Note: This is Part 2 of a 3 Part series. In Part 1 we laid out the basic facts about the Sunshine State and divided it into 8 different regions. Now we'll get a little more discriptive about each of those regions.
Panhandle
First, in Florida’s Panhandle on the Gulf of Mexico you will find towns like Panama City and Pensacola. Both are relatively low key, lower cost, and very popular with retirees. Panama City has a reputation for attracting spring breakers in the springtime. Since there is several large military bases in the area, many military retirees have decided to retire here. There are great beaches here and numerous bays – fishing and boating are topnotch.
At the start of the Panhandle in the “Big Bend Area” is Tallahassee, a completely different kind of place. A college town, it is home to both Florida State Univ. and Florida A & M. Also the state’s capital, it is considered one of the more liberal enclaves in the state (although people who view themselves as conservatives will find like-minded people too). Though not on the water, it is only an hour’s drive to very peaceful areas of the Gulf, such as Apalachicola.
The real estate market is relatively stable and slightly below the state median price. Traffic can be bad. Winters are mild. Although there is an occasional frost, the prime vegetable growing season is winter.
Northeast Florida – Jacksonville to Daytona Beach
Jacksonville is one of Florida’s 3 big urban areas, along with Tampa/St. Pete and Miami. This one tends to attract the youngest residents. There are huge suburbs and new developments. Some of these include neighborhoods for families with children, along with others designed for the 55+ crowd, an approach that is attractive to many who want to retire near their grandchildren.
Going east from the city, Jacksonville Beach offers many little neighborhoods on the beach. Jacksonville has a great airport and some of the country’s top medical facilities.
As one goes south along the beach you run into very wealthy enclaves like Ponte Vedra, home to many famous and/or wealthy people. Historic St. Augustine is an interesting, if touristy town.
Palm Coast is a massive development originally started by ITT in 1969. Now a city, it is one of the largest developments in the country. It has multiple neighborhoods and developers, and attracts families and retirees for the recreation, newer homes, and attractive prices. At $120,000, 2011 home prices were lower than the Florida median.
Finally there is Daytona Beach, site of the famed speedway. The city on the beach has somewhat of a checkered reputation as first a destination for spring breakers and now for motorcycle rallies.
Mid Atlantic – the Space Coast
From Titusville to Port St. Lucie, Florida’s Atlantic Coast tends to be overlooked. The traffic isn’t as bad, and the climate is a bit warmer in winter. Real estate is quite inexpensive, with the median home in Melbourne going for $120,000 in late 2011.
The area generally has inhabitable barrier islands that many of the nicest neighborhoods are on. It is quite easy to live very near the water. The bigger towns are on the inland side.
A drawback is that in otherwise great retirement towns like Vero Beach it is a long drive to the nearest big airport. Parts of this area were severely walloped by hurricanes in the mid 2000's. A significant percentage of the people who live in this area are retired.
Central Florida
Moving away from the coast there is the gigantic center portion of Florida, which runs from the college town of Gainesville (University of Florida) in the north to Ocala’s horse country, the major metro of Orlando, and on down to Lakeland, Winter Park, and smaller towns below that. The climate is different in central Florida – humidity is a bit lower and it gets hotter in the summer.
The area is filled with countless lakes – in many areas like Lakeland and Cypress Gardens it often seems like there is more lake than land. The housing crisis has hurt this part of Florida as hard or harder than anywhere in the country. It is filled with inexpensive active adult communities, RV communities, and inexpensive communities of manufactured homes. As an example, the median price of a home in late 2011 was $80,000 in Ocala.
Nearer the huge city of Orlando the selection of communities is more varied, going from very low budget to gated golfing communities where all the homes sell for more than a million dollars. For budget-minded retirees, we like this area. Real estate prices are cheap and there are tons of communities to choose from.
