While you were in the workforce and busy raising a family, you may not have had time to volunteer as often as you would have liked. But in retirement, it’s important to find ways to stay productive and engaged with life. And research shows volunteering may be just what the doctor ordered.

Take a look at the many benefits volunteering provides to keep the mind, body and spirit strong:

• Reduced hypertension
• Lower risk of depression
• Improved balance, agility, and flexibility
• Slower cognitive decline

Lower Your Blood Pressure by Volunteering

In a study conducted by Carnegie Mellon University, older adults who volunteered at least 200 hours per year had lower blood pressure after four years than those who did not volunteer.

Since hypertension is related to a number of health problems, including stroke and heart attack, volunteering may help reduce the risk of these diseases.

Interestingly, the lower blood pressure was not related just to the exercise provided by many volunteer activities – even volunteers who didn’t engage in physical activities like food service or gardening reaped the same rewards.

Ward off Depression

Many older adults begin to feel depressed after retirement, often due to social isolation and boredom. Volunteering boosts self-esteem and provides a way to form strong social connections with others who believe in the same causes you do.

Helping others also prompts the brain to release dopamine – the same feel-good hormone that gives you a natural high after a workout.

Volunteers Get Physical

Many volunteer activities, such as participating in a walk-a-thon, planting a community garden, or cooking meals for a soup kitchen, actually do involve physical activity. These volunteer activities can improve cardiovascular function, balance, and agility the same way any form of exercise does.

You’ll also enjoy the added boost of a built-in support community to keep you going, even on mornings when you’d rather stay in bed.

Volunteering Offers Brain Benefits

Planning activities, mentoring young adults, or helping elementary age children learn math exercise parts of your brain that may not get much of a work-out in retirement.

According to one study done by John Hopkins University, volunteering in ways that permit you to learn a new skill or use your intellect may actually help slow cognitive decline.

And because volunteering also improves physical health and reduces the risk of depression – both factors in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia – it may provide additional brain benefits, too.

Live Longer

One compelling study which researched 6,200 Americans over the age of 65. Doctors discovered that those who volunteered reduced their risk of death within the next seven years by about 50 percent.

Live Better

In addition to these tangible, proven benefits, volunteering provides a means to apply the skills you’ve learned over your whole life in a way that helps others. We can’t think of a better way to feel useful in your later years, while helping to build a better world for your grandchildren.

Volunteering may also provide opportunities to travel and to meet new people from different walks of life. Residents of the Five Star Senior Living communities across the country are engaged in a variety of volunteer projects on-site and around their local community.

Whether you’re a leader who wants to step up and plan events and activities, or just lend a helping hand when asked, there really isn’t a downside to volunteering.

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Retirement is something most older adults plan for and look forward to over many years. Being free to pursue old hobbies, explore new passions, travel, and spend time spoiling the grandkids are just a few of the perks of retiring. Sometimes, however, the burdens of home ownership put a crimp in a senior’s desire to live a more carefree lifestyle.

That is when a move to an independent living community might be a solution to consider.

What is an Independent Living Community?

Independent living communities are a senior housing option designed with the active adult in mind. Older adults who chose to move to one are looking for a lifestyle free from the worries of home maintenance and repairs so they have more time to focus on the social side of life.

Independent living comes in several forms:

• Apartments in a dedicated independent living community or on the campus of a larger continuing care community
• Maintenance-free villas or small cottages that are part of a retirement community

What advantages do these communities offer seniors?

Let’s talk about a few of the most common ones.

5 Benefits of Independent Living Communities

Here are some of the things older adults like most about independent living communities:

1. No maintenance or repairs: No more worries about snow shoveling, mowing the lawn, or fixing the dishwasher! A move to independent living comes with a maintenance-free lifestyle.
2. Amenities and conveniences: Depending on the community you chose, you’ll find a host of amenities and conveniences. Housekeeping, transportation, trash removal, a beauty/barber shop, and meal plans are a few standard services. Some communities even have a concierge to help you make arrangements for theater tickets, dry cleaning, travel plans, and more.
3. Socialization: Independent living communities offer meaningful ways to connect with friends and neighbors each day. It might be a quick cup of coffee in the dining room before heading over to morning devotionals or an afternoon of spirited game playing. Socialization opportunities are a primary reason seniors move to independent living.
4. 24-hour security: Independent living communities provide a safe and secure environment for older adults. From having staff onsite around the clock to fire suppression systems and an emergency call system, seniors can feel safe living alone.
5. Assistance: Some independent living communities also have programs in place to offer assistance with personal care. This allows an older adult to remain independent longer.

