Long-term care “Conversation Checklist” for families and seniors.

Having a conversation about long-term care with an aging loved one can be difficult. Initiating a conversation can be awkward or uncomfortable for family members or caregivers. Although it is impossible to know what the future will bring, SNAPforSeniors, a national database for senior housing, offers the following hints and checklist that may help to begin a conversation about housing options with your loved one.

1. Determine if it™s time to think about long term care facilities.

Reasons to seek long-term care vary from person to person. In addition to potentially offering a more comfortable and safer environment for the aging loved one, long-term care may be necessary for the mental and physical health of the caregiver.
To ensure your loved one is able to contribute to his/her future, introduce alternate housing options as early as possible, even before necessary. Ask your loved one questions about lifestyle or health-related challenges. Continue the conversation over time by sharing your observations and concerns, including any of the following physical and mental symptoms:

Physical Symptoms

¢ Are they able to move around easily given the physical layout of the home? For example, are stairs, carpet, bath/shower or door handles obstacles for mobility? Is the heating and lighting adequate for any sensory impairments including hearing, sight and circulation problems?
¢ Are they experiencing balance issues, especially when changing positions? Are you concerned about them falling?
¢ If they fell, are you confident he or she would be able to call for help? Is there a reliable source to respond to a call at all times?
¢ Is your loved one repeatedly complaining of physical aches and pains?
¢ Are they experiencing frequent incontinence? Can they attend to the problem when this happens or is help needed?
¢ Do they have difficulty dressing, bathing or with personal hygiene such as hair and foot care?
¢ Is your loved one experiencing frequent, significant sleep disturbances?
¢ Are they capable of cooking or preparing healthy meals?
¢ Have operating gadgets or appliances such as the can opener, stove or telephone become difficult?
¢ Have household chores become a burden? Is vacuuming, sweeping, taking out the garbage, cleaning the dishes or bathroom being done in timely ways?
¢ Are finances such as bill payment, deposits, and investments being handled in a timely manner?
¢ Is your loved one still driving? If so, are you concerned about his/her and others wellbeing? Is public transportation a safe and viable option?
¢ Are prescribed medications obtained and taken as indicated consistently?

Mental Symptoms:

¢ Is your loved one demonstrating personality changes, including but not limited to:

¢ Frequent irritability?
¢ Insensitivity to others?
¢ Disoriented to place and time?
¢ Aggressive behaviors?
¢ Repetitive behaviors?
¢ Communicating with inappropriate language?

¢ Is your loved one socially withdrawn and not able or not wanting to get together with friends or family? Are there signs of depression?
¢ Do they express negative comments about him or herself?
¢ Are they demonstrating an inability to make decisions or making poor decisions?
¢ Is your loved one able to understand communication or instructions from others?

2. Schedule a family meeting.

A family meeting can move the topic of long-term care to a more focused discussion that can lead to a plan. Here is a checklist for planning your family meeting:
¢ Determine the family members that should be involved directly or indirectly in decision making. This may include extended family members, close friends or paid caregivers. Always include the person if he/she is capable of taking part in any decision making.
¢ Consider including an independent third party to play the role of mediator. This could be a minister or other member of the clergy, a social worker or case manager.
¢ If necessary, find a neutral place to hold the meeting.
¢ Prepare an agenda to help you stay focused. It may include:

¢ A medical update
¢ Sharing of feelings about the illness and caregiving
¢ Daily caregiving needs
¢ Financial concerns
¢ Who will make decisions
¢ What support role each person will play
¢ What support the primary caregiver needs
¢ Next steps moving forward

3. Continue to involve family.

The move to a long-term care facility is an immense transition for any family, so it™s important to involve everyone relevant to the person:
¢ Reach out to siblings to secure their input and support. For example, share online information about long-term care facilities to secure greater involvement and participation.
¢ Is there is an unequal financial or time burden to one family member? If so, acknowledge the distribution of resources and discuss a strategy for achieving a balance that appeals to everyone.

