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Our assisted living and specialized memory care communities offer Independence WhenYou Want It, Assistance When You Need It®. We help ease the strain that activities of daily living can bring—freeing you up to remember past experiences and create new memories.

Assisted Living and Memory Care Oak Park®Place Burlington includes assisted living and specialized memory care neighborhoods. Throughout the community, we support choice and independence. Residents are encouraged to remain active and self-reliant, while our highly trained staff is on hand to assist with the activities of daily life if challenges arise.

Find Out if Oak Park® Place is Right for You.

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Delavan man takes trip to D.C. 67 years after serving country SUBMITTED PHOTO Living Senior

Frank Bunnell stops outside the memorial amphitheater at the Arlington National Cemetery on his first trip to Washington, D.C.

89-year-old is one of 97 veterans aboard 39th Stars and Stripes Honor Flight STAFF WRITER

ands and bag pipers played, hundreds of well-wishers lined up to show their gratitude and family members were there to surprise him when Frank Bunnell arrived at Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee on May 21. “That was the most emotional part of the whole thing,” said the 89-year-old veteran from Delavan who took the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. “The people were just so gracious. They wanted to shake my

hand.” Bunnell and Art Romani, 90, of Delavan, were among 97 veterans aboard the 39th Honor Flight from Milwaukee. Bunnell served in the U.S. Army as part of post-World War II occupation forces in Germany while the Korean War was under way. Romani served in World War II. The May 21 Honor Flight had six World War II veterans, one Vietnam veteran and 90 Korean War veterans on board, Bunnell said. Each veteran was accompanied by a guardian. Mike Janzen, a former U.S. Air Force pilot from Burlington, was Bunnell’s guardian. The pair met by chance 14 years ago.

Chance friendship

Bunnell was born and raised in Lake Nebagamon 30 miles from

Superior and worked at the Johns Manville plant in Waukegan, Ill., manufacturing asbestos products before moving to Delavan about 65 years ago. In 1959, he married his wife, Margaret, who died in 2009, and they had three children. He had a variety of jobs over the years including driving truck, working in lumber yards and delivering farm products. “I’ve done a lot of things in my life,” he said. “I would do it again – including getting married.” After retiring, Bunnell spent many mornings having coffee at the Delavan fire station, then on Seventh Street, with police chief,

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and now fire chief, Tim O’Neill. One morning in 2003 after leaving the fire house, Bunnell saw the car wash – another occupation he’d experienced – operating at Seventh and Wisconsin streets and stood at the railroad tracks to watch for awhile. Bunnell said Janzen, who owns Jet Wash, came over to ask Bunnell if something was wrong, extended his hand and introduced himself. “We’ve been the best of friends ever since,” he said. Janzen showed Bunnell around the car wash and offered the then-74-year-old a part-time job, which he accepted. The Honor Flight, Bunnell said, was Janzen’s idea, and he made the arrangements. Bunnell recalls the emotion of sailing away from the coast of his country 67 years ago but had never been to his country’s capital.

‘Impressive’ sights

The day of the Honor Flight began at 3 a.m. for Bunnell to board a plane in Milwaukee at 7 a.m. for the hour-and-35minute flight to D.C. Buses were ready for veterans and their guardians to board at the airport in Washington for their first stop – the World War II memorial. “That’s huge,” he said. “There’s over 400,000 Americans buried there.” The memorial encompasses 635 acres on different sites, Bunnell said. Veterans saw the Changing of the Guard

SUBMITTED PHOTO Living Senior

U.S. Army veteran Frank Bunnell finds the name of Maj. Richard Bong, a World War II ace from Wisconsin, on the wall at the U.S. Air Force Memorial.

