Business Aging OF
THE
January 2013
Coast River Business Journal
Page 19
Exercise is important to maintaining your health as you age and it can take many different forms – such as seated soccer. Jill Mulligan teaches classes several times a week for residents of Clatsop Retirement Village, including this exercise. Here, participants, many of whom are in their 80s and 90s, focus on flexibility and movement. Photo by Jill Mulligan
Staying active is preventative medicine by Jill Mulligan
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anaging your health as you age can feel like alphabet soup. But remember, even when Medicare Part A, B, C and D have your head spinning, staying active is your best health insurance. And it’s free. By staying active, you are protecting yourself against disease, disability and death. It’s the best preventative medicine for overall health. Although genes play a role in health and longevity, factors such as whether you smoke and how you handle stress; if you get proper nutrition, adequate sleep and exercise; if you practice good hygiene; and whether you have strong social support makes a big difference in how your genes behave. According to the National Institutes of Health, smoking, lack of physical activity and poor eating habits are the most common underlying causes of death in the U.S. With 30 minutes of activity five or more days a week, you can greatly improve your overall health. And although formal exercise such as swimming or tai chi are great, mowing a lawn, walking the dog and gardening can count toward your 30 minutes a day. Exercise can improve weight control, sleep, energy levels and immunity; give relief from depression, stress and arthritis; and prevent falls and bone loss by building stronger bones and muscles. Regular exercise can lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, high
cholesterol, high blood pressure and colon cancer. It’s one of the best ways to deal with stress and to help the body process the stress hormone cortisol. Exercise acts like an anti-depressant in the brain by raising serotonin levels, which impacts mood and sleep. It also helps promote feelings of well being. People who are physically active tend to have a healthier diet, which is very important for good health. If you already have a health condition or illness, being active can help you better manage your symptoms. For example, people with diabetes who exercise can lower their blood sugar levels and protect against heart disease, which is the leading killer of diabetics, according to the American Diabetes Association. People with Parkinson’s tend to see great benefits from regular exercise, including improved stability, movement and stamina; stronger bones; better sleep, mood, cognitive function, memory and attention; improved bowel, urinary and sexual functions; better cardiovascular health; and an improvement in overall quality of life. If a pill could provide this many health benefits, you can bet we would all be asking our doctors for a prescription. So why is it so hard for us to get up and move? I believe Newton’s first law of motion, known as the Law of Inertia, sums it up: “A body at rest stays at rest, and a body in motion stays in motion.” It’s often hard to get started with a fitness program, but usually
once you get started, you start to feel stronger, healthier and more energetic. The better you feel, the more you feel like exercising. It reinforces a cycle of positive behavior and positive rewards. Since getting started is the hardest thing to do, it’s important not to set your expectations too high. Start by writing a plan of Jill Mulligan what you want to achieve and a series of goals. Make your first short-term goal reasonable for where you are now. With each goal you reach, you will strengthen your belief in your own abilities. If you have a hard time sticking to the plan, a personal trainer can help keep you motivated and provide you with information you may need about dietary needs and exercise programs. People generally stick with exercise regimens better when they do them with a friend, join a class or participate in group activities. However, some highly motivated people enjoy exercising by themselves. People tend to have the greatest drive and willpower early in the day, so it’s best to exercise in the morning. Perhaps you think it’s too late to start exercising, but don’t give up on yourself. It’s never too late to start. Even people in their 90s can benefit from physical activity. The more active you are, the better health you can enjoy. I have seen many examples of this in my senior
exercise classes. Changing your habits is really just a matter of making up your mind to make exercise a priority, to live a healthy lifestyle and get the information you need to make a positive change. Sometimes, it helps to make a “pros and cons” list to remind yourself why you are making this change. It’s important to make sure you have the clearance from your doctor to exercise if you have two or more high-risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or heart disease. With regular physical activity and a healthy diet, you can increase your chances of living a longer, healthier and more independent life. For more information, call 503440-7667 and ask for Jill. (Jill Mulligan is an ACE certified personal trainer and health coach, and the owner of Healthy Steps.)
THE BUSINESS OF AGING
Page 20 • January 2013
Retiring Second Career
Coast River Business Journal
to a
by Sara Meyer
our post-retirement activities. From 1977 to 2008, Chuck and I owned the Compleat Photographer, a retail camera and picture framing business. We did it all – photographic supplies and repairs, developing photos, picture framing. Our business meant far more to
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etirement is certainly not another word for “nothing else for me to do.” I’ve taken some of my favorite bits of my and my husband’s past “real” job and made them a centerpiece for
Sara Meyer once owned the Compleat Photographer with her husband, Chuck. After retirement, her career turned into her hobby and Sara’s Old Photos was born. Photo by Felicia Struve.
