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.

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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.

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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!

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Orlando Senior Living Review: Atria at Lake Forest

by Michele Moon

A coupe of weeks ago my partner Lisa D'Aloise and I had the opportunity to spend some time at and get to know the residents and staff at Atria at Lake Forest in Sanford, Florida, a beautiful assisted living facility in Central Florida near Orlando.

We were on hand to take part in a benefit event for the Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Center and also walked about and surveyed the surroundings and how residents and staff spent their time together.

With more than 200 monthly events, residents have many opportunities to stay active, both on the eight-acre campus that's surrounded by oak trees, and by taking part in off-campus activities and trips throughout the local area.

Visit the Atria at Lake Forest Website

The many apartments at Atria at Lake Forest come in a variety of floor plans and include studio, one, or two-bedroom designs and meet the needs of most all seniors - whether they are engaged in an active, retirement lifestyle with an independent living flair or need more support in the form of assisted living options.

What's especially ideal in the assisted living environment is that such care is provided very discreetly, enabling the senior to maintain a sense of dignity and independence.

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This Orlando senior housing community also offers more hands-on, memory care assistance in a neighborhood established specifically for Alzheimer's and dementia care residents.

The amenities provided by Atria at Lake Forest are, of course, numerous and designed to engage the interest level of a wide variety of residents. The walking paths across the community are nicely designed, and residents can enjoy everything from a fitness and wellness center to a computer center, or opt to enjoy video games, community gardens, a library, theater, cocktail hour, and other social activities like taking part in the well-known "Red Hat Society."

Other benefits of life at Atria at Lake Forest include:

A full-time events director
All utilities provided, except phone
An emergency call system in every apartment
Assistance with activities of daily living
Concierge
Delicious meals served restaurant-style daily
Emergency call pendants/wristbands
Housekeeping and linen services
Individually controlled heating and air
Laundry services
Medication assistance
On-site physical therapy provider
Scheduled local transportation

As Certified Senior Housing Professionals (Orlando and Oviedo real estate agents who specialize in helping seniors throughout a move process) Lisa D'Aloise and I - Michele Moon - of the Estate Conversions Team of Keller Williams Realty are well-prepared and ready to help a senior or their family caregivers navigate the complexities of a late-in-life move or the sale of a long-held family home.

Whether you are residents of the Orlando area already or contemplating a move to Central Florida, we hope you'll contact us and allow us to share some of the many things we've learned in how to make a late-in-life move much easier and hassle-free.

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Contact Lisa D'Aloise to Schedule a Showing

Are You Part of Orlando's "Sandwich Generation"? Help for Baby Boomers with Older Parents

by Michele Moon

Are you a part of the "Sandwich Generation" in Central Florida?

You are if you are between the ages of 40 and 60 and responsible for the care of not only your aging parents, but also your own, dependent children. This generation, “sandwiched” between two other generations, experiences both the joys and the stress of being responsible – financially, emotionally, and energetically – to the needs of two distinct members of their family.

Baby boomers are typically a large segment of this generation, but even those in their 40's in the Orlando area are increasingly finding themselves pressed for money and time as they care for elderly parents. This is especially true if your parent has medical issues and is nearly completely dependent on you.

In some cases, members of the "Sandwich Generation" are in the process of - or will soon have to - begin the large amount of work necessary to settle some of Mom or Dad's estate, learn how to find an assisted living facility, sell their parent's house, and attend to a rather large number of variables and red tape that make up the work of a late-in-life transition.

Senior Housing in Orlando

If you're a member of the Sandwich Generation in Orlando and are feeling sandwiched and squeezed, the most important thing to remember is that help is available. A wide variety of professionals exist to be of service where a baby boomer or family caregiver in their 40's may require help in senior-related issues.

And not all of it costs money. For example, as Certified Senior Housing Professionals, part of our job at Estate Conversions in Oviedo is to help boomers and seniors understand their options in senior housing, while also directing the family caregivers to other senior-centric professionals in metropolitan Orlando – businesses we have personally vetted and can recommend for their excellence.

As Orlando realtors, Lisa D'Aloise and I - Michele Moon - are able to help with the sale of a family home anywhere from Winter Park to Sanford.  

But we do more than sell a house. We'll also sit down with you and help educate you on what we've learned over the course of many years of helping seniors and their families navigate the emotional and financial complexities of moving an older adult to a new home. We're also specifically trained to coordinate the efforts of these various professionals as part of our job of taking some of the strain away from you, our client.  

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