Experience Five Star Senior Living

If you are starting to explore your options for senior housing, we know it can be a bit overwhelming. There are many choices to consider and much to learn about each one. That’s why we created a Where to Begin guide.

In this area of our website you will find all the information you need to get started. We also encourage you to take a tour of a senior living community near you to see first hand what independent living has to offer.

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Selling a home and moving is often one of the most stressful life events we can experience, especially if it’s done without proper planning. If you are selling your home or the home of an older loved one, there are many benefits to hiring a senior move manager to help make the transition go smoothly. One related question we often receive is when is the best time to sell —before or after the move to senior living?

Some real estate experts say selling your home before you move is the best route for all parties involved, but is that really the ideal solution for the homeowner?

We’ve broken down the pros and cons of selling before and after a move for your consideration.

The Pros and Cons of Selling a House Before Moving to Senior Living

Pro: Access to Money

Many people choose to sell their home before they move to help free up money to finance senior living. The house is often the single greatest asset an older adult has and the proceeds from the sale are needed to pay for the expenses of senior living.

Con: Showing a Potentially Cluttered House

Any seasoned realtor will tell you that showing a cluttered lived-in home does you a disservice when trying to sell. Anyone who has lived in their home for many years has often acquired a lot of “stuff.” It doesn’t always create a positive first impression.

Con: Disrupting Your Schedule for Showings

Living in a home that is for sale is tough. Trying to keep it clean and “show ready” at all times isn’t easy. Equally as difficult is finding places to go during times the house is being shown, especially for seniors who are no longer driving.

Because many potential buyers work during the daytime, it isn’t uncommon for them to want to visit homes in the early morning and late evening hours. These can be inconvenient times for seniors.

One tip if you do want to sell your home before you move, is to consider choosing a senior-friendly realtor. They can help guide you through the process and provide valuable tips for selling your home quickly and for the maximum amount of money. Read more about the advantage of selling your home to pay for senior living.

The Pros and Cons of Selling After You Move

Pro: Ideal for Staging

Many realtors will tell you that selling an empty home can work in your favor because you’re working with a “clean slate.” In fact, if you’re working with an empty house, you have a great opportunity for staging the home to attract buyers. Professional home stagers have access to furniture and accessories that can help buyers to envision themselves living in your home and quickly close a deal.

Pro: Less Stress for the Homeowner

A homeowner who moves to senior living first can take their time packing and moving. This helps manage move anxiety and stress, especially when compared to someone who sells their home and must pack and downsize and move in just a few weeks of time.

Con: Additional Costs

If you or your loved one’s house doesn’t sell as quickly as you expect, you could be saddled with mortgage payments or utility bills as an added expense. In order to sell your home, you need to keep the lights and water on to make sure that potential buyers see your home in its best light (no pun intended!). Are the added expenses ones your family can manage? Some senior living communities have partnerships with companies who help establish short-term bridge loans for the time needed to make this transition.

Best Choice for You

It’s clear to see that there is no right answer when selling a home and making the transition to senior living. The best way to cut down on anxiety surrounding a move is doing what feels right for you and your family.

It might be worth it, however, to consult a senior-friendly realtor before you ultimately make a decision. Their expertise, not only in the field of selling homes for seniors, but also on the real estate market in your local neighborhood, should help you to make a more informed decision.

Whether you sell before or after, here is a handy moving checklist for seniors. For more information about senior living contact us today.

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Winter brings challenges for every homeowner, but seniors may need extra help preparing for ice and snow. By planning ahead and getting things done while it’s still relatively warm outside, you reduce the risk of being caught unprepared by an early storm.

Here are five ways to help senior loved ones prepare their homes for the upcoming winter months.

Preparing a Senior’s Home for Winter

1. Install storm windows

Some homes, especially older ones, may have the type of storm windows that have to be reinstalled every winter. Even if it’s just a matter of sliding the storms down the window frame, seniors might need help getting winter windows in place. Very often latches are tricky and require hand strength that an older adult might not have.

2. Get the chimney professionally cleaned

If your loved one’s home has a fireplace or a wood stove, book an appointment with a chimney sweep to come and clean the chimney. Creosote can build up over just one season presenting a serious fire hazard.

While you’re at it, have them check the damper to make sure it’s working. Finally, install carbon monoxide detectors throughout the home. Wood stoves that don’t burn efficiently can emit poisonous yet odorless gasses. The CDC recommends learning the symptoms of CO poisoning.

Even if there’s no fireplace or wood stove, arrange to have the heating system checked. The last thing you want to happen is for your loved one’s furnace to give out during a winter storm.