Check out places like Mount Dora and Kissimmee. Famous active communities like On Top of the World and The Villages are in this part of the state. Many people believe that central Florida is the most conservative portion of the state.
South Atlantic Coast
Stuart is not only a very cute town on the coast, it is reputed to be the northernmost part of Florida benefiting from proximity to the warming influence of the Gulf Stream.
From here south the coast gets more and more crowded, going through retirement towns like Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton, Palm Beach, and finally, the huge and most unusual city of Miami.
Here in this region the ocean and the beaches are beautiful. One can find any type of community for any budget here. The Century Villages (there are 4 of them) are old-line, very large active communities dotted throughout the region. Those are fairly inexpensive, but it is easy to spend plenty to live in very exclusive communities like Sailfish Point on Hutchinson Island near Stuart.
Middle Gulf – The Nature Coast
The Gulf Coast is surprisingly unpopulated in its northern regions below Tallahassee. The first town of any consequence coming from the north is Spring Hill. It has a lot of communities to live in, most of which are nothing special. It is a short drive to the beach.
Tampa/St.Petersburg/Clearwater is one of Florida’s biggest Metros. Tampa tends to be the commercial center, while St.Petersburg’s island location and many nice neighborhoods and beaches make it more relaxed. Although has a lot of interesting neighborhoods rather than 55+ developments, the city is filled with retirees. Home prices are low (about $70,000 according to City-Data.com).
Going south from there is Sarasota, a wonderful place to retire for people who are looking for culture, restaurants and a vibrant community. It has active adult developments and nice general neighborhoods. The beachfront barrier islands of Siesta Key and Longboat Key offer a chance to live on the beach but be right next to a city. Sarasota proper has a more liberal outlook than many other places in Florida.
South Gulf Coast
Fort Myers is the biggest community in this part of the state. It is a diverse community in its own right – from a very pretty and restored downtown area to sprawling developments to a very long coastline. Real estate prices are low and traffic in season is high. It has a terrific new airport and active cultural life. Towns around it and south of here offer different attractions.
In Cape Coral anybody can buy a house on a canal for well less than $100,000, whereas Punta Gorda is strikingly more upscale.
To the south Bonita Springs offers great beaches and plentiful golf. Naples and Marco Island, the last 2 towns before the Everglades start, are the decidedly upscale parts of the state. Naples has a wonderful downtown and beautiful neighborhoods on the beach, plus very expensive active adult communities on the bay.
The Keys
Starting below the Everglades on the East Coast of the State the Keys begin on a series of mangroves. Narrow Route 1 connects them to Miami over a series of bridges and narrow coral islets, ending in Key West just 90 miles from Cuba. In most places the Keys are less than 200 yards wide, although the principal towns of Marathon and Islamorada are bigger.
While great for vacationers who love the beach and fishing, the Keys are better for younger retirees than older ones. That’s because it can be a long way to Miami for healthcare, not to mention the problem of mandatory evacuations that can come in hurricane season. Property values in Key West, the tropical and bohemian paradise, are among the highest in the count
In the next post, Consider Florida For Retirement: Part 3, we'll get deeper into what would attract different types of people to the different regions.
Resources:
Directory of Florida retirement towns and active communities
Comments?
What are your favorite parts of Florida? Do you think I have characterized it accurately?
Let me know if you have any thought about it.
News and information concerning the many issues Baby Boomer's face as we age.
Showing posts with label Retiring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Retiring. Show all posts
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
Consider Florida For Retirement: Part 1
There are people that “hate” Florida, and there are those that “love” it. Surprisingly, the people who don’t have a strong opinion seem to be a smaller group.
In Part 2 of this article I'll get into more about the regions and which ones might appeal to different folks better than others, but here in Part 1 I would like to provide a “Florida Retirement 101" crash course.
My objective is to help you understand this very large and popular state, which is diverse in more ways than you might think. You still might not like the idea of Florida, but at least you will know more about it.
