DC Housing News — October 2022

By Beacon Staff
Posted on October 05, 2022

Balfour Palisades taking reservations A new community offering older adults a continuum of care will soon open in the District of Columbia’s Palisades neighborhood. With a small-town feel, Balfour Palisades will enable residents to stay engaged in the world around them while retreating to a relaxed, cozy setting. The community offers month-to-month lease options without a large... READ MORE

When family caregivers need help, too

By Ana Preger Hart
Posted on September 23, 2022

Baltimore County resident Joanne (last name withheld for privacy) spent the last few years finding caregivers for her mother-in-law, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s. After she passed away in March, Joanne jumped in to organize care for her father-in-law. “I’m not going to say it’s a full-time job, but I spend a tremendous amount of time doing, organizing, dealing with... READ MORE

Easy home fixes with big safety impact

By Liz Weston
Posted on July 28, 2022

If it ain’t broke, maybe you should fix it anyway. That’s the message consumer advocates and insurance experts want you to hear about your home’s hidden dangers. Too often, they say, people put off relatively inexpensive repairs or improvements that could prevent significant damage, injuries or even death. While you can’t eliminate every potential hazard, some small moves can... READ MORE

Services help you downsize and relocate

By Jim Miller
Posted on July 15, 2022

Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend any businesses or services that specialize in helping people downsize and relocate? I need to find some help moving my mother from her four-bedroom home — where she’s lived for nearly 50 years — to an apartment near me. —Overwhelmed Daughter Dear Overwhelmed, The process of downsizing and moving to a new home is a big job for anyone, but ... READ MORE

Talk with neighbors who have dead trees

By H. Dennis Beaver
Posted on July 14, 2022

When a neighbor’s tree falls on your property, guess who has to file the insurance claim, pay the deductible and hope that their premiums won’t rise? That would be you. Unless you can establish that the neighbors had knowledge of the dangerous condition and ignored remedying it. “Often homeowners do not understand the importance of maintaining vegetation — primarily trees — and ... READ MORE

How to hire good, but busy, contractors

By Annie Millerbernd
Posted on July 13, 2022

Brian Gawthrop has waited more than six months to remodel his home. The Washington state-based certified financial planner and his wife have a long enough wish list to keep a contractor busy — a kitchen remodel, new flooring, a new deck and many other upgrades. They did a cash-out refinance last summer, which lowered their mortgage rate and gave them money to use toward home... READ MORE

Many types of workers provide home care

By The ALS Association
Posted on July 12, 2022

“Home care” is a simple phrase that encompasses a wide range of health and social services. Here’s a review of the various types of workers who could be on your home support team: Assistive care providers Assistive care is non-­medical supportive care. The services provided by assistive care personnel can range from helping with personal care (e.g., bathing, dressing, grooming,... READ MORE

Bill would subsidize home improvements

By Homes Renewed Coalition
Posted on July 11, 2022

In May, United States Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg), along with co-sponsors Thomas Suozzi (D-NY) and Daniel Meuser (R-PA), introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to provide tax incentives so that older adults and people with disabilities can make the modifications necessary to age in place safely in their own homes. “Given the option, the vast majority of... READ MORE

When your kids make your home theirs

By Ted Anthony
Posted on July 07, 2022

Should the hanging from Thailand stay on the living-room wall where it has lived since I was born? Should we lay out the family room as it was when I was 8, when I was 17 or in a completely new configuration? Should we leave my mother’s spice rack on the north wall of the kitchen? What about the spices? When you live in a house passed down over generations, deep-time design... READ MORE

Useful services also offer part-time jobs

By Stuart Rosenthal
Posted on July 06, 2022

Two new businesses have come to the region that might appeal to you as a potential customer — or as a potential employee. Their services are aimed at those who are seeking certain kinds of practical help to enable them to remain in their neighborhoods as they age. One of them spins off a very basic household chore: doing the laundry. Are you the kind of person who hates doing laundry?... READ MORE