Visiting Senior Family Members in Orlando This Holiday Season: Are They Safe?

by Michele Moon

Our families can get rather far-flung these days and never is that more apparent than during the holiday season.

If you're visiting your Mom or Dad or grandparents in Orlando or anywhere in Central Florida this holiday season, this may be the first time you've seen them in a year or longer. Often, this is the time of year when family members first notice that an older family member is beginning to really age.

Learn How to Get Help with a Late-in-Life Move in Orlando

Whether you're visiting senior family members who live in the Orlando area this season or you're a local resident whose parents or grandparents live out of state (and you're thinking about moving them to Florida to be closer to you) there are a number of things to watch for determine whether a senior is still able to live safely on their own.

The good people at A Place for Mom have compiled a very nice and complete checklist for a family caregiver to utilize when trying to determine whether or not their loved one can safely live independently. Here's the link where you can download and print out your own copy. 

Whether the senior lives in Orlando, Lake Mary, Oviedo, Winter Springs or you'll be moving them to Florida to live with or near you, we at the Estate Conversions Team of Keller Williams Realty are trained and skilled in the art of helping families and seniors navigate the entire move process, including emotional and financial upheaval and concerns. As Certified Senior Housing Professionals,we are experienced in helping family caregivers and seniors through the process of selling a house, finding senior housing, managing financial and emotional issues, and preparing for all aspects of a late-in-life transition.

We Specialize in Real Estate Services & Late-in-Life Moves for Orlando Seniors

Don't overreact. Some aging and slowing down for Orlando seniors is, of course, natural and they deserve the respect of being able to live independently for as long as possible. But if safety seems to be a valid and serious concern, it's time for you and your other family members to begin planning and then act. If not, age in place options may be viable for you. Contact us here at OrlandoSeniorHousing.com and we'll put you in touch with those who can help with age-in-place techniques and services.

Remember that help exists to help manage and implement a late-in-life transition for a senior. Whether the senior lives in the Orlando area or you'll be moving them to Florida to live with or near you, we at The Estate Conversions Team and Orlando Senior Housing are highly experienced and trained in the art of helping families and seniors navigate the entire move process, including the emotional and financial upheaval and concerns.

Our List of Orlando Senior Communities

As Certified Senior Housing Professionals (Orlando and Oviedo real estate agents specially-trained in helping seniors and family caregivers in Florida) it's our job to not only help with the sale of a home or other real estate services, but also to manage the entire process for you and your senior family member.

Contact us  for a chat or no-obligation consultation.

November is National Family Caregivers Month in Orlando: Five Ways to Celebrate

by Michele Moon

November is National Family Caregivers Month, a proclamation first declared by President Barack Obama in 2013.

Its purpose is to recognize the millions of regular Americans – and tens of thousands of Floridians – who provide care to disabled, ill, or elderly family members on a regular basis.

Get Your Complimentary "Downsizing Made Easy" Guide 

Here at OrlandoSeniorHousing.com, the two of us – Lisa D'Aloise and Michele Moon – regularly work with family caregivers who are helping their senior parents or spouse navigate the complexities of day-to-day living.

When the time comes for that older parent to seek new housing, the adult children or the spouse typically turn to us for help in selling the older adult's home and preparing them for a move (downsizing) to either a family member's home or an assisted living community or retirement community in Orlando, Oviedo, Winter Park, Winter Springs, Altamonte Springs, Sanford, or anywhere across Orange County and Central Florida.

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

We are continually amazed at the hard work, patience, and love exhibited by the Florida family caregivers we meet with on a regular basis. As such, we wanted to make you aware of this holiday and urge you to do something special for Orlando family caregivers – or if you're a family caregiver yourself – do something special for YOU.

Here are a few ideas on how to celebrate National Family Caregivers Month in Orange County.

1) If you own or manage a local business, consider offering a free service or product for family caregivers through the month of November. (Note: This is one of our favorite ideas. Local businesses can do a lot with this and it's great promotion and a win-win for a business!)

2) Send a thank you card, bouquet of flowers, or basket of treats to brighten up a family caregiver’s day.

3) Volunteer to make Thanksgiving dinner for a caregiver family you know.

4) The holiday season is upon us soon and it's a busy time for everyone, including family caregivers from Oviedo to Lake Mary. Ask a caregiver you know how you can help them prepare for the holidays. Perhaps help with decorations, shopping, or just basic tasks so they have time to take care of the holiday jobs.

5) The most important commodity to any family caregiver is typically TIME, so offer to provide some respite care or sit with their family member to allow the caregiver some time off and a break for a day or night, or what have you.

Learn More About Preparing for a Late-in-Life Move

At OrlandoSeniorHousing.com, it's our job as Certified Senior Housing Professionals (real estate agents in Oviedo and Orlando who specialize in working with seniors and family caregivers) to help older adults and those who support them prepare for a late-in-life transition.