4. Continue to engage your parent or loved one.

¢ Have ongoing conversations at times when your loved one is feeling best and there are few distractions.
¢ Introduce the idea of an overnight visit to a long-term care facility or an extended afternoon visit to get a feel for the various available options.

5. Begin researching long-term care options in your area.

¢ Go to snapforseniors.com to access a nationwide senior housing database.
¢ Enter your city, state, zip, county or address and begin researching options by category of housing.
¢ View the listing details or contact the facility to ask questions and schedule a site visit.
¢ Read comments from consumers on the listing if available.
¢ Ask the facility you visit for a copy of their last annual licensing survey report.
¢ Contact your local senior ombudsman to get perspective from a local trusted resource.
¢ Check references from existing or prior residents or families.

Read the rest of this entry »

Phased approach, SRES specialist and Internet tools ease move from family home to senior housing.

By Sandy Mau

Helping a parent move to senior housing can seem more intimidating than orchestrating a rocket launch.The death of a spouse, declining health or safety concerns can trigger the need to move. The first phase comes with the realization that what has been home is no longer suitable.

Emotional ties to a place are hard to overcome. Finding a new home that is appealing and appropriate is no easy task, and neither is culling through a lifetime™s accumulation of œstuff.

It may not take a rocket scientist to work through this multi-phase life change. But finding a professional who knows the ropes can make it easier for the more than 29 percent of home sellers age 65 and older who move into an active-adult community or senior-related housing each year. ¹

That professional may be a Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES). An SRES agent receives special training and demonstrates the expertise to navigate the unique housing needs of clients age 50 and older.

œServices to seniors are changing to meet the lifestyles we live. Senior communities are changing to meet the expectations of baby boomers and today™s retirees, too, said Carol Kairis, managing director, SRES Council and Specialties, National Association of Realtors ®. œThe range of senior housing options is diverse and would surprise many Americans who often think of senior housing as only nursing homes. Assisted living facilities address the needs of those who need support services, and continuing care retirement communities are wonderful options for those who wish to age in place.

Nationwide, more than 16,000 realtors have attained the SRES designation. In the same way a real estate agent recommends a plumber or landscaper to a client, an SRES agent assembles a team to address client needs–repair companies, professional organizers, estate sales agents, and senior move managers who pack, transport and unpack in the new location.

œAn SRES agent can help you develop a strategy, then bring in a team to help take one room at a time to organize and dispose of goods. They can help you decide where you™re going to go, and recommend a mover, said Armand Christopher, a seasoned SRES real estate broker and member of the SRES National Advisory Board of the National Association of Realtors.

Christopher has an active practice in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and offers these tips:

1. Plan ahead. Don™t wait for a health crisis to start the process. The smoothest transitions occur when the person moving is in the driver™s seat.
2. Engage professionals. SRES agents understand the dynamics of a senior move. They are trained about the benefits and drawbacks of reverse mortgages and can help you understand how to use pensions, 401K accounts and IRAs in real estate transactions. They also know how Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security will affect your real estate decisions.
3. Get a full assessment of the current situation. Physical care needs and financial resources are where to start. Consider the costs of staying in place, including renovation and ongoing maintenance. Add the cost of rising utility bills and taxes, and don™t forget transportation and food. Make a list and decide whether it™s cheaper to stay or move to a community designed for seniors.
4. Take a multi-phase approach. Christopher said his customers often take longer than a year to actually make the move. An SRES agent can connect the senior with professionals to help walk through the process.
5. Fully explore new housing options. Senior living offers a broader range of options than ever before. SRES agents have an understanding of the services each type of community can provide and can best match the client with the right place.

Christopher and other SRES professionals use SNAPforSeniorsâ„¢, an online search tool that is akin to the Multiple Listing Service for senior housing. The SNAPforSeniorsâ„¢ database includes more than 60,000 licensed senior housing facilities in the country and is publicly available at no charge at www.snapforseniors.com

œIt™s a great tool, Christopher said. œEspecially when adult children live out of state and are working with their parents on a move, I tell them about options I find on SNAPforSeniors. Typically seniors want to relocate close to their children, and the online search allows adult children and their parents to search research options and start the search together.

