Senior Housing and Assisted Living

Resort Lifestyle Communities celebrated the ground breaking of Provident Crossings adult living community in Round Rock, Texas last week. Provident Crossings is a $22.5 million, 126-apartment adult living community for people 55 and and will offer a selection of studio, 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apartments all with full kitchens, washer/dryer hookups, spacious living areas, and storage. The project was designed and will be built by Cameron General Contractors and will be managed by Resort Lifestyle Communities, both from Lincoln, Nebraska.

“We are very excited to be a part of the Round Rock community and we will work very hard to provide a great living experience for the areas older adults,” said Breck Collingsworth, President and CEO of Resort Lifestyle Communities,

Friends Homes Inc. (Friends), a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) operator in North Carolina, recently announced a partnership with FLS Energy for installation of 208 solar thermal collector panels in its two continuing care retirement communities, Friends Homes at Guilford and Friends Homes West.  As one of the largest ever installed solar thermal systems in a retirement community in the United States, the project will create 10,000 gallons of solar heated water each day for nine of Friends Homes’ buildings and facilities.   The solar thermal facilities will be roof mounted to the selected facilities requiring about 12,480 sq. ft. of roof space and will reduce carbon emissions by almost 150 tons per year and will save approximately $30,000.00 per year in fossil fuel cost. Construction is slated to begin in April with completion projected for September.  FLS Energy is financing the solar thermal project at Friends Homes through its Solar Energy Purchase Agreement.

The solar project, which will be metered, comes with a “performance guarantee” from FLS Energy of the amount of solar energy that will be generated each year. Duke Energy is purchasing renewable energy credits from this solar energy system to meet North Carolina’s renewable energy mandates. FLS Energy will also be responsible for all maintenance of the system. Completion of the solar hot water project in September will establish Friends Homes as one of the most sustainable continuing care retirement communities in the United States.

Wilson Sheldon, CEO, of Friends Homes Inc., said, “It is our belief that we must reduce the consumption of fossil fuels. Installing these solar thermal units in our retirement communities means taking a major step in our commitment to utilizing renewable energy. Not only do we want to be good stewards of the environment, but also, we are looking for ways to contain costs so that our communities remain affordable.”

“This project will establish Friends Home as one of the strongest leaders in North Carolina for developing clean renewable energy for their facilities,” said FLS Energy’s Finance Director, Brownie Newman. “Friends Homes paid nothing upfront and will begin seeing the savings immediately.”

Health Care REIT, Inc. (NYSE:HCN) recently announced that it has priced an offering of $300 million of 6.125% senior unsecured notes due April 15, 2020. The notes were priced at 99.297% of their face amount to yield 6.22% and the offering is expected to close on April 7, 2010.  Fitch Ratings has assigned a ‘BBB’ rating to the $300 million 6.125% senior unsecured notes and the Rating Outlook is Stable.  The company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including investing in health care and senior housing properties and repaying borrowings under its unsecured line of credit and other outstanding indebtedness.

Looking for a primer on planning how to prepare for your financial future and your estate?  Next Steps:  A Practical Guide to Planning the Best Half of Your Life provides a clear, concise read on strategy planning and other considerations for retirement.  The book, written by Jan Warner & Jan Collins, focuses heavily on building a team of trusted advisors, more specifically an elder care lawyer and financial planner.  The book identifies many common strategies and addresses difficult topics such as how to pay for care, divorce / marital problems and talks about important documents for elder care as a whole.  The book is written for consumers who may not have a sophisticated understanding of elder law topics but provides a strong overview for the basis of a conversation with an elder care attorney (Jan Warner is an attorney) and being knowledgeable ahead of time.  The authors identify common problems that retirees have encountered from their experience and place those problems and their solutions (both preventative and reactionary) in clear language that should raise an ‘aha’ moment for readers.  If you’re looking for something to start thinking about topics for yourself or others, Next Steps is a good starting point.

Many people want to retire overseas for financial reasons, and not just to places like Monaco, Paris, or Switzerland. The most cost effective places for Americans are nearby – places like Mexico, Panama, and Ecuador. They’re inexpensive, though there may be concerns with being wanted.

I enjoy traveling and have lived in many other countries. So have members of my immediate family. Our favorite places to go include France, Senegal, China, Morocco, Italy, Ghana, Brazil, South Africa, and Martinique. We really can’t say that we’ve ever had a bad overseas living experience, and we’ve felt welcome everywhere we’ve been. We have often stayed in the homes of local citizens.

The three of us, my two youngest children and I engaged in greatly inspiring and educational study abroad opportunities. When my children revisited their host countries a number of times, they were always welcomed as family members. This is usually the case when you try your best to live life according to the culture of the locals and mix with them easily by attempting to learn their language and customs – instead of behaving like a tourist.

Unfortunately, you can still spot a few “ugly Americans” when you travel. They’re the ones that decline to familiarize themselves with the habits and every day life style of the locals. They don’t say a single word in the native language of their host country; they only speak English. Plus, they are discourteous. They are also the ones who make the most noise on trains and buses, and they think they should be served or helped instantaneously. These people wish for the whole trip to be the same as it is in the U.S. I certainly don’t want to fault all Americans overseas, but I believe you know what I am trying to say.

What is expatriate living all about?

Are you looking to retire overseas? Expatriate living should be considered. Settling into an expat life can allow you to retire cheaply, retire early, and retire excitingly. Now, I call the US my home and have always enjoyed living here, but there are other options. Moving overseas is not for everyone. You can’t think that everything is going to be just the same as it was in your homeland. What you must remember when you retire abroad is that you should treat others in the same manner as you would want to be treated. It may sound clich, but it works. If you use this “clich” and good old fashioned common sense then you will appreciated by others and be at home anywhere you choose to live.