First, a few facts
The 2010 household population was 18,800,000, the 4th most populous in the U.S. Median age is 40.7, higher than national average. Some 21% of the population is 62 and over.
Part of Florida’s geographic diversity comes from its unusual shape – it is both tall and wide. So tall and wide that it takes over a day to drive from Pensacola to Key West. Its different regions tend to attract different kinds of people, offering another kind of diversity.
Florida is the 22nd largest state, has the longest coastline in the contiguous states, and the only state to have a coastline on the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. It is a very flat state, which is one of the things that people tend not to like about it (Mount Dora, at 185' is one of its “loftiest” towns).
Florida’s median home value in early 2012 was $120,600 (Zillow), about 20% lower than the U.S. median ($145,000 – Zillow, or $163,500 – NAR). According to Zillow.com the priciest metro in the state for homes is Naples ($199,000) and the most inexpensive is Ocala ($84,200).
From a tax viewpoint Florida is very friendly to retirees. There is no state income tax. There used to be a tax on intangible assets (stocks, etc.), but that has been eliminated. Sales tax is 6%. Florida has a homestead law, Save Our Homes, that protects full-time residents from property taxes above the rate of inflation.
One of the few economic negatives about Florida is that in many areas near the coast, property insurance is very expensive. Many private insurers have pulled out of the market after several bad hurricane seasons, leaving the non-profit Citizens Insurance Co. as the insurer of last resort.
Weatherwise, it is a well-known fact that Florida is pretty warm in winter and hot in summer. Along the coasts you can count on very high humidity. In the interior it will be less so. Hurricanes are a problem everywhere in the state, but worse along the coasts. Winters in the north around Tallahassee and Jacksonville will have an occasional frost, but generally warm up enough in the day for any outdoor activity. As you move south winter temps get higher and higher. Key West is the only true frost-free city in the continental U.S. – yes, even Miami has seen a few snow flakes on the rarest of occasions.
The Diverse Regions
Florida is quite representative of the U.S. from an ethnic and political basis. It has every ethnicity and political stripe – in fact many of its residents, young and old, have moved here from somewhere else. As Florida votes in our Presidential elections, so usually does the rest of the country as a whole.
We'll break the state into 8 regions:
The Panhandle
Northeast Florida – Jacksonville to Daytona Beach
Mid Atlantic – the Space Coast
Central Florida
South Atlantic Coast
Middle Gulf – The Nature Coast
South Gulf Coast
The Keys
In the next post, Consider Florida For Retirement: Part 2, we'll get into some of the differences in the 8 different regions
Resources:
Directory of Florida retirement towns and active communities
In Part 2 of this article I'll get into more about the regions and which ones might appeal to different folks better than others, but here in Part 1 I would like to provide a “Florida Retirement 101" crash course.
My objective is to help you understand this very large and popular state, which is diverse in more ways than you might think. You still might not like the idea of Florida, but at least you will know more about it.
First, a few facts
The 2010 household population was 18,800,000, the 4th most populous in the U.S. Median age is 40.7, higher than national average. Some 21% of the population is 62 and over.
Part of Florida’s geographic diversity comes from its unusual shape – it is both tall and wide. So tall and wide that it takes over a day to drive from Pensacola to Key West. Its different regions tend to attract different kinds of people, offering another kind of diversity.
Florida is the 22nd largest state, has the longest coastline in the contiguous states, and the only state to have a coastline on the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. It is a very flat state, which is one of the things that people tend not to like about it (Mount Dora, at 185' is one of its “loftiest” towns).
Florida’s median home value in early 2012 was $120,600 (Zillow), about 20% lower than the U.S. median ($145,000 – Zillow, or $163,500 – NAR). According to Zillow.com the priciest metro in the state for homes is Naples ($199,000) and the most inexpensive is Ocala ($84,200).