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at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. “Very impressive,” Bunnell said. He said school children were allowed to come and place wreaths on the tomb, and Taps was played. “The bugler played Taps twice,” he said. “I never heard a clink. Just perfect.” Bunnell said the Korean War Veterans Memorial, dedicated in 1995, was “very, very impressive.” It includes a mural wall with 2,500 photographs of troops sandblasted into a 164-foot granite wall and 19 stainless steel statues that stand 7 feet tall and represent soldiers in Korea. The group also visited the Iwo Jima Memorial – a sculpture of the iconic 1945 photograph of six Marines raising a flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. “That’s quite impressive,” Bunnell said. The group also visited the Vietnam Wall, but Bunnell said he wasn’t able to find the names of three Delavan veterans etched into the wall. “We didn’t have time,” he said. “It’s so big, it’s so long, it tapers both ways down to nothing, all made of granite.” Bunnell did, however, find the name of Maj. Richard Bong, a World War II ace from Wisconsin. Janzen also pushed Bunnell’s wheelchair to give him a view of the White House and the Capitol. He also saw the Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln monuments well as a memorial to Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was president when Bunnell was 17 years old. He said the FDR memorial was the biggest one there, had his famous quotes engraved in different areas and contained water features throughout the 7 ½-acre site. “There must be a dozen waterfalls,” he said.

Emotional homecoming

Nearly seven decades later, Bunnell said, the most emotional parts of his first trip to Washington, D.C., were the surprises in store for the veterans – a mail call on the flight home and the celebratory welcome at the airport. When veterans boarded the plane to return to Milwaukee, mail call was announced and Bunnell was handed a package – he didn’t open it until he got home – that contained letters from O’Neill, City Hall, his kids, the American Legion, Gov. Scott Walker, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan and U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson.

Bunnell said every aspect of the trip ran smoothly with volunteers on hand to ensure veterans had cold bottles of water and lunches. “They took good care of us,” he said. Police escorts ensured a speedy route from one monument to the next, and veterans were passed right through security at the airport. “It was a well-executed experience,” he said. “It was just awesome.” Bunnell said he was privileged to have Janzen take him on the trip. “I told him what an honor it was, and he said, ‘No, it’s the other way around,’” Bunnell said. “I just feel so humble.”

As a 17-year-old, Bunnell recalls when FDR died in 1945 and Harry Truman became president. Truman remained at the helm when Bunnell was called to serve in Germany in 1950 – five years after World War II ended and as the Korean War began. Bunnell was in the second platoon of the second battalion of the 16th regiment of the first division – a platoon known as “Big Bloody One,” he said. Bunnell was one of three men assigned to the border as look-outs to watch the Russians. Outfitted with machine guns and radios, the men’s instructions were – if they saw a cloud of dust – to get on the radio and say, “Mayday!” “World War III was about to start,” he SUBMITTED PHOTO Living Senior said. Fortunately, Bunnell said, they never had Frank Bunnell, 89, of Delavan, and his guardian Mike Franzen visit the U.S. Air Force Memorial in Washington, D.C., with the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight on to do that. May 21. “The Russians behaved,” he said.

LIVING SENIOR • SUMMER 2017

War in the ‘50s

Proper nutrition is key to senior health Low salt diets can cause problems for seniors

Americans are now living longer than ever before. In fact, one of the fastest growing segments is people over the age of 85 who will represent 20 percent of the population by the year 2040. Because we are living longer, certain conditions specific to seniors are also on a steady rise. Dehydration, falls, fractures, cognition loss and attention deficits are now becoming more commonplace. In a recent paper titled “Salt Appetite Across Generations” presented at a medical conference in Switzerland, Israeli researchers from the University of Haifa indicated that among seniors, a reduced sense of thirst could increase the increased risk of serious dehydration. They also noted that the appetite for salt does not diminish with age, and suggested that this could be used to help sustain hydration and prevent the dangerous symptoms

FILE PHOTO Living Senior

While some seniors do need low salt diets, many do not. It should not be assumed that they all do or benefit from when in fact the opposite may be the case.

that result from dehydration. Another study published in the American Journal of Hypertension identified significant risks to cardiovascular health and longevity from consuming any less than 1,

or more than 3 teaspoons of salt per day. Fortunately, most Americans, including seniors, when left to their own choice consume right in the middle of this range. Seniors in assisted living

centers can be especially susceptible to the dangers of low salt diets. In 2013 a task force of 12 professional medical, nursing, and nutritional organizations assembled by the Pioneer Network published the “New Dining Practice Standards.” Their report concluded that low salt diets were contributing to malnutrition and weight loss among a significant percentage of seniors in assisted living facilities. Low salt diets can also cause seniors to suffer from mild hyponatremia, an electrolyte imbalance in the blood which may not sound bad but can lead directly to walking impairment, attention deficits and a much higher frequency of falls. Several recent medical papers found a direct relationship between hyponatremia and unsteadiness, falls, bone fractures and attention (BPT) deficits.

