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The children are gone, and your retirement is ahead. You’ve managed to get your retirement accounts in order, and you’ve decided on whether you’re going to work part-time a bit for a little extra income. But what about that big family home? Do you really need such a big space, now that the children have all moved out? If you’ve decided selling is the best option, here’s a few things to keep in mind as you begin the downsizing process.

1. Decide What to Bring with You

Because you’ll likely be moving somewhere with much less space than the family home, you’ll want to carefully consider what to take with you.  For years you’ve been used to certain amounts of space and storage. Now you’ll have much less space. Probably less than half the square footage you’ve been living in. That means some tough decisions will have to be made.

If you’re having a hard time deciding on what to keep and what to donate, take it slow and consider how useful or sentimental items are. You’ll probably need to part with some possessions that you only use infrequently. Many seasonal decorations and home repair items will need to be sold or given away. Sharon Greenthal from Empty House Full Mind also suggests “a small storage unit for things you simply can’t part with.”

2. Budget the Benefits

Selling the family home will bring financial and budget changes.  Whether it’s eliminating a monthly mortgage, lowering home repair and upkeep costs, reducing utility bills, or changing insurance costs and requirements, selling the family home and moving somewhere new will warrant a review of your housing budget.

Before you downsize you’ll want to make sure that your new arrangements fit within your planned budget. Some retirement living scenerios are more expensive than others. Much depends on how much help you’ll receive. Independent living is much less expensive than assisted living in most cases.

3. Consider Your New Lifestyle

When you move out of the family home, your new space will definitely be different.  You’ll have less to clean, and you may have little or no yard maintenance.  Both of those are benefits, but you’ll also have less space. If you’re retired you’ll spend much more time at home than when you were working. You might also take up a hobby now that you have the time. All that affects what you’ll want and need in a new residence.

If you’re moving from a single family home to an adult community or an apartment, you’ll probably be dealing with neighbors who are closer than you’re accustomed to. Consider any privacy issues before you make a move.

Comfortable and safe areas for playing may be an important factor as you start spending more time with grandchildren. Depending on the age and number of grandchildren, it could be wise to think about how much room you’ll need both inside your home, as well as outside in your yard. Sharon Greenthal also suggests “if you don’t have grandchildren now, or you might in the future, you might wish you had more room when they come along.”

Closing out the family home can be a big decision. By considering the important issues before you move you’ll make a decision that will make your new home a joy!

 

Paige Estigarribia contributes to The Dollar Stretcher.com. The site has helped readers “live better…for less” since 1996. They have an active section for baby boomers and a free email newsletter After 50 Finances.

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan designated November as National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. At the time, fewer than 2 million Americans suffered from Alzheimer’s. Since then, that number has climbed substantially: nearly 5.4 million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s Disease, or AD, is a condition caused by changes in the brain that deeply affect memory and other mental abilities. As the individual’s mental capacity decreases, it offers increasing challenges both to the one with the disease and the loved ones who assume caretaking duties. Reagan’s decision to institute an awareness month for this disease helps call attention to it and the problems faced by those who suffer from it.

How It Started

As an increasing number of Americans are impacted by Alzheimer’s disease, either as sufferers or as caregivers, it’s critically important to raise awareness about this disease and discuss its impact on the families impacted by it. Reagan acknowledged the suffering of families who watched their loved ones fade a bit further away every day. While at the time, a cure was a long way away, many strides have been made since 1983. Today, the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease seeks to find a cure by 2025. While the disease is still considered to be fatal, many strides in treatment have been made.

Raising Awareness

Many people are standing up for their loved ones with Alzheimer’s Disease and continuing to raise awareness about its symptoms, the diagnosis, and the issues faced by those who have it and their loved ones. Wearing purple for Alzheimer’s is considered to be a sign of support for sufferers and their families. Raising awareness also takes on several other facets: increasing funding to research, improving the understanding of brain functioning, and offering tangible support to families who take care of those who suffer from Alzheimer’s. Awareness is critical, not only for helping families, but for raising funding for the research to help find a cure.

Alzheimer’s Statistics

As the aging population increases, the number of patients with Alzheimer’s increases along with it. Alzheimer’s Disease occurs primarily in the elderly. The older a patient is, the greater the odds that they will suffer from Alzheimer’s: one in nine people over the age of 65 is estimated to have the disease. That increase in age isn’t necessarily the only thing that signifies an individual’s odds of contracting Alzheimer’s, however: it’s estimated that over half a million individuals under the age of 65 already suffer from Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. Family caregivers often spend as much as $5,000 a year caring for an individual with Alzheimer’s.

