CCRCs update services to attract boomers

By Jennifer L. Waldera
Posted on September 28, 2017

  Residents of Broadmead relax outdoors on the community's 94-acre campus in Hunt Valley. Broadmead brands itself as a "dynamic lifestyle community," a shift from the term continuing care retirement community (CCRC) that similar facilities use, to help appeal to active baby boomers. Some other CCRCs now refer to themselves as Life Plan Communities. Photo Courtesy of... READ MORE

Features that help sell your home faster

By Andrea Browne Taylor
Posted on July 24, 2017

Homeowners are sometimes hesitant to upgrade when it’s time to sell. After all, you won’t be living there much longer, and home remodeling efforts only increase home values by 64 percent of the average project’s costs, according to Remodeling magazine’s 2016 Cost vs. Value report.But think again, sellers. The cost of inaction can be far greater than the small loss... READ MORE

Home care aides provide peace of mind

By Barbara Ruben
Posted on July 21, 2017

After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2013, Pat Libhart underwent chemotherapy, which left her with neuropathy in her feet. The condition can be both painful and lead to numbness, and caused Libhart to need a wheelchair.To help her get to treatments, cook, dress and other activities, Libhart contacted Family & Nursing Care, a company that provides home care aides to help... READ MORE

Creating an intergenerational household

By Eleanor Laise
Posted on June 30, 2017

Barbara Williams’s home is a lively one. Much of the year, there are four generations under one roof. Williams, age 65, shares her five-bedroom home with her husband, daughter, son-in-law and three young grandsons — and her 91-year-old mother visits for several months at a stretch.While the multigenerational living arrangement may be messy at times, “we had so many reasons ... READ MORE

Baseball fans live on former stadium site

By Timothy Cox
Posted on June 29, 2017

When James Batty sits on the deck at his apartment in northeast Baltimore, he sometimes reflects on the times when an empty baseball field across the street once housed a massive edifice known as Memorial Stadium.“I actually worked there two different times — first from 1957 to ‘59. Then, I came back in the mid-1960s,” he said.Now 76, Batty first worked as a vendor... READ MORE

Facing foreclosure? Don’t delay; get help

By Amy Hennen
Posted on April 20, 2017

The idea of foreclosure — losing your home because of a delinquent payment (even just one day late) — can be scary and daunting for anyone. It can be particularly intimidating for those who do not have the means to hire an attorney to guide them through the legal process.Maryland has the third-highest foreclosure rate in the country, according to RealtyTrac, Inc., with 1 in... READ MORE

Options for affordable local housing

By Rebekah Alcalde
Posted on April 19, 2017

After her husband passed away, Brenda Smith (not her real name) was “financially caught off guard” by her suddenly reduced income, and could no longer afford to live on her own. She moved in with her daughter, and immediately began looking for affordable rental housing. Many people like Smith find themselves in similar situations, and have trouble finding affordable housing in the... READ MORE

Home money pits that sap your savings

By J. Brian Bishop
Posted on March 31, 2017

There are so many expenses associated with paying the bills for a home that it is easy to miss money leaks that are costing you big dollars. Putting a plug into these leaks can make a big difference in your budget.From old-school thermostats to faulty plumbing, here are some of the top money-pits to watch for:1. Old School ThermostatsI recently replaced my 1980s-era thermostat with a new... READ MORE

Innovative housing options are on the rise

By Carol Sorgen
Posted on March 30, 2017

Volunteer resident members from CSI Support & Development Maryland Region Co-Op apartments enjoy "A Day of Art" presented by Abrakadoodle at Highlandtown Plaza Co-Op on Feb. 6.Photo courtesy of CSITraditionally, housing options offered older adults were a choice between living alone, which often meant growing increasingly isolated; moving in with their kids; or moving to a... READ MORE

Opposing views on immigration

By Robert Friedman
Posted on January 30, 2017

Should Howard County become a “sanctuary” for immigrants, where county employees, including police and other law enforcers, would be barred from volunteering to work with federal officials on immigration matters or inquiring about the immigration status of those they encounter in their official duties? That’s the hot topic question that county officials and residents alike are... READ MORE