Please feel free to contact us anytime for advice and information with no obligation.

The link below contains links to a number of resources in Orlando, Orange County, and Central Florida for family caregivers, including respite care, help with benefits, and much more.

Caregivng Resources in Orlando: The Senior Resource Alliance

Smartphone, iPad, and Tablet Tips and Advice for Orlando Seniors

by Michele Moon

Regardless of where you live - be it an assisted living community, your own house in Oviedo, a Winter Park apartment, or with adult children in Orlando - technology has a way of making the world smaller, helping you to communicate with friends and family, and even manage your schedule and life.

It can be especially helpful in the effort to help older seniors age-in-place (remain living in their own homes independently) as innovations like smartphones and tablets make it far easier for older adults to embrace technology and remain in touch with family caregivers. The many applications (apps) available for both phones and tablets can really be a boost for adult children/family caregivers - even for those who are trying to help Mom or Dad on a long-distance basis.

I thought I'd post a couple of videos and other resources that help explain some of the ways in which smartphones, tablets, and apps can play a role in serving seniors and caregiver families in Orlando and all of Central Florida.

We Specialize in Home Sales & Real Estate Services/Downsizing for Orlando Adults 55+

I've also come across a website for seniors run by a 74-year-old woman named Sheila Finkelstein. Check it out to get free answers to technology questions.

TechnologyForSeniorsMadeEasy.com 

Considering selling a house in Orlando, Oviedo, Winter Park, Winter Springs, Casselberry, or anywhere across Central Florida? 

Contact Lisa or Michele for a No-Obligation Consultation

Granny Pods and Mother-in-Law Cottages: More Orlando Senior Housing Options

by Michele Moon

As Certified Senior Housing Professionals in Orlando, Orange County, and from Oviedo to Winter Park to Altamonte Springs, Florida, one of our greatest joys is in seeing older adults "downsize" to new housing that truly makes them happy.

For some, an independent living community in Orlando is ideal. Others may cherish the idea of moving in with - or close to - family members.

We Specialize in Home Sales and Services for Orlando Seniors on the Move

Whether you call them granny flats, mother-in-law cottages, granny pods, or just a "guest house," renovating or constructing a second building on a property as a home for an aging parent makes a lot of sense.

Having Mom or Dad (or both) living as part of the family - yet maintaining a degree of privacy for all concerned - can be a perfect solution when the time comes for an older parent to move to a new setting where they are less "on their own."

Of course, if the parents are older Florida seniors, they may require concentrated care and proximity to their family caregivers. But in other cases, the parents may be adults 55+ or in their 60's or 70's who simply think the idea of moving to the Orlando area and taking care of the grand-munchkins daily in warmth and sunshine would be a beautiful idea!

No matter the scenario, these types of housing arrangements are common and a perfect solution for helping older parents begin the process of aging-in-place with the support of their family.

Terms like "mother-in-law cottages" are commonly used to describe a secondary building that is separate from the primary building on a property in Florida, yet also includes its own bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom.

Formally known as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU), their legality is dependent on local zoning ordinances and HOA rules, but the municipal code in Orange County, Florida does currently allow them. See the specific Orange County ordinance concerning an ADU here.

If you are considering renovating or building an ADU or mother-in-law cottage, be cautious and carefully research the local laws and limitations. Still, even in cases where local ordinances prohibit such a dwellings, an exemption may be made. Feel free to investigate this possibility.

Learn More About Accessory Dwelling Units

Communities across Florida and the entire country are beginning to understand the importance of multi-generational housing and aging-in-place opportunities for seniors.

As Certified Senior Housing Professionals, Lisa and I serve as Orlando and Oviedo real estate agents who specialize in helping seniors or their family caregivers navigate the complexities of the late-in-life sale of a home and move to new housing.

Please feel free to contact us for more information on Accessory Dwelling Units in Orlando and any issues relating to a late-in-life move for a senior. We'd love to help!

Our Featured Orlando House for Sale: Four Bedrooms

Volunteer with the Foster Grandparent Program of Central and East Central Florida

by Michele Moon

As professionals who serve seniors in Central Florida, we thought it was pretty important to help spread awareness of this very cool program that helps so many people on several different levels.

The Foster Grandparent Program of Central and East Central Florida recruits and trains limited-income seniors, ages 55 or older, to provide 20 hours per week of one-on-one attention to special needs children in Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Flagler, and Osceola Counties.

Senior volunteers in Orlando, Florida receive a small, non-taxable stipend of $2.65 hourly for a minimum of 20 hours weekly helping to nurture and enhance the lives of special needs kids across Orlando and the entire area.

Typically, a foster grandparent will devote 4 hours daily, 5 days per week, at one of more than 100 locations in Central Florida ranging from schools, hospitals, drug treatment centers, correctional institutions, Head Start centers, after-school programs, and residential facilities.