President Signs Housing Stimulus Bill – National

In the early morning of July 30, President George W. Bush quickly and without ceremony signed into law the most significant and comprehensive housing bill in a generation.   The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 was adopted by the House and Senate days earlier.

œThe National Association of REALTORS ® and its 1.2 million members commend President George W. Bush for his quick action in signing the housing stimulus bill today. This legislation will go a long way to help stabilize the housing market and make the dream of homeownership more attainable for many Americans,” said National Association of REALTORS ® President Dick Gaylord.     ” In addition, more families will be able to refinance into safer, more affordable mortgages, in many cases helping those families avoid a devastating foreclosure.”

For several years, NAR has been the leading advocate for many of the provisions in the legislation, including Federal Housing Administration modernization that will simplify and make FHA-backed mortgages more available, a tax credit for first-time home buyers, reform of government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, permanent increases to both GSE and FHA loan limits, and a program to expand FHA that would allow more mortgages to be refinanced.

œThis legislation is an infusion of confidence the financial markets need desperately,” said U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), who is also a REALTOR ®.

“We’ll put liquidity back in the mortgage market,” said Isakson. “There will be good underwriting and accountable credit issued by the mortgages that are then sold to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to provide liquidity in the marketplace. This is not a bailout for those two institutions. It is an insurance policy that’s good for this economy and good for this country.

For a summary of key provisions in the new law, please click here.

To view detailed information about the $7,500 first-time homebuyer tax credit, please click here.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008 – Source ABR Website

City Allocates $1.5 Million for Multifamily Developers – Atlanta

The Atlanta Development Authority (ADA), the economic development agent for the City of Atlanta, will begin accepting applications from multifamily developers wishing to access federal HOME dollars.   The City has allocated $1.5 million of HOME dollars to ADA to provide loans for the acquisition, construction and/or rehabilitation of rental housing units.     HOME is a federally funded program that assists in the production and preservation of affordable housing for very low to moderate-income families and individuals.

Recognizing a shortage of housing stock for Atlanta™s middle class, a critical goal set forth in the mayor™s Economic Development Plan was to directly influence the production of 10,000 units of affordable housing by 2009 through city sponsored financial incentive programs.   Since 2005, through public investment, the city has added over 3,500 affordable units.   œThe city has invested in affordable workforce housing over the past several years, says Mayor Franklin.   œClearly, we have a long way to go, but through continuous focus and innovation, we are moving the needle.

Rental projects may receive up to $750,000 in low interest loans under this program.   œDuring this challenging economic climate, these dollars may provide the last layer of funding needed to make a transaction work, says Ernestine Garey, Director of Housing Finance for ADA.   œThese loans are at very flexible terms and will help developers attract conventional financing, which has become significantly more difficult to obtain as lenders today are adopting more stringent underwriting criteria.

This program expands the financial toolkit offered by ADA to affordable housing developers.   For eligibility requirements, program details and to download the developer application, please visit:   http://www.atlantada.com/buildDev/HOMEmultifamilyFinancing.jsp.

Other multifamily products offered by ADA include; tax exempt bond financing, housing opportunity bond loans, and Community Housing Development Organizations specific loans.   Each financial product has different rules and regulations.

In addition, ADA influences the production of affordable housing through its tax allocation district program.   To encourage home ownership, they also offer several down-payment assistance programs for homebuyers seeking to move out of rental and into ownership.

About ADA

The Atlanta Development Authority (ADA) is the official economic development agency for the City of Atlanta. ADA represents in-town Atlanta, with a population of 519,000 and growing.   ADA is a research-based economic development organization, focused on residential, business and investment growth in the city.   It is a public corporation that is governed by a 9-member board of directors, chaired by the mayor of Atlanta.   ADA works with more than 55 economic development partner organizations regularly.     The Urban Residential Finance Authority (URFA) is a division of the ADA and is the department within ADA responsible for the administering the above programs.   In 2007, the ADA issued more than $34 million in multifamily tax exempt bonds.

