Free Family Caregivers Kit: Information and Help for Orlando Seniors or Their Family Caregivers

by Lisa D'Aloise

A few years ago, the newspaper advice columnist Dear Abby (Abigail Van Buren) and the U.S. government teamed up to promote the free "Family Caregivers Kit," a collection of brochures and information designed to help family caregivers in Orlando and elsewhere navigate the maze of issues and concerns faced by older seniors and those who care for them.

How We Help Orlando Seniors and Family Caregivers with Late-In-Life Moves

While the brochures are no longer available by mail in hard copy form, they are available online for viewing.

As Certified Senior Housing Professionals in Oviedo, Orlando, and all across Orange County, Florida, Michele and I - the Estate Conversions Team of Keller Williams Realty - wanted to make sure you had easy access to all these resources and solid information.

Helping Orlando Seniors Manage Money

Managing an Older Parent's Money: Help for Those with a Power of Attorney

How to Manage Your Parent's Money: Help for Those with Guardianship or a Conservator 

Help for Representative Payees and Veterans Administration (VA) Fiduciaries

Help for Orlando Seniors in Managing Your/Their Medication

Complete List of Senior Caregiver Resources from the U.S. Government

Senior Citizens Resources in Orlando and Across the Country

End-of-Life Issues and Long Distance Caregiving 

Medicare Assistance for Family Caregivers in Florida and Across the U.S.

At Orlando Senior Housing, we help Central Florida seniors or their family caregivers learn how to age-in-place or prepare for a late-in-life move from a larger home to a smaller apartment or senior housing community. We provide end-to-end advice, organization, and service for the entire move, including selling an Orlando house. Contact Michele Moon or Lisa D'Aloise for a no-obligation analysis and casual chat.

3 beds, 2 baths, $225,000

Our Featured Orlando, Florida House for Sale

DRIVE...BUY!!! This home has been lovingly cared for and it shows! The floor plan is ideal and features a spacious living room and dining room off the foyer and an open kitchen and family room combo. The screen porch has nice brick pavers, a gas line and overlooks a scenic POND and CONSERVATION area.

Review: Oviedo, Florida Senior Living Community: Savannah Court and Savannah Cottage

This is part of our continuing tour and review of senior living communities near Orlando in Central Florida. As Certified Senior Housing Professionals (real estate agents who specialize in working with older adults and their caregiver families) part of our service is focused on having full knowledge of Orlando Senior Housing options and understanding where best to refer our senior clients who are considering a late-in-life move.

We (Lisa D'Aloise and I) recently stopped in to visit with the folks at Savannah Court and Savannah Cottage, two distinct - yet equally exceptional - assisted living communities in Oviedo, Florida, just a few miles from I-4 and minutes from metro Orlando.

Linda Johnson

We had a great time with Linda Johnson, who is simply full of great energy and information! (We call her the "commander of communications.") The community's Marketing Director, Sandra Rivera, is also wonderful and loaded with details and advice.

The first thing you'll notice when you pull up to the campus is that there are three adjacent - yet unique - communities, each situated just a sidewalk apart.

Two of them offer full, senior assisted living options in Florida while the third - Savannah Cottage - is a secure environment dedicated to Alzheimer's care, dementia, and similar memory-impaired residents.

Visit the Savannah Court and Savannah Cottage Website

Orlando family caregivers will also find Savannah Court and Savanna Cottage to be a helpful resource in the areas of respite care and senior day care services. Their respite care program in Florida is available for those who need a senior housing option for several weeks or even several months. It's ideal for family caregivers who require a safe spot for their loved one to stay for a short period of time - even just a week or two while the family caregiver relaxes on a much-deserved vacation or attends to other business or personal matters.

The senior day care program serves as an option for impaired seniors to spend the day - typically no more than 8 hours.

We Specialize in Real Estate Services for Orlando Seniors on the Move

Services and amenities available to all residents include:

24 hour access to trained caring associates
Restaurant-style dining
Linen and housing services
Emergency response system
Diverse activities program designed to enhance daily living
Scheduled transportation to shopping, medical appointments and other outings
Medical appointment scheduling
Utilities are included - telephone and extended cable television service is optional
Climate controlled air conditioning and heating
Spacious bathrooms and kitchenettes
Common areas and suites with beautiful views and manicured landscaping for your enjoyment
Supervision with activities of daily living
Supervision of self administration of medications

If you're an older, senior adult of the adult child of an elder who requires a move to senior housing in the Orlando area, please feel free to contact us - Michele and Lisa of the Estate Conversions Team of Keller-Williams Realty and Orlando Senior Housing. There is no-obligation and we'll be happy to offer you advice in any area or on any challenge that you may be facing as a senior or the caregiver of a senior.