3. Arrange for ice and snow removal

Icy walks and driveways can lead to falls which are a leading cause of disability for seniors. Make arrangements early to have sidewalks and the drive shoveled promptly once the snow flies. If you can’t be there to do the job yourself, hire a lawn service or a neighbor to do it. Some local agencies on aging offer these types of services to help older adults during winter months.

4. Equip for emergencies

Hopefully, a winter storm won’t result in a power outage. However, it’s better to be prepared for one just in case. Here are a few tips to do so.

• Stock the pantry with food that doesn’t need to be cooked or refrigerated
• Assemble an emergency kit containing first aid supplies, blankets, extra batteries, a flashlight and a weather radio
• Make sure there’s a fully-charged cell phone ready at all times
• Have extra medicine on hand in case the drug store is inaccessible

5. Get the house ready

While we’re still enjoying the last remnants of warm weather, take time to clean out the gutters. Also be sure to check the roof for leaks and get any you find fixed before cold weather hits. If the home has water lines that run along exterior walls, it’s a good idea to insulate them or turn the water off for the season. These tips should help protect the house during the coldest months of winter.

Finally, don’t forget to winterize your senior loved one’s vehicle. These tips on winterizing your family member’s car might also be helpful.

Maintaining a Home in Winter is Tough—But You Have Options

Getting a head start on home winterization can help your senior loved one stay warm and safe this winter. But if home maintenance ever becomes too much of a challenge, there are other options. One of which is a senior living community.

Five Star Senior Living offers a range of care choices. Our Independent Living communities, for example, offer seniors the freedom and independence of living in apartments or villas. Home maintenance services are provided, so there’s no need to fuss with snow windows and snow removal in the winter! Find a senior living community near you to learn more.

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Seniors often feel the need to downsize to a condominium or senior living community after they retire and their kids have left home. Maintaining a bigger house for just one or two people doesn’t always make good financial sense, and the maintenance and repairs can be a lot of work. After decades spent in the same house, however, the idea of packing and moving can feel overwhelming both physically and emotionally.

If you find yourself in this situation with an older adult you love, we have some advice.

6 Tips for Helping a Senior Downsize Before a Move

Here are six suggestions you can use to make the process of downsizing go more smoothly.

1. What matters most?

Ask your senior loved one which of their belongings they can’t part with. Help them create a list of things they treasure most, while keeping in mind that they won’t have quite as much space as they are used to. Create a separate list for items that are important to them, but will need to find a new home with a friend or family member.

2. Secure treasured possessions

Downsizing and moving can be hectic. Putting a home up for sale also adds another layer of complexity to the process. It might help to rent a storage space or borrow the use of a family member’s garage or basement to place treasured items in during this time. That helps eliminate the risk of something happening to those items. It also makes the house look more spacious to potential buyers.

3. Create a floor plan for the new home

If your senior loved one has already chosen a senior living community or condominium, get the dimensions for each room. Then measure each piece of furniture they want to take with them. Use these measurements to create a room-by-room floor plan of their new home on graph paper or by using a free online tool like RoomStyler or Homebyme. This will also show you just how many of their belongings will—or won’t—fit in to the new space.

4. Start early and take your time

When a senior has lived in their home for many years, it is easy to become overwhelmed with the very idea of downsizing. People often feel paralyzed and procrastinate about getting started. Doing so can make the process even more difficult.

Starting early, even before you begin to search for a senior living community for your loved one, gives you the advantage of time. This makes it less stressful for all involved. It also gives you an opportunity to reminisce over old family photos and mementoes as you work your way through the house.

5. Create a plan for disposing of unwanted items

Figuring out what to do with no longer needed items can take time. While you likely have a variety of non-profit organizations in your community that welcome donations, it will probably take a few phone calls to figure out what they will take. Older electronics can sometimes be more difficult to get rid of, check with your local recycling department to learn more about e-waste disposal options.

Some charities offer pick-up services if you have larger pieces of furniture to donate or multiple boxes of smaller items. Remember to ask each charity for a receipt so the senior can deduct these donations on their taxes.

Here are even more ideas about what to do with a senior’s extra and unwanted belongings.

6. Where and how to start downsizing

Finally, sit down together to create a plan for where and how to get started. Some have found it helps to first go through the whole house and de-clutter.  (You’ll probably be surprised at how much clutter has accumulated!) Once that is done, you can start a room-by-room approach to really dig in and pack up.

Senior Move Managers Can Help

If you need professional advice to help you through this process, there is a group of professionals that might be the solution. Senior move managers provide support with everything from interviewing moving companies to arranging for a charity to pick up donations. Search the National Association of Senior Move Managers website to find an advisor near you.

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