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With aging comes new challenges and the need to be more vigilant in maintaining your overall well-being. By incorporating some of these tips from the experts at Mayo Clinic, you’ll make sure the best years of your life are still to come.

5 simple steps

FILE PHOTO Living Senior

They say you’re only as young as you feel, and if you’re an older American, the ability to feel young a little while longer is always appealing. Having a youthful state of mind goes a long way toward accomplishing this goal, but you can’t ignore the importance of solid physical health. To improve your physical and mental health and prove age is just a number, apply these five tips from Mayo Clinic today.

Find the perfect interval

If you’ve never participated in highintensity interval training before, here’s a compelling reason to start. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic found high-intensity aerobic exercise actually reversed some cellular aspects of aging. The research also found that the exercise improved muscle proteins, enlarged muscles and increased

energy levels.

The benefit of brain games

A sharp mind is every bit as important as a healthy body, and exercising your brain can be a lot of fun. Spend time learning new things on the internet, enroll in a class for that craft you’ve always wanted to master, go out with friends or sit down and play a board game. All of these activities can greatly improve your mental health. For example, a Mayo Clinic study found playing games decreased a person’s risk of mild cognitive impairment by 22 percent making this enjoyable activity healthy as well.

Supplementing your health

Health supplements should never completely replace whole food offerings,

but they may offer you real health value as well. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, supplements may be ideal for vegans and vegetarians or those who consume less than 1,600 calories per day. People with a condition affecting the way their body absorbs nutrients and those who have had surgery on their digestive tract should also speak with their doctor about supplements that may improve their overall health.

The importance of sleep

A good night’s sleep offers health benefits at any age, but getting enough rest can be more difficult as you get older. To get a better night’s sleep, review your medications with your doctor to see if anything is impacting your rest. You should also try to limit your daytime napping (just 10 to 20 minutes per day is best) and avoid alcohol,

LIVING SENIOR • SUMMER 2017

TO BE YOUR BEST AT ANY AGE

caffeine or even water within a couple hours before bedtime.

Focus on your sexual health

This topic may not be as widely discussed as your physical or mental health, but it is no less important. Men should talk to their doctors about their lessening testosterone levels, which drop about 1 percent per year after age 30. Women may experience a similar drop in estrogen levels as well and should consult their doctor for treatment options. Don’t be shy about discussing sexual health issues with your doctor, from STDs to annual checkups, having a thorough understanding of your current sexual health – and what you need to do to protect or improve it – will benefit every other part of your life. You can learn more about improving your health at any age through the advice offered in Mayo Clinic on Healthy Aging, or visit www. mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle for more healthy lifestyle ideas. (BPT)

FILE PHOTO Living Senior

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic found high-intensity aerobic exercise improved muscle proteins, enlarged muscles and increased energy levels.

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SUBMITTED PHOTO Living Senior

Joan Wolf (center) is assisted by her daughter, Mary (left) and East Troy Manor physical therapy assistant Trisha as she works to stand up and walk, something she was told she was never going to be able to do again.

Overcoming injury

some really nice people there, and the food was pretty good. You had a choice, and it wasn’t take it or leave it. “Sherry called the hospital and worked closely with my case manager to understand “cathing” and to make sure the best one for me was used, and that it was being done correctly. Sherry and Sara assured the staff knew how to take care of me, and made sure they did it.” After completing her physical therapy, Wolf returned home and continued her recovery with in-home therapy provided by she couldn’t mover her right arm and she Transitions Home Health. She works with was in a lot of pain. She couldn’t walk, many of the same therapists that she came and sitting on the edge of the bed was to know at East Troy Manor, which makes nearly impossible. Within a week she was for a more pleasant experience and ensures standing, and about three weeks later, she her continuity of care and treatment. began walking again. During her time Today, Wolf continues to improve and is at East Troy Manor, she regained core in much less pain. She is able to move her strength, was able to sit, and could transfer arm and walk with minimal assistance. with the help of two aides. East Troy Manor is a 50-bed, Medicare “East Troy Manor is where I met Sara certified skilled nursing home with private (occupational therapy and director of and semi-private rooms. It offers prehab therapy) and Susan (physical therapy), a therapy, inpatient therapy, outpatient tag team. They were awesome,” Wolf said. therapy, long-term care, respite care, “They did all they could to figure out ways transitional care and hospice care. to make it better for me, to get things going. The manor is at 3271 North St. in East If I needed anything, whether therapy or Troy. For more information, call (262) 642not, they would take care of it. They’ve got 3995 or visit easttroymanor.org.