If you’re considering retiring in another country, remember that every country has its own history and culture. If you believe that the United States is superior to your new home, it’s likely to show in your attitude. Locals are not fools, and if you act as if you are superior to them, they will notice and they will not appreciate it. There’s no need to grovel or beg, but simply deal with the locals as equals; they will appreciate it.

If your primary motivation for retiring in Mexico is that the cost of living is low, you should simply stay in the United States, because you’ll probably hate to live anywhere else. You need to develop the proper attitude if you’re retiring to Mexico; that attitude is that Mexico is a wonderful country where you enjoy the surroundings, weather, people, and culture. This will allow you to fully enjoy an inexpensive retirement.

I often think to myself, “I am a student of life.” I adore learning, and enjoy meeting people. The world around me is a boundless encyclopedia. I wish to learn about exotic people, far off places, and foreign cultures. The opportunity to retire abroad as an expatriate would be a dream fulfilled. So, retire overseas, and fulfill your dreams. You, too, can live comfortably and develop new and exciting relationships with people from all over the world.

I often think to myself, “I am a student of life.” I adore learning, and enjoy meeting people. The world around me is a boundless encyclopedia. I wish to learn about exotic people, far off places, and foreign cultures. The opportunity to retire abroad as an expatriate would be a dream fulfilled. So, retire overseas, and fulfill your dreams. You, too, can live comfortably and develop new and exciting relationships with people from all over the world.

Retire Abroad and live like royalty. Discover the top overseas tropical paradises

When you age, the concept that you may not have the ability to take care of yourself or live at home becomes clearer. The alternative to give up your own home may be one of the hardest decisions that you will ever make. But were you aware that you might not have to give up your home right now? It’s true. Knowing what the different aging care choices are can help you make the decision that gets you the right level of care for your stage of life.

You need to understand that there are different options that may suit some people better than others. Specific health problems may require specialised care especially in the later stages of some diseases. Conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s may mean that customized health care approaches are necessary.

There are different levels of care that aging adults may want to explore. If you are in reasonably good health but need help with some chores and tasks, you may want to consider having a housekeeper or cook come into your home. There are companies which offer support staff in order to allow people to remain in their homes as they age. This can give seniors a great feeling of independence and pride.

Once you are in a position where you are no longer willing or able to live in your home, consider moving into an assisted living facility. These allow you to have your own private room but you have the security of round the clock emergency monitoring. Depending on the facility you are living in, there are usually meals served in a communal dining room, and housekeeping services to keep your room or apartment clean and in good condition. These facilities also usually offer organized activities such as shopping trips, movies and other fun things to do. This keeps your mind and body active.

Nursing care facilities may be the next step that you will consider. Normally, a person is admitted into a nursing home when they have significant physical or mental impairments that make any level of self-care impossible. They usually have less segregated living arrangements and activities which are less varied or active. People who are suffering from altered mental states due to disease or the after effects of a stroke may require a room in a nursing facility.

Palliative care isn’t simply for ones aging. It provides quality end of life care to those who are expected to die imminently. This may include people suffering from cancer or other diseases. This type of facility is often a facility of last resort, when people are too ill even for a nursing home. Often people will pass away in a nursing home rather than in palliative care but if a disease is very advanced, they may be moved either to a separate facility or to a designated area of a nursing facility.

You have to think beyond the immediate situation when determining whether a certain aging care arrangement is good for you. By studying the aging process and any specific needs you have, you will discover a facility that will help you grow old gracefully and enjoy any remaining years you could have.

Before you go out and buy a policy see if you qualify for long term care insurance, ask questions and request a long term care insurance quote. We represent 20 of the top US LTCi providers. This gives you tremendous options.

There are quite a few different sorts of investments out there, and there are many factors, which you should use to determine where you should place your money.

Naturally, deciding where you will invest starts with researching the different types of investment available, determining your risk tolerance, and determining your investment style and your financial goals.

If you wanted to buy a new car, for example, you would do quite a bit of research before making a final decision and a purchase. You would not consider purchasing a car that you had not fully looked over and taken for a test drive. Investing works in much the same way.

You would, of course, research as much about the prospective investment as you could, and you would want to see how previous investors have done too. It’s just common sense, isn’t it?

Does learning about the stock market and investments take lots of time? Yes, but it is definitely time well spent. There are numerous books and websites on the topic, and you can even take degree level courses on the subject, which is what stock brokers do. With access to the Internet, you can actually play the stock market with fake money in order to get a feel for how it works.

You can make pretend investments in a pretend portfolio often called a ‘Wish List’ and see how they fare. Do a search with any search engine for ‘Stock Market Games’ or ‘Stock Market Simulations’, although almost every online stock broker provides these facilities. It really is a fantastic way to commence learning about investing on the stock market.

Some other kinds of investments outside of the stock market do not always have simulators, so you must learn about those types of investments by reading about them.

As a potential investor, you should read any you possibly can get your hands on about investing, but start at the beginning level of investment books and websites first, otherwise, you will find that you quickly get lost.

Finally, talk with a financial adviser. Tell him your aims and ask them for their suggestions. This is their job! A good financial adviser can easily help you determine where to put your funds, and help you determine a plan to reach all your financial goals. Many advisers will even show you about investing along the way, so make sure to pay very close attention to what they are telling you!

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