From a tax viewpoint Florida is very friendly to retirees. There is no state income tax. There used to be a tax on intangible assets (stocks, etc.), but that has been eliminated. Sales tax is 6%. Florida has a homestead law, Save Our Homes, that protects full-time residents from property taxes above the rate of inflation.
One of the few economic negatives about Florida is that in many areas near the coast, property insurance is very expensive. Many private insurers have pulled out of the market after several bad hurricane seasons, leaving the non-profit Citizens Insurance Co. as the insurer of last resort.
Weatherwise, it is a well-known fact that Florida is pretty warm in winter and hot in summer. Along the coasts you can count on very high humidity. In the interior it will be less so. Hurricanes are a problem everywhere in the state, but worse along the coasts. Winters in the north around Tallahassee and Jacksonville will have an occasional frost, but generally warm up enough in the day for any outdoor activity. As you move south winter temps get higher and higher. Key West is the only true frost-free city in the continental U.S. – yes, even Miami has seen a few snow flakes on the rarest of occasions.
The Diverse Regions
Florida is quite representative of the U.S. from an ethnic and political basis. It has every ethnicity and political stripe – in fact many of its residents, young and old, have moved here from somewhere else. As Florida votes in our Presidential elections, so usually does the rest of the country as a whole.
We'll break the state into 8 regions:
The Panhandle
Northeast Florida – Jacksonville to Daytona Beach
Mid Atlantic – the Space Coast
Central Florida
South Atlantic Coast
Middle Gulf – The Nature Coast
South Gulf Coast
The Keys
In the next post, Consider Florida For Retirement: Part 2, we'll get into some of the differences in the 8 different regions
Resources:
Directory of Florida retirement towns and active communities
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
The Top Military Recording Artists
OMG! This is seriously bad.
I'm gonna go ahead a apologize ahead of time...
USMC Hammer
The Captain & Ten SEALs
My Morning Flak Jacket
The Dandy Warheads
Tank Williams, Jr.
Donny & Marine
Jeep Trick
Booker T. and the MiG's
M*A*S*H Mouth
Fatigue
Boy Slim
SEALs and Crafts
The Grateful Collateral Damage
Black Hawk Sabbath, featuring Osprey Osbourne
The Omaha Beach Boys
$500 Billion for Fighting
George's Thoroughly Good Destroyers
I warned you!!
Okay, smartypants ... Can you think of any?
View the original article here
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Living to 100
Do you want to live to be 100?
Someone sent me an article (see link below) that identifies health and lifestyle habits that it says will increase your odds of getting there.
But let’s start at the starting line. If you continue living in your current fashion, how long would you expect to live?
I tried this Longevity Calculator, and it’s great! Give it a try (it’s free) – and answer the questions honestly. Once you know how long you can expect to live, if your life continues on its current path, then answer the “live to 100” question.
Those who say that they do want to live to blow 100 candles on their birthday cake usually have a few qualifiers that they add. Here are the qualifiers that I personally would add:
1) I don’t want to be physically frail. I want as much vitality and vim as possible.
2) I pray that the dementia that afflicted my father will not pass to me. I want to be able to partake fully in the world – regardless of my age – and that requires an active, curious mental capacity.
3) I would want to still have a social community around me and in which I participate.
4) I would want to have a sense of purpose.
5) I would not want to be a “burden” to my loved ones – physically, financially, or otherwise.
I ask you to undertake the same exercise that I just did. Ask yourself under what circumstances would you want to be able to live to 100 and more. Then turn to this article - for the health and lifestyle habits it identifies – to help you get there.
As you review each of the 11 items, ask yourself: am I willing to do this (flossing daily, moving around and exercising daily, maintaining old friendships and developing new ones, for example). Be as honest with yourself as you were with the Longevity Calculator above.
If you’re going to make it 100 – and be happy that you made it there – then you’ve got to “walk the walk.” People who simply pay lip-service to this kind of advice, well, they’ll fall significantly short of the mark.