Joan Wolf lived an active life, participating in Silver Sneakers and in multiple knitting groups around town. She cooked and cleaned for herself and her family. One day she took a fall down eight cement steps. After two helicopter rides to different hospitals, and a month-long stay at a hospital in Milwaukee, Wolf and her family were told that she wouldn’t walk again after her doctor gave her only a 10 percent chance. A tough change for an active woman in her mid-60s. To help recover and regain as much range of motion as possible, she went to East Troy Manor for inpatient physical therapy. When Wolf arrived at East Troy Manor,

LIVING SENIOR • SUMMER 2017

ONE STEP AT A TIME

Signs of unsafe driving in older adults The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that there are more than 38 million drivers age 65 and older. Age is not the only factor that can impact driving abilities, but it is an important one. There is evidence that most people experience age-related declines in physical and mental abilities. These changes, which can affect everything from vision to how quickly you can make decisions, influence how well you can drive. They can also be difficult to address for yourself or with older people you know, since driving often represents freedom, independence and control. However, transitioning from driving doesn’t mean you have to lose these things. Your health care providers or Area Agency on Aging (www.eldercare.gov) can point you toward a range of

transportation alternatives in the community. The first step toward finding those tools is recognizing when you might need them.

SIGNS THAT DRIVING SKILLS NEED TESTING

So how do you know whether you or an older adult you know is developing difficulties as a driver? These issues can be warning signs that suggest that an older driver may need to be tested or evaluated: • Getting lost in familiar areas; • Ignoring traffic signs and signals; • Becoming easily agitated or angered; • Falling asleep or being unable to concentrate when driving; • Reacting too slowly to dangerous situations;

FILE PHOTO Living Senior

Are medicines affecting your driving? Some medications can make people feel drowsy and less alert or can limit the ability to pay attention. Some prescriptions even warn against driving. Review medications with your primary care provider or a pharmacist to see whether certain medicines might impact driving.

• Forgetting or ignoring driving basics (like yielding to the right of way); and • Having trouble judging

distances. For more information, visit www.HealthinAging.org. (NAPS)

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Steps to ensure transportation safety How seniors can maintain independence outside the home

Step 1: Address driver safety

Vision is the most important sense for driving safety. Annual vision screening is important for everyone, but it is especially critical for older people, since the sensory data used for driving is predominantly visual. For seniors still able to drive, a defensive driving class can be beneficial. These classes allow students to brush up on skills while gaining confidence and introduce them to alternative transportation

options for the times and locations of their preference. What’s more, many insurance companies provide discounts to seniors who complete these courses. Giving up driving doesn’t have to mean choosing between all or nothing. For example, start limiting driving to daylight only, non-rush-hour periods. Then look into supplementary transportation options that eliminate the need to drive while still allowing you to get where you need to go.

Step 2: Research transportation options

It’s important to educate yourself or your loved one about locally available transportation options for seniors. When you know there are reliable, cost-effective transportation options available, it can help maintain a high level of independence for a trip to the grocery store or a doctor’s appointment. Rides in Sight is a nationwide, online database of senior transportation options built by ITNAmerica, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing sustainable transportation options for seniors. Visit www.ridesinsight.org and enter basic information like your state or zip code, and you can find the ride option that’s best for your situation. If you prefer

to access information by phone, call 1-855-60-RIDES (607-4337). Rides in Sight makes it easy to find customized transportation, no matter what a person’s needs. For example, you can find wheelchair accessible transportation options or door-to-door driver assistance if that’s what you need.