Honoring Family Caregivers

For most individuals with Alzheimer’s, particularly in the early stages of the disease, family caregivers are the ones who provide the majority of the care. This means sacrificing time, money, and energy. In 2015 alone, it’s estimated that there were 15.9 million Americans providing caregiving duties for loved ones with Alzheimer’s, including an estimated 18.1 billion hours of unpaid care. 41% of those caregivers are estimated to have a household income that is less than the national average of $40,000 per year, which means that caregiving often comes at a substantial sacrifice. 74% of caregivers also report that they have some level of concern about maintaining their own health since becoming a caregiver due to the strain placed on them by those responsibilities. Nevertheless, family caregivers continue to give their all to family members who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. It’s a difficult and often thankless job, particularly as memory and cognitive function decrease, but love provides the incentive they need.

An aging population means that an increased number of cases of Alzheimer’s Disease are coming to light. It’s clear that a deeper understanding of this disease is increasingly necessary. Not only that, the aging population will require continuing care, including services that are put in place to ensure that both those diagnosed with the disease and their family members receive the support they need during this difficult stage of life. November is the month that you can get involved! Help raise awareness and add your support to individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s this month.

With estimates of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease rising as high as 5.1 million, it’s clear that more attention needs to be paid to this disease. As the population ages, an increased number of cases are coming to light. Alzheimer’s disease, or AD, is a condition caused by changes in the brain, markedly affecting memory and other mental abilities. As the individual’s mental capacity decreases, it offers an increasing number of challenges both to the one with the disease and the loved ones who assume caretaking duties.

Alzheimer’s Statistics

Worldwide, an estimated 44 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. Another 47.5 million have dementia. As age rises, Alzheimer’s becomes more common: at the age of 65, approximately 1 in 9 individuals will have Alzheimer’s disease. This isn’t a cheap disease: it’s estimated that dementia costs between $159 billion and $215 billion each year. To give some perspective, this is a greater cost than either heart disease or cancer.

The greatest risk factors for Alzheimer’s include age, genetics, and family history. Individuals over the age of 85, for example, have a 1 in 3 chance of developing symptoms of Alzheimer’s. It’s also estimated that Latinos and African Americans have higher chances of developing the disease than other Americans. Most of the risk factors of Alzheimer’s can’t be controlled; however, avoiding head trauma and increased cardiovascular health can help decrease the odds that the disease will manifest itself.

What Alzheimer’s Means for Those Affected

Alzheimer’s is not a part of the normal aging process. While many of the early symptoms, including forgetfulness and deceasing ability to handle everyday tasks, may be seen as normal signs of aging, Alzheimer’s patients find that it goes further than that. Typical signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s include:

• Memory loss that is disruptive to daily life
• Planning and/or problem-solving challenges
• Inability to complete familiar tasks properly
• Confusion about current location or the current season, month, or even year
• Trouble reading, judging distance, or determining color or contrast as visual discrimination decreases
• Unfamiliar problems with speaking or writing
• Misplacing things without the ability to retrace steps and find the item
• Judgment challenges
• Social withdrawal
• Dramatic shifts in mood or personality

Alzheimer’s disease is progressive, which means that it grows worse over time. Some medications can slow the progression of symptoms and give individuals more time, but there is currently no cure. There are seven stages of Alzheimer’s disease ranging from no impairment early in the individual’s life, little impairment when a few signs may begin emerging, and a mild decline when friends and family start to notice issues to severe and very severe decline, when individuals with Alzheimer’s struggle to relate to their environments.

Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t come with a simple diagnosis. Instead, it begins with taking a thorough medical history. Patients will then undergo a physical and mental examination to rule out other potential causes of dementia-like symptoms. The exam may include blood tests and brain imaging.

Once Alzheimer’s disease has been diagnosed, treatment can begin. In many cases, medication can slow or temporarily halt the progression of symptoms. Once symptoms begin to worsen, mental function can be maintained through brain games and other exercises in order to extend normal cognitive ability as much as possible. Behavioral challenges are managed by keeping the individual in familiar surroundings and decreasing the stimulus in the environment to help avoid jarring or discomfort.

People don’t die as a direct result of Alzheimer’s disease. Instead, they die as a result of related complications. Multi-organ failure is a common cause of death in Alzheimer’s patients. Other potential causes include heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, and lung infections.

What Alzheimer’s Means for Caregivers

Once a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the learning process begins. Caregivers for those with Alzheimer’s require a great deal of emotional support as they become the primary support for their loved one. Family roles often shift as a result of the diagnosis, with children and other relatives becoming the primary caretakers.

An Alzheimer’s diagnosis also means a shift in financial and legal responsibilities. It’s important to create a living will and designate power of attorney as early in the process as possible. Financial matters will need to be overseen or handled entirely by a competent individual to ensure that the elderly loved one will be cared for as well as possible.

The Alzheimer’s diagnosis doesn’t mean that there aren’t still times of joy ahead. The disease’s relatively slow progression offers plenty of opportunity for shared laughter, intimacy, and social experiences. Both the individual with Alzheimer’s and their loved ones will have opportunities to adjust to everything that the diagnosis means before the disease takes over.