What if you can’t afford long-term care?
As many as 8 in 10 older Americans couldn’t afford more than four years in an assisted living facility or two years in a nursing home, according to a 2023 analysis by the National Council on Aging and the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston. This is particularly difficult for people in the monetary middle, defined by Pew Research Center as “those with an annual household income of ... READ MORE
How to turn a home into an Airbnb rental
While staying at an Airbnb in the Hudson Valley a couple of years ago, Kathy Corby realized she would love to own a home there and share it as an Airbnb. She soon bought an 1890s Cape Cod with four bedrooms and two bathrooms in Saugerties, N.Y. And in early 2021, she hosted her first Airbnb guests. Today, the rental is not only paying its own way, from mortgage to utilities, but also... READ MORE
Daily check-in services for solo agers
Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend any services that check in on older adults who live alone? I live about 200 miles from my 82-year-old mother and worry about her falling or getting ill and not being able to call for help. —Worrywart Daughter Dear Worrywart, There are actually several different types of check-in services, along with some simple technology devices that can help ... READ MORE
Move to a new home is a mixed blessing
Last spring, my husband and I moved to an over-55 community about 30 minutes north of our former home. Our new apartment is in a high-rise, on one level, less than half the square footage of our house. We left behind a spacious home with 16 stairs from entrance to bedrooms, so our knees are a lot happier here. Our neighbors are very welcoming. There is a culture of warmth and... READ MORE
Getting paid as a family caregiver
Dear Savvy Senior, I have been taking care of my elderly father for over a year, and it’s taking a toll on my finances because I can only work part-time. Are there any resources you know about that can help family caregivers get paid? —Seeking Support Dear Seeking, Caring for an elder parent can be challenging in many ways, but it can be especially difficult financially if you... READ MORE
Is your new home in your kids’ back yard?
When Cary Childre, 65, considered moving closer to her daughter living in an Atlanta suburb, she realized she couldn’t afford to buy “much of anything.” So, her daughter researched building a cottage in her own back yard. They made a deposit on a Craftsman-style design by a local architect who will manage the project from permits to completion. The 429-square-foot home will have... READ MORE
What to look for in choosing rehab care
After a stay in the hospital, most people would prefer to go home to recuperate. But that may not always be possible. If you or a loved one needs more medical care, rehabilitation or supervision, you’ll have to find a nursing home or skilled nursing facility before the patient is discharged from the hospital. But what should you look for, and who is a good source of impartial... READ MORE
How to plant a container like the pros do
Have you ever gone to the grocery store for, say, milk, and left with a cartful of impulse buys? Well, I visited a couple of nurseries last week in search of one specific plant and left with nearly everything except that plant, which both retailers had sold out. As usual, I was seduced by the colorful, pre-planted annual containers on display, and hemmed and hawed about whether I should... READ MORE
A reverse mortgage can help pay for care
Someone turning 65 has nearly a 7-in-10 chance of needing long-term care in the future, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and many don’t have the savings to manage the cost of assisted living. But they may have a mortgage-free home and the equity in it, giving them the potential option of a reverse mortgage to help cover care costs. Here’s how to... READ MORE
For cleaner air, go electric with lawn care
If you use a gas-powered lawn mower, there’s a good chance that maintaining your lawn is worse for the environment than your morning commute. In some cases, far worse. Running a typical gas mower for one hour creates roughly the same amount of smog-forming air pollution as driving a passenger car 300 miles, according to the California Air Resources Board. For some gas-powered leaf... READ MORE