Step 3: Implement a trial period

Giving up the keys is easier if you do it over a period of time. Pick a date and schedule your first ride with a transportation service during a time you normally drive. Any change takes time to adapt to, so try it out for a while before reassessing and making any necessary adjustments. After this trial period, you should feel more comfortable with someone else driving you, and you get to be in control of your mobility. For older Americans, it’s important to be able to maintain independence when they limit or stop driving. When they are encouraged to create their own driving transition plan, more emphasis can be placed on finding new passions and activities to engage with their communities. The result is a positive impact on people of all ages. (BPT)

Reliable, secure transportation is essential. Having the necessary conversations and researching appropriate transportation options helps keep everyone happy, healthy and safe. FILE PHOTO Living Senior

LIVING SENIOR • SUMMER 2017

It can be hard to admit your vision isn’t what it used to be, especially when it comes to driving. Maybe you’ve noticed some difficulties reading traffic signals, or you’ve found it challenging to drive at night. If you’re a family member noticing these warning signs in a loved one, pointing out these challenges may seem like a daunting and delicate undertaking. But when it comes to being on the road, safety is one thing you can’t ignore. Encouraging your loved one to prioritize safety can be hard, especially when it feels like their independence is at stake. That’s why it’s important to have an open and honest discussion to determine the best options for maintaining independence outside the home.

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HOME FILE PHOTO Living Senior

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LIVING SENIOR • SUMMER 2017

The SpaLet AT200 Electronic Bidet Toilet from DXV is the highlight of this bathroom suite. It provides indulgent personal cleanliness, conveniently and easily.

Universally beneficial upgrades

Incorporating universal design principles into your home can facilitate aging-in-place goals, while comfortably addressing the diverse needs of all ages and mobility levels using your home. Features like single-story design, bedrooms and bathrooms on the ground floor, daylighting through larger windows and skylights, and wider doors and hallways appeal to users of all ages. However, if you’re considering agingin-place upgrades, making improvements in the bathroom can deliver the greatest return on your investment. The bathroom is often referred to as the most dangerous room in the home for all ages, but especially for seniors with increased risk of falling in showers or bathtubs, or around the toilet area. Upgrades to improve a bathroom’s usability and safety can help people remain in their homes for longer. Here are bathroom improvements to consider: • Replace a step-in bathtub with a walkin option – Falls send thousands of older people to the emergency room each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For those with mobility issues and muscle weakness, lifting their

legs to step into or out of a bathtub can be a fall risk. Tub manufacturers offer a range of solutions with walk-in bathtubs designed to provide enjoyable bathing with safer accessibility. For example, the American Standard walk-in bathtub includes an outward opening door for easier access, molded seating for added comfort, and convenient grab bars for security. Plus, it offers a Quick Drain feature that removes water from the tub in less than two minutes, preventing the user from getting chilled sitting in the draining water. • Shower seating – Showers also present a fall risk that affect people of all ages. Adding seating in a shower – whether a removable chair or bench, or built-in options – can allow you to relax in the shower with less fear of falling. • Chair-height toilets – Standard toilets have a bowl height of about 14 to 15 inches. Toilets with higher bowls at 16 1/2 inches, similar to the familiar height of a chair, make it easier for everyone to stand up without a lot of effort. Waterconserving models like the American Standard VorMax high-efficiency Right Height elongated toilet are not only more comfortable, but they also facilitate cleanliness with powerful flushing action and technology that keeps the bowl cleaner. Toilets with built-in bidets are another

smart option for those with dexterity and mobility issues, making it easier for them to maintain personal cleanliness without daily bathing. • Pedestal sinks – Standard sinks are about 30 inches high. Installing a higher sink to reduce the amount of bending a user needs to do is another worthwhile bathroom improvement. While you can find vanity sinks set at a higher level, pedestal sinks of about 36 inches high have even more advantages. The slimmer, sleeker profile of a pedestal provides more maneuverable floor space for people with mobility issues or those using wheelchairs or walkers. Plus, the reduced footprint makes floor-cleaning easier. • Easy-to-use faucets – Twist faucets can be difficult to manage for people with arthritis or decreased flexibility, as well as for small children just learning to use the facilities. Lever-style or single-handle faucets make controlling the water flow much easier for people of all ages and with varying skill levels. Universal design home improvements can benefit all ages within your home. Making these upgrades at a younger age can prepare your home to meet your needs in your golden years, while allowing you to enjoy the comforts early on. (BPT)

FILE PHOTO Living Senior

This universally designed bathroom suite features an easily accessible walk-in bathtub with a convenient outward-opening door, a 16-inch VorMax Right Height toilet for more comfortable use, and a classically styled 36-inch high Town Square pedestal sink for less bending during use, all from American Standard.