Hopefully, most of us have many years ahead of us. Let’s make the most of them!
Life Expectancy Calculator - http://calculator.livingto100.com/calculator
How to live to be 100 - http://www.ehow.com/how_136642_live-be-100.html
View the original article here
Someone sent me an article (see link below) that identifies health and lifestyle habits that it says will increase your odds of getting there.
But let’s start at the starting line. If you continue living in your current fashion, how long would you expect to live?
I tried this Longevity Calculator, and it’s great! Give it a try (it’s free) – and answer the questions honestly. Once you know how long you can expect to live, if your life continues on its current path, then answer the “live to 100” question.
Those who say that they do want to live to blow 100 candles on their birthday cake usually have a few qualifiers that they add. Here are the qualifiers that I personally would add:
1) I don’t want to be physically frail. I want as much vitality and vim as possible.
2) I pray that the dementia that afflicted my father will not pass to me. I want to be able to partake fully in the world – regardless of my age – and that requires an active, curious mental capacity.
3) I would want to still have a social community around me and in which I participate.
4) I would want to have a sense of purpose.
5) I would not want to be a “burden” to my loved ones – physically, financially, or otherwise.
I ask you to undertake the same exercise that I just did. Ask yourself under what circumstances would you want to be able to live to 100 and more. Then turn to this article - for the health and lifestyle habits it identifies – to help you get there.
As you review each of the 11 items, ask yourself: am I willing to do this (flossing daily, moving around and exercising daily, maintaining old friendships and developing new ones, for example). Be as honest with yourself as you were with the Longevity Calculator above.
If you’re going to make it 100 – and be happy that you made it there – then you’ve got to “walk the walk.” People who simply pay lip-service to this kind of advice, well, they’ll fall significantly short of the mark.
Hopefully, most of us have many years ahead of us. Let’s make the most of them!
Life Expectancy Calculator - http://calculator.livingto100.com/calculator
How to live to be 100 - http://www.ehow.com/how_136642_live-be-100.html
View the original article here
Friday, May 18, 2012
“You’re Never Too Old…”
“You’re never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – CS Lewis
What a great saying! So upbeat, so positive, so reaffirming.
But you’ve gotta ask, “Is it really true?” I’ve concluded that there may be a time when setting another goal or dreaming a new dream is indeed impossible – but (and this is a big BUT) – not being able to do so isn’t really related to your age. So I’ll tell you my bias right up front. When I’m around, don’t use “age” as an excuse for not achieving, or changing, or improving, or yes, even dreaming new dreams or setting new goals.
But if you live long enough, you’re bound to experience some of life’s difficult challenges. You may learn that sometimes a door that was open will be shut in front of you and regardless of how fervently you hope or pray or dream, that door will not ever open again.
Recently a 48-year old NH police chief was killed in the line of duty only 8 days before he was to officially retire. He and his wife had a month long vacation planned. His wife has seen the doorway to a wonderful retirement slammed fiercely in her face and she’ll no longer be able to set new goals or dream new dreams that involve her now deceased husband, but that’s not because she’s too old. It’s because life has intervened.
Some of us may have lost jobs – and may be having a tough time finding new work. It’s hard to be positive with that cloud overhead. But do keep setting new goals. Explore new avenues, hone your skills, network and connect. You may feel at times that you’re facing discrimination because of your age – and you may very well be right. But don’t let that keep you down. If a doorway has been slammed shut in front of you, move sideways instead.
Every time a door has been slammed shut in my face, (and there have been many slammings over the years), I’ve fought hard to rise out of the ashes and dream a new dream. Some may think it’s harder to dream new dreams if you’re After Fifty. Actually, After Fifty dreams are probably “better quality” dreams, as they’ve been honed by years of experience and the wisdom that comes with maturity. As a group, we’re probably more insightful about what will and won’t work.
So will we ever be too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream? I say age alone won’t prevent new goal setting. What about you – do you have a new goal, a new dream?