Monday, August 04, 2008 – Source ABR Website

REALTORS ® Rally to Encourage Homebuying – Atlanta

On Wednesday, August 27, U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) joined members of the Atlanta Board of REALTORS ® and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association at a rally to raise awareness of the benefits for buyers included in the landmark housing stimulus bill just passed by Congress.

Though a light rain briefly fell during the press conference, nothing could dampen the spirits of the dozens of real estate professionals gathered on the steps of the State Capitol.   The focus of the rally was to promote the $7,500 tax credit for new homebuyers, which was sponsored by Senator Isakson.

Senator Isakson’s firsthand experience as a real estate agent during the 1974 housing slump that was turned around by a similar tax credit inspired him to champion the tax credit in the new stimulus bill.   The National Association of REALTORS ® estimates that the tax credit could create one million new homeowners nationwide.

ABR President Scott Simpson spoke about how the stimulus bill will restore stability in the housing sector and liquidity in the mortgage industry.

Later that day, GAHBA President Steve Palmer and ABR Governmental Affairs Director Robert Broome appeared together on Rob Wilson’s “Solutions & Remedies” talk radio show on AM 1380 WAOK to promote the tax credit and housing reforms included in the legislation.

Read the Atlanta Journal-Constitution article about the rally.

Read a summary of the key provisions of H.R. 3221, the “Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.”

Thursday, August 28, 2008 – Source ABR Website

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition News  

‘Extreme Makeover’ house faces foreclosure    

The Associated Press

LAKE CITY, Ga. — More than 1,800 people showed up to help ABC’s “Extreme Makeover” team demolish a family’s decrepit home and replace it with a sparkling, four-bedroom mini-mansion in 2005.

Three years later, the reality TV show’s most ambitious project at the time has become the latest victim of the foreclosure crisis.

After the Harper family used the two-story home as collateral for a $450,000 loan, it’s set to go to auction on the steps of the Clayton County Courthouse Aug. 5. The couple did not return phone calls Monday, but told WSB-TV they received the loan for a construction business that failed.

The house was built in January 2005, after Atlanta-based Beazer Homes USA and ABC’s “Extreme Makeover” demolished their old home and its faulty septic system. Within six days, construction crews and hoards of volunteers had completed work on the largest home that the television program had yet built.

The finished product was a four-bedroom house with decorative rock walls and a three-car garage that towered over ranch and split-level homes in their Clayton County neighborhood. The home’s door opened into a lobby that featured four fireplaces, a solarium, a music room and a plush new office.

Materials and labor were donated for the home, which would have cost about $450,000 to build. Beazer Homes’ employees and company partners also raised $250,000 in contributions for the family, including scholarships for the couple’s three children and a home maintenance fund.

ABC said in a statement that it advises each family to consult a financial planner after they get their new home. “Ultimately, financial matters are personal, and we work to respect the privacy of the families,” the network said.

Some of the volunteers who helped build the home were less than thrilled about the family’s financial decisions.

“It’s aggravating. It just makes you mad.

 You do that much work, and they just squander it,” Lake City Mayor Willie Oswalt, who helped vault a massive beam into place in the Harper’s living room, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, http://www.ajc.com/

-Now my question is… with the current state of our economy and with all the negative news press about the “Real Estate Meltdown…” Why would anybody more especially a family that was chosen out of thousands of needy families that received a second chance in life put themselves in this predicament?

Tell me what your thoughts are?

This  property will be available August 1, 2008.

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For more information call Toll Free 24HR Property Hotline: 1-(888)527-4281 Extn: 330

Click here to “Preview or Print” Property flyer:    

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 Welcome to Darren Smith’s Blog! This blog will provide you with valuable information, tips, and general insight into the real estate market in Atlanta.