LIVING SENIOR • SUMMER 2017

homeowner in their 70s or 80s.”

Over 50? You’re at increased risk for

LIVING SENIOR • SUMMER 2017

A few years ago, a Harris Interactivesponsored poll* found that Americans consider 50 to be the “perfect age” to live forever in good health. For many, the half-century mark can be a time when experience and opportunity balance perfectly – as told by the saying “50 is the new 30.” At 50 there may be more time to spend on your hobbies or other activities that interest you. At 50, the last thing anyone would want is to be blindsided by illness. Yet risks of certain medical conditions increase with age. For example, shingles is a condition caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox – a virus that 98 percent of adults have had according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even after recovery from chickenpox, the virus never leaves the body. At some point later in life, it can unexpectedly reactivate and emerge as shingles – a painful blistering rash that can last for 30 days. When Edwin DePeiza discovered he had shingles, he learned the meaning of the adage: “You don’t miss something until it’s gone.” DePeiza, who is in his 60s and resides in Massachusetts, first noticed a burning sensation on his torso. By the time he saw his doctor, a rash had developed. Upon seeing the rash, his doctor quickly diagnosed it as shingles. DePeiza, a passionate guitar player, witnessed how shingles can interrupt the moments that matter in life. His guitar playing had taken him all over the world, but the intense pain of shingles forced him to put his passion on hold. “The things I love to do most I couldn’t do, like playing in the band and spending time with [my wife] Marylou,” DePeiza recalls. “The sensation of having shingles for me was like being scalded by hot water,

shingles FILE PHOTO Living Senior

Speaking with a healthcare professional to understand one’s personal risk for shingles is important. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about a vaccine that can help prevent shingles.

[or] having hot cereal spill on you. I have never experienced that kind of pain or burning sensation.” According to the CDC, one in three people will get shingles in their lifetime, and every year, about 1 million cases are diagnosed in the United States. Adults aged 50 and older are especially at risk for shingles, as the risk increases with age due to naturally declining immune systems. There is no way to tell who will get shingles, nor how severe the case will be. Shingles most commonly surfaces on a single side of the torso, but it can appear

anywhere on the body – even the face. For most people, after the shingles rash and blisters heal, the pain and itch subside – though some people may experience permanent scarring even after the rash heals. In some cases, shingles can cause complications like postherpetic neuralgia, a long-term nerve pain that can last for months or even years after the blisters heal and the rash disappears. For more information go to www. ShinglesInfo.com. * Poll was not sponsored by Merck. (BPT)

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Seniors can sell their life insurance policies If you’re struggling to make ends meet in retirement, you’re not alone. And when your income is limited and fixed, you do your best to cut out unnecessary expenses. One expense that can be tough for some seniors to manage is the premiums on their life insurance policies. Perhaps your carrier raised your premium unexpectedly, maybe the costs from a health event have strained your budget or it could be that your retirement fund is just running low. If you feel your life insurance premiums are too expensive, you may decide you no longer need the policy.

Alternatives to surrendering a policy

Unfortunately, many seniors think their only option in this situation is to lapse or surrender the policy. In fact, each year seniors older than 70 lapse or surrender more than 710,000 life insurance policies, with a combined face value of more than $57 billion, according to the Life Insurance Settlement Association. However, you have alternatives that are more beneficial than simply surrendering the policy. For example: • You could maintain the policy through loans against its current value; • You might be able to seek an accelerated death benefit, allowing you to take some cash out now;

FILE PHOTO Living Senior

Life insurance is personal property and can be sold if you decide you no longer need the policy or if you’re in need of some extra cash.

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• The policy may be convertible into a long-term care health insurance policy, or if it’s a term policy you might be able to convert it into permanent life insurance; • Reducing the death benefit to a lower face value could lower the premiums, making the policy more affordable; or • You could assign the policy to an individual or a non-profit organization as a gift. Another option to lapsing or surrendering the policy – one that can actually put the most amount of cash directly into your pocket – is to consider selling it through a life settlement transaction.

