State Department's website before planning a trip to any foreign country, whether going by sea or by air.

Give thoughtful attention to your shore excursions.  If you take a group excursion that has been arranged by your cruise company, you are unlikely to have any problems.  However, if you decide to rent a car and go exploring on your own in an unfamiliar country, you need to do some serious investigating in advance to make sure you know where you are going and that you will be in a relatively safe area.  You also want to make sure you allow ample time to get back to your cruise ship before it sets sail, again.  They won't wait for you!

Do not take valuables on your cruise.  I have heard of a number of cases of people who had belongings stolen while they were on a cruise ship.  Just because you are on vacation does not mean that you can let down your guard.  You need to practice the same personal safety precautions that you would anywhere else.

Be aware of the risk of sexual assaults.  Women should be cautious about about being approached by strange men.  Despite the old television show, the "Love Boat," onboard romances do not always turn out well.  In addition, do not leave children alone in cabins.  There have been a few incidents reported of crew members letting themselves into cabins and molesting unsupervised children.  Overall, however, incidents of sexual assault do appear to be on the decline.  In 2010, there was 28 cases reported to the FBI.  In 2011, there were 13.  In 2012, only one case had been reported by mid-year.  Modern cruise ships have security cameras and sophisticated security departments, which have increased their safety.  Still, it is wise for women and children to be a little extra cautious and avoid being left alone in deserted areas of the ship, especially at night.

Exercise good judgement and limit your alcohol consumption while on vacation.  Some people feel that a cruise is their opportunity to really let loose.  However, many accidents, injuries and incidences of sexual assault have occurred when the victim was drunk.  Simply by keeping your alcohol consumption at a reasonable level, you can do a lot to reduce the likelihood that something bad will happen on your cruise.

Don't forget your personal hygiene while you are on vacation.  There have been outbreaks of the flu and other communicable diseases on many ships.  On the cruise we took to Alaska a few years ago, there were hand sanitizing stations located at the entrance to every food establishment and ship personnel stood nearby and encouraged the guests to use the sanitizers.  You may also want to pack hand sanitizers or sanitizing wipes in your luggage, to reduce your exposure to harmful bacteria.

Take typical weather conditions into consideration.  August and September are the most likely months for hurricanes to pop up in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.  Unless you are very adventurous, you may want to take that knowledge into consideration when planning your cruise.

Buy travel insurance.  If you encounter serious problems on your cruise, your travel insurance plan may be able to assist you in arranging a medical evacuation or a security evacuation in the event of a natural disaster.  They also provide coverage for trip cancellations, travel delays, lost luggage and other common travel problems.  This is one way to make it easier for you to deal with any problems that do come up on your dream summer cruise.

Bottom line:  Overall, cruising is one of the safest forms of vacation travel available and, by taking a few reasonable precautions, you can sharply reduce the likelihood that you will have any problem at all.

If you love to cruise, you may also be interested in checking out this direct link to cruise vacation information on Amazon.com.


More Retirement Information:

If you are recently retired or planning to retire soon, you may be interested in looking through the index articles below.  Click on one and you will find a brief introduction and links to more articles on that topic.

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement

Sources:

http://www.aarp.org/travel/cruises/info-05-2012/cruise-ship-trip-safety.2.html

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2012/06/27/how-safe-is-your-cruise-ship/

http://www.travelguard.com/

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20130609/NEWS01/306090049/Cruise-ship-crime-stats-aren-t-smooth-sailing


You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of cruise ship courtesy of www.morguefile.com