View the original article here
What a great saying! So upbeat, so positive, so reaffirming.
But you’ve gotta ask, “Is it really true?” I’ve concluded that there may be a time when setting another goal or dreaming a new dream is indeed impossible – but (and this is a big BUT) – not being able to do so isn’t really related to your age. So I’ll tell you my bias right up front. When I’m around, don’t use “age” as an excuse for not achieving, or changing, or improving, or yes, even dreaming new dreams or setting new goals.
But if you live long enough, you’re bound to experience some of life’s difficult challenges. You may learn that sometimes a door that was open will be shut in front of you and regardless of how fervently you hope or pray or dream, that door will not ever open again.
Recently a 48-year old NH police chief was killed in the line of duty only 8 days before he was to officially retire. He and his wife had a month long vacation planned. His wife has seen the doorway to a wonderful retirement slammed fiercely in her face and she’ll no longer be able to set new goals or dream new dreams that involve her now deceased husband, but that’s not because she’s too old. It’s because life has intervened.
Some of us may have lost jobs – and may be having a tough time finding new work. It’s hard to be positive with that cloud overhead. But do keep setting new goals. Explore new avenues, hone your skills, network and connect. You may feel at times that you’re facing discrimination because of your age – and you may very well be right. But don’t let that keep you down. If a doorway has been slammed shut in front of you, move sideways instead.
Every time a door has been slammed shut in my face, (and there have been many slammings over the years), I’ve fought hard to rise out of the ashes and dream a new dream. Some may think it’s harder to dream new dreams if you’re After Fifty. Actually, After Fifty dreams are probably “better quality” dreams, as they’ve been honed by years of experience and the wisdom that comes with maturity. As a group, we’re probably more insightful about what will and won’t work.
So will we ever be too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream? I say age alone won’t prevent new goal setting. What about you – do you have a new goal, a new dream?
View the original article here
Friday, May 11, 2012
Whiny Baby Boomers
I know that the baby boomers (and I am a proud member of said group) complain and whine endlessly about their spouses, their sex lives or lack thereof, their diminishing stamina, politics, taxes, inflation, traffic, air quality and global warming, but - hold on a sec - you mean some boomers don't complain about these things! Nah, they all do. Don't they? You mean it's just me? Right.......
In any case, I was talking to a fellow boomer the other day...man, was she complaining. She said that after all these years of marriage (and she claimed her's was an arranged marriage - arranged by Satan) that it couldn't get any worse. She said she had mentioned to her husband that she wanted to go to a warm vacation spot this winter...he told her to go to hell.
She told me that they both found each other's body somewhat gross and ugly and that before sex he takes a Viagra and she takes a Gravol...
he wants to make sure he can perform, she wants to make sure she doesn't vomit.
Ah, these are the years!
View the original article here
In any case, I was talking to a fellow boomer the other day...man, was she complaining. She said that after all these years of marriage (and she claimed her's was an arranged marriage - arranged by Satan) that it couldn't get any worse. She said she had mentioned to her husband that she wanted to go to a warm vacation spot this winter...he told her to go to hell.
She told me that they both found each other's body somewhat gross and ugly and that before sex he takes a Viagra and she takes a Gravol...
he wants to make sure he can perform, she wants to make sure she doesn't vomit.
Ah, these are the years!
View the original article here
Thursday, May 10, 2012
The Top 17 Signs You're Working Too Hard
A Japanese labor bureau ruled recently that one of Toyota's top car engineers died from working too many hours. This is one in a string of such findings in a nation where extraordinarily long hours has long been the norm for some employees.