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Life insurance is personal property, so you can sell it just like any other property you own. When you decide to sell the policy to a third party – rather than surrendering it to the insurance company – you get more than the cash value, but less than the death benefit amount. The buyer of the policy takes on all future premiums and receives the death benefit when you pass away.

In order to qualify for a life settlement, you must be 65 or older with a life insurance policy that has a death benefit of at least $100,000. The amount of your settlement will depend on several factors, including: • The death benefit, which is the amount the buyer will receive when you pass away; • The amount in annual premiums that the buyer will pay; and • The number of years the buyer can expect to continue paying the premiums. On average, a life settlement yields seniors seven times the amount of the policy’s cash surrender value, LISA says, based on an analysis of a survey by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. In fact, 90 percent of seniors with lapsed policies say they would have considered selling it if they had known life settlement was an option, an Insurance Studies Institute survey found. To learn more about life settlements, how they work and if you’re eligible, call (888) 5218223 or visit LISA’s website at www.lisa.org. (BPT)

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Small nest egg, big dreams?

Planning for retirement means making a lot of decisions, including when you’ll stop working, how much you’ll withdraw from your savings each year, and where you’ll live. Many Americans view retirement as an opportunity to move into a house they’ll love and live in for all their golden years. In fact, 64 percent of retirees either have moved or plan to move, according to a Merrill Lynch survey. Some retirees move to be closer to children or grandchildren, to down-size into a more manageable home, live in a warmer locale, or to secure a more luxurious home where they can easily age in place. “The decision of where to live in retirement is important and can directly affect quality of life in your golden years,” says Geoff Lewis, President of RE/MAX, LLC. “Research by Trulia shows that in virtually all areas of the country, it makes

better financial sense for retirees to buy a home, rather than rent. In fact, buying is nearly 42 percent cheaper than renting for seniors across the country.” With offices in more countries than any other real estate brand, RE/MAX agents have helped millions, including retirees, find the home of their dreams. Lewis and the RE/MAX team offer some advice for buying your retirement home:

Have a plan

Ideally, you should think about where you want to live long before retirement, but it’s never too late to think about your priorities. Do you want to be close to family or health care resources? Do you desire a home in the mountains or somewhere you’ll never see snow again? Trulia’s research shows that some of the cities most popular for retirees are also

ones where buying a home can save you the most money over renting. Desirable, warm-weather locations in Florida and Arizona offer significant value, even in regions where average home prices are higher. Make a list of what you want in a home location so you’ll have a starting point for your search.

Don’t delay

If possible, don’t wait until poor health or declining finances force you to move somewhere that’s not your ideal location. Move while you’re still young enough to enjoy your dream retirement home.

Get professional financial advice

It’s important to protect your nest egg and keep it growing throughout retirement. A professional financial planner can help

LIVING SENIOR • SUMMER 2017

Tips for buying your retirement home

you understand what size mortgage is right for you, so your dream home doesn’t strain your finances.

Be mindful of amenities

When choosing a location and a home, in addition to your personal priorities, it’s important to keep in mind accessibility to amenities important to seniors. Community features such as good transportation, quality of roads, safe neighborhoods, and access to health care, socialization opportunities, shopping and cultural venues are all options to consider.

If you’re planning to move after retirement, experts say do it right away while you’re still young enough to enjoy your dream retirement home.

Rely on real estate pros

Once you know where you want to be, it’s time to find a real estate agent. Well-versed on local real estate trends, RE/MAX agents can help retirees sell their current home so they can make the purchase of their dream retirement home a reality. Visit www. remax.com to search for an agent.

Focus on must-haves

Make a list of must-have features and those you would like your retirement home to have. Share the list with your agent to help him or her focus on properties that meet your criteria. Your list of musthaves and desirables will likely be very different from the list you made when you bought your first home. Now, a single-level house with large bathrooms and a level lot may be more desirable than a two-story with lots of bedrooms and a big backyard. Finally, says Lewis, keep in mind whether you plan to age in place. “More Americans are looking for homes that will allow them to stay independent and living on their own throughout their retirement years,” he says. “If that’s your plan, look for home features that will help facilitate that, like wider doors, few or no exterior stairs, and good lighting.” (BPT)

FILE PHOTO Living Senior

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