View the Floor Plans

If you need our help selling a family home we'll be happy to provide that. But we're also happy to offer advice and suggestions in other matters that may be helpful and an enhancement to the lives of both seniors and their adult children/family caregivers from Oviedo to Winter Park to Altamonte Springs to Orlando.

Our Featured Orlando, Florida House for Sale from The Estate Conversions Team

Sharing Info on Senior Housing at the National Federation of the Blind Convention in Orlando

by Michele Moon

It goes without saying that Orlando-area seniors who suffer from vision loss face an extra difficulty when it comes time to leave a family home and move to a retirement community, mother-in-law cottage, or smaller apartment.

That's a big reason that my colleague Lisa D'Aloise and I were thrilled last week to both speak and share our knowledge on simplifying senior moves at the annual National Federation of the Blind convention in Orlando.

We Specialize in Real Estate Services for Orlando Seniors on the Move

Lisa sat and shared her information on the panel entitled "Empowerment: Options for Senior Living" with Jennifer Cochran of Visiting Angels, Rachel Alvarez of the Alvarez Law Firm, and Patty Antony of Elder Advocates to discuss whether seniors should "Age in Place" and find assistive care as needed, or move into senior housing in Oviedo, Winter Springs, Winter Park, or anywhere in Central Florida.

Later, I addressed a meeting of leaders of the National Federation of the Blind and provided an overview of the challenges faced by seniors during a late in life move and educated them on the process, allowing those leaders to better share the information with their membership and local chapters of the NFB.

I'd like to offer a special thanks to Ruth Sager, President of the Seniors division of the National Federation of the Blind for being so nice as to invite Lisa and I to speak at the convention.

She shared a gift bag with each of us and presented me with a Braille bracelet with the word "Joy" written on it in braille - a very sweet nod to the fact that I always sign off my emails with the word "joyfully."

Michelle Moon (L) Ruth Sager (R)

Lisa and I are blessed to meet so many great people and to be able to offer what we've learned to seniors and their caregiver families who need assistance with downsizing or a late-in-life move to a new home, be it senior housing in Oviedo, an Orlando retirement community, or the home of a family member.

If we - the Estate Conversions Team and Orlando Senior Housing - may offer you any advice, please contact us anytime for a chat.

Our Featured Orlando/Union Park/Rio Pinar House for Sale

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Review: Orlando Memory Care Senior Communities: Serenades by Sonata

by Lisa D'Aloise

As Certified Senior Housing Professionals and Orlando real estate agents who specialize in helping seniors sell a family home and "downsize" to a more manageable living environment, we regularly tour and inspect senior communities in Central Florida. It's all part of our job to ensure that we - The Estate Conversions Team of Keller Williams Realty - can provide the best recommendations and senior housing options for a late-in-life transition.

We Provide Senior Move and Real Estate Services for Florida Seniors

Serenades by Sonata are three memory care assisted living communities in Central Florida, located in Longwood, Winter Garden, and a new location close to Ocala at The Villages, Florida.

Focused on helping seniors with Alzheimer's and related dementias, the communities utilize the latest technologies and understanding of these diseases to help seniors and their caregiver families enjoy the best quality of life possible.

Website: Serenades Memory Care Assisted Living by Sonata

Of course, in an Orlando memory care setting, safety is of the utmost concern, and Serenades by Sonata employs a wide variety of tools in that effort including:

Wireless Wander Guard system at all exits
Camouflaged exits
Secured proxy card access
Safety cameras in courtyard and at external exits
Bed exit and motion sensors
Double barrier exits
Non-glare surfaces
Resilient flooring

Living Space

Private and companion suites are available, as well as private suites with shared baths. All utilities are included in their monthly fee. Suites feature:

Emergency wireless call system

5-ft. zero-entry showers with grab bars and seats

Secured resident storage in each suite

Bed exit and incontinence sensors

Motion sensors

Memory boxes outside each suite

Amber lighting provides cueing of bathroom location

As Orlando Realtors, we specialize in selling houses for seniors who are on the move, be it in Oviedo, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Lake Mary and all points beyond. 

But it's also our honor to help seniors and their adult children navigate the complexities - emotionally, logistically, and financially - of such a move. We - Michele Moon and I - are specially trained to help you handle the entire move from start to finish. Please feel free to contact us at anytime for advice and a no-obligation consultation. 

Our Featured Winter Springs, Florida House for Sale

This is a great starter home or investment property. There's lots of room to spread out with a formal dining room, living room and family room. The kitchen cabinets have been updated and the roof replaced after Charlie. There is a half bath downstairs that leads to the oversized, fenced back yard. The master bedroom is roomy and the secondary bedrooms share a jack and jill bath. There's no HOA so bring your toys! The schools are top rated too! See it soon!