We Specialize in Home Sales and Real Estate Services for Orlando-Area Adults 55+

In addition to the stipend, participating volunteers receive transportation assistance, meals while on duty, supplemental accident and liability coverage while they are serving and annual recognition.

Again, keep in mind that there are income eligibility requirements for senior volunteers, as this program is designed to help fixed-income seniors in Central Florida who can benefit from a little more tax-free income each month.

From Fairview Head Start

Of course, in addition to the small financial benefit, serving as a Foster Grandparent is a stellar way to give back to the community, stay busy, and help children who need it more than most!

Volunteers for Community Impact runs the program and is also the sponsoring agency for RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program).

Download the Volunteer Application

As Certified Senior Housing Professionals (Oviedo and Orlando real estate agents who specialize in serving adults 55+) we at the Estate Conversions Team of Keller Wiliams Realty regularly chat with seniors who could use a little extra cash and long to remain active and helpful in their communities.

Get Orlando Senior Housing and Real Estate/Moving Advice

If we may at any time be of service or offer you any advice on senior housing or other issues pertaining to adults 55+ in central Florida - from Winter Park to Oviedo to Winter Springs to Lake Mary - please feel free to contact us here!

Our Featured Winter Springs, Florida House for Sale

Honoring Ruth Sager: "Our Most Amazing Senior" on National Senior Citizens Day 2014

by Michele Moon

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan and the U.S. Congress declared that every August 21 in perpetuity should be recognized as "National Senior Citizens Day," in honor of older Americans who have contributed so much to our way of life.

As such, Lisa D'Aloise and I of Orlando Senior Housing have chosen to recognize and honor an exceptional woman we have grown to know and respect over the past several months.

Ruth Sager

OrlandoSeniorHousing.com's "Most Amazing Senior" on National Senior Citizens Day 

Ruth is the President of the Seniors Division of the National Federation of the Blind. Lisa and I recently got to know Ruth when she invited us both to speak on senior housing issues at the NFB annual convention in Orlando.

A woman who is devoted to making life better for individuals who are sight-impaired, Ruth also serves as an instructor in Baltimore with Blind Industries and Services of Maryland.

I asked Ruth to share with us a bit of her life story and inspiration.

by Ruth Sager

As a young person finishing my academic studies, I moved from Wisconsin to the Washington DC metro area with the hope of finding a job. During my search, I met some blind people, most of whom were employed by the government and held professional jobs. They invited me to a meeting of the local chapter of the National Federation of the Blind.  

At the meeting, I discovered that one of the young men there was running for local, public office. This really made me think about greater possibilities. It had never occurred to me that anyone with a significant disability could attempt to do such a thing. I found this group energetic and invigorating and they were purposeful in their quest to find and fight for equal opportunity for employment, housing, and lifestyle choices.

The group had a positive focus and a willingness to change the status quo, while working towards improving conditions and changing laws. I was challenged not only to think of my own needs and desires but to realize I was apart of a social minority in this country and should become actively involved in this organization.

As time moved on, I eventually chose to become an instructor at one of the training centers established by the National Federation of the Blind in Ruston, Louisiana.  I became one of the few blind cane travel instructors in the nation at that time, and then moved on to teach independent living and home management to newly blind adults.  

I continued my work in this same capacity when I again moved back to the East Coast and began work at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland as an independent living instructor. In 1998 I began working exclusively with seniors who were losing vision. I visited them at home and then created and implemented a training program to enable seniors to learn non-visual techniques they can employ to remain active and self sufficient in their homes and communities.  

The idea that “Collectively working together, we can change what it means to be blind,” became my mission when I joined the National Federation of the Blind thirty-six years ago. I have been assigned a variety of tasks and challenged to take on several leadership positions within the federation as I moved through rearing my children and finding a career choice living in several different states. I have had the opportunity to work with and meet many hundreds of blind people over the years who have inspired me and taught me how to live the life I want. This is the  legacy I want to pass on to others.

At our 2014 convention in Orlando, the Seniors Division of the NFB focused on housing issues for blind seniors. I hope this focus and discussion will spur conversations within Federation chapters nationwide as to options in senior living and what responsibilities are entailed in maintaining the best quality of life possible for each senior. 

Whether they are a newly blind senior struggling to maintain independence or an individual who has been blind most of their life but who has now attained "seniorhood," knowledge about our options and how to access those options is so important. We can then be proactively accountable for planning our future as far as the physical space we live in and the financial management of our personal affairs. We can therefore control as much of our future destiny as our sighted colleagues using our abilities and talents to promote our personal desires and continue living the kind of life we want.

Michele and Ruth

Ruth, thank you for your exceptional work over the years and for your ongoing dedication!

Ruth Sager

OrlandoSeniorHousing.com's "Most Amazing Senior" 

National Senior Citizens Day

August 21, 2014

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.