The Top 17 Signs You're Working Too Hard
17. Your job in 2011: opening Starbucks stores.
16. Your job in 2012: closing Starbucks stores.
15. Last week alone, you put two robots out of work.
14. Everyone comments on the artistic nature of your Leaning Tower of Empty Cup Noodles.
13. You keep dozing off at your job at the meth lab.
12. You desperately want to spend more time with your kids, so you hire them as interns.
11. Your "vacation" this summer? Telecommuting from home -- but you wore shorts!
10. You get a bad case of tennis elbow -- because of your job as a fluffer.
9. Your boss even refuses to give you time off to attend your own funeral.
8. Prescriptions filled today: 300
7. Prescriptions filled incorrectly out of spite: 78
6. You drop the kids off at daycare on the way in, and pick them up from junior high on the way home.
5. Satan suggests you take a water break.
4. Three people buried to death since your hair started falling out.
3. You've somehow managed to convince yourself the evening traffic *finally* eases up around 1:00 a.m.
2. Your unborn child is diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome.
and the Number 1 Sign You're Working Too Hard...
Your husband's partner in couples therapy is inflatable.
View the original article here
The Top 17 Signs You're Working Too Hard
17. Your job in 2011: opening Starbucks stores.
16. Your job in 2012: closing Starbucks stores.
15. Last week alone, you put two robots out of work.
14. Everyone comments on the artistic nature of your Leaning Tower of Empty Cup Noodles.
13. You keep dozing off at your job at the meth lab.
12. You desperately want to spend more time with your kids, so you hire them as interns.
11. Your "vacation" this summer? Telecommuting from home -- but you wore shorts!
10. You get a bad case of tennis elbow -- because of your job as a fluffer.
9. Your boss even refuses to give you time off to attend your own funeral.
8. Prescriptions filled today: 300
7. Prescriptions filled incorrectly out of spite: 78
6. You drop the kids off at daycare on the way in, and pick them up from junior high on the way home.
5. Satan suggests you take a water break.
4. Three people buried to death since your hair started falling out.
3. You've somehow managed to convince yourself the evening traffic *finally* eases up around 1:00 a.m.
2. Your unborn child is diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome.
and the Number 1 Sign You're Working Too Hard...
Your husband's partner in couples therapy is inflatable.
View the original article here
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Family Caregiving
One of my older sisters, Shaye, assumed the role of family caregiver. She drove to our mother’s home, and did bills & pills, grocery shop, wash clothes and dishes, take her to appointments (which she had made for her), and more…much more.
When she wasn't on the road or at Mom's house, she did things that didn’t require being on-the-spot. Was she a noble person? I think so. She didn’t think of what she did in those terms. She did it because it had to be done. And, like the 65 million others out there doing the same thing, she didn't charge for her services.
It’s been estimated that annual costs associated with family caregiving in the US amount to approximately $535 Billion. But wait – 70% of the cost for caregiving services, about $375 Billion, is provided free of charge by people like my sister (with only $158 billion in cash actually being “spent”). But does that mean that 70% of services are really free? Read on – and draw your own conclusions.
I saw, and still see, the toll this responsibilty took on my sister, and I do not know how she held up through it. There is no way she could have any idea how much I appreciate everything that she did and how aware I am of the strenght of character it took for her to endure.
Did I forget to mention that, during these years, she also had a disabled husband at home and was raising her 2 grandchildren?
These statistics are from the National Family Caregivers Association:
• 20% of employed caregivers over 50 report symptoms of depression compared to 8% for non-caregiving peers.
• 40 – 70% of family caregivers have clinically significant symptoms of depression …and about half of these caregivers meet the diagnostic criteria for major depression.
• Family caregivers experiencing extreme stress have been shown to age prematurely. This level of stress can take as much as 10 years off a family caregiver’s life.
• The stress of caring for a person with dementia can impact the caregiver’s immune system for up to three years – thereby increasing the caregiver’s chances of developing a chronic illness.
• 72% of family caregivers report not going to the doctor as often as they should.
See the National Family Caregivers Assoc. website for these statistics, and more.
And while we Boomers are struggling right now to provide care for our parents, our spouses, our disabled children or other loved ones, what are we going to do to prepare for our own care when the time comes?
Read those stats again. Family caregiving is thankless, stressful, damaging to one’s health and well-being. Yet, if we continue to wake up each morning, then the day will come when we’ll need care, too!
As we Baby Boomers age, we will see the numbers of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia double within our lifetimes. Exactly how is care going to be provided?
We need a national discussion about how caregiving will be provided for us Boomers in the very near future. We can’t continue to provide caregiving in a haphazard, health-depleting fashion.
A tsunami of caregiving need is heading in our direction. And I predict – if we don’t prepare, then this tsunami is going to wipe every last one of us off our feet!
NOTE TO SHAYE:
You've spent a lot of years in hell. The sacrifices you made were selfless and many. I am so proud and happy for where you are now and the struggle I have witnessed gives me strength and hope. I love you.
View the original article here
When she wasn't on the road or at Mom's house, she did things that didn’t require being on-the-spot. Was she a noble person? I think so. She didn’t think of what she did in those terms. She did it because it had to be done. And, like the 65 million others out there doing the same thing, she didn't charge for her services.
It’s been estimated that annual costs associated with family caregiving in the US amount to approximately $535 Billion. But wait – 70% of the cost for caregiving services, about $375 Billion, is provided free of charge by people like my sister (with only $158 billion in cash actually being “spent”). But does that mean that 70% of services are really free? Read on – and draw your own conclusions.
I saw, and still see, the toll this responsibilty took on my sister, and I do not know how she held up through it. There is no way she could have any idea how much I appreciate everything that she did and how aware I am of the strenght of character it took for her to endure.
Did I forget to mention that, during these years, she also had a disabled husband at home and was raising her 2 grandchildren?
These statistics are from the National Family Caregivers Association:
• 20% of employed caregivers over 50 report symptoms of depression compared to 8% for non-caregiving peers.
• 40 – 70% of family caregivers have clinically significant symptoms of depression …and about half of these caregivers meet the diagnostic criteria for major depression.
• Family caregivers experiencing extreme stress have been shown to age prematurely. This level of stress can take as much as 10 years off a family caregiver’s life.
• The stress of caring for a person with dementia can impact the caregiver’s immune system for up to three years – thereby increasing the caregiver’s chances of developing a chronic illness.
• 72% of family caregivers report not going to the doctor as often as they should.
See the National Family Caregivers Assoc. website for these statistics, and more.
And while we Boomers are struggling right now to provide care for our parents, our spouses, our disabled children or other loved ones, what are we going to do to prepare for our own care when the time comes?
Read those stats again. Family caregiving is thankless, stressful, damaging to one’s health and well-being. Yet, if we continue to wake up each morning, then the day will come when we’ll need care, too!
As we Baby Boomers age, we will see the numbers of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia double within our lifetimes. Exactly how is care going to be provided?
We need a national discussion about how caregiving will be provided for us Boomers in the very near future. We can’t continue to provide caregiving in a haphazard, health-depleting fashion.
A tsunami of caregiving need is heading in our direction. And I predict – if we don’t prepare, then this tsunami is going to wipe every last one of us off our feet!
NOTE TO SHAYE:
You've spent a lot of years in hell. The sacrifices you made were selfless and many. I am so proud and happy for where you are now and the struggle I have witnessed gives me strength and hope. I love you.
View the original article here
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Are You Worried About Retiring?
Ready or not, all boomers are faced with the reality that retirement is coming.
It's time, if not past time, to take a serious look at some of the realities that we, as baby boomers face:
Do I have enough saved for retirement?
How will I cope with retirement?
What do I do after I retire?
I don't think we ever thought we would have to face these things. NOT US! WE'RE THE BOOMERS! Uh oh......
In the next post, we'll discuss, totally by coincidence, how to file bankruptcy on-line.
BATTLE HYMN OF THE BABY BOOMERS
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