us than simply providing a source of income. We raised a wonderful family, employed marvelous people, and became involved with a community that blossomed with the creative arts and pride of place. We like to think that our store was a pioneer, that it was welcomed and supported by people who wanted friendly, knowledgeable and creative service. Part of this customer interaction became a historical photographic collection. We provided a corner in our shop where people could look through albums of photographs from Cannon Beach north to the Long Beach Peninsula, with a focus on Astoria. These photographs also showed various aspects of coastal occupations, such as logging, fishing, canneries, bridge and jetty building, and military life. Our collection was built over the years as people brought in photos to share, we purchased the collections of others and retiring photographers shared their images with us. These pictures helped people gain a greater sense of place. We’ve sold hundreds of photographs from the collection. Even today, they can be seen in homes and businesses. We began digitizing and cataloguing the images in the hope that future generations will be able to access and enjoy them. When Compleat Photographer closed, there were still hundreds of negatives and pictures that needed
transferring and that provided me a post-retirement purpose. Our new business is Sara’s Old Photos. People still bring me their pictures because they want to share history. Sales from Sara’s Old Photos are far from meeting our expenses, but the satisfaction is priceless and the work is important for our community. I enjoy the visits of old and new customers, and sharing the pictures and their history with groups. Maybe someday I’ll retire again! (Sara’s Old Photos is in the historic Spexarth Building, Suite 202, 818 Commercial St. The store is open Wednesdays or by appointment by calling 503-325-7969. Meyer also has a booth in Phog Bounders Antiques at Ninth Avenue and Marine Drive.)
THE BUSINESS OF AGING
Coast River Business Journal
January 2013 • Page 21
Assisted living can give peace of mind by Mark Fitzgerald Residence Sales Manager Astor House
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he “graying” of America is happening rapidly across all parts of the U.S., and the north Oregon coast is no exception. Nationally, the population of those ages 45 to 64 increased more than 30 percent from 2000 to 2010. Those ages 65 and older increased more than 15 percent during that same time period. Simple math tells us we will have a “tsunami” of sorts with Americans reaching and surpassing the retirement phase of their life. The question is, who, how and where are those seniors going to find and afford health-care options, especially in rural areas such as ours? Assisted-living communities are few and far beMark Fitzgerald tween. Many have waiting lists to get in, especially those that still accept Medicaid as payment. Many have opted to stop accepting Medicaid, since government payments are just not enough for the operators of these facilities to reach a break-even point, let alone show any kind of profit. Assisted living is a somewhat new concept in senior care, primarily focused on those who are still functional to some extent. It allows seniors the independence of living in their own apartment, yet with some medical and daily living support. With today’s families being spread out across the country, convincing mom, dad, grandma or grandpa to move into these communities can provide families some peace of mind that their loved ones ares being looked after in a safe and warm environment, receiving three hot meals a day and not isolated in their homes. Many assisted-living facilities (AIFs, as they are sometimes called) also provide a paid activities coordinator who schedules various events throughout the month to keep residents engaged with their neighbors and not just sitting in their apartments looking at a TV set all day. Many offer transportation to residents so they can visit doctors, go shopping, and take outings to museums or other points of interest in the area. The primary goal is to keep residents busy with as many activities as they wish to participate in, so as
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killed nursing facilities can run upwards of $5,000 per month with most residents exceeding that amount by large amounts.
to keep their cognitive skills functioning as much as possible. Of course, bingo games are a popular pasttime for the elderly, but exercise classes, book clubs, bible study groups, arts and crafts classes are just a few of the “inside” events that are planned each month. Some also have a cosmetologist who visits once or twice a week to provide hair-care services at affordable rates. Unfortunately, in making the decision as to where they will live out the golden years of their lives, cost of care will remain the overriding factor for many seniors and soonto-be seniors. Skilled nursing facilities can run upwards of $5,000 per month, with most residents exceeding that amount by large amounts. Assisted living usually has two components to its cost structure: the actual room rate, which depends on the size and floor plan of the apartment; and the cost of the care provided. Most ALFs calculate those charges with a point system that assigns so many points to a certain task that must be performed for the resident each day, ranging from medication management to assistance with dressing or bathing, etc. On average, the typical monthly cost of a private-pay assisted-living community is between $3,500 and $4,000. Those prices are for the most part all-inclusive. The only extra costs the resident would have would be for their own incidental purchases and outside medical care costs, much of which may be covered through Medicare. There are several assisted-living communities on the north coast. It’s good to shop around when looking for the right community for your loved one. The facility’s size, whether it is one level or multi levels, and the security features included with each room all should play an important part in the decision-making process. For more information or for a personal tour of Astor House, call me at 503-325-6970.
Serving clatsop county
SEniorS thEir fAMiLiES
&
SincE 2003
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aking good care of our patients from newborns to great grandparents and everyone in between. We accept Medicare, Medicaid, most private insurances and for those on fixed incomes they may qualify for our sliding fee discount program. Located across the street from the hospital in Astoria @ 2158 Exchange Street, #304, 503-325-8315.
THE BUSINESS OF AGING
Page 22 • January 2013
Coast River Business Journal
Retirement ... the right way by Teresa Brown
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iven the ongoing speculation about the long-term viability of Social Security, it’s not surprising many Americans may be running the risk of outliving their retirement savings. A hundred years ago, the average life Teresa Brown expectancy was a little over 51 years. Today, that average has increased to over 78. And according to the Office for National Statistics, the number of centenarians is predicted to rise to almost half a million by 2050. Since 1934, retirement income has been expected to come from a combination of three sources: a corporate paid pension, Social Security and personal savings. But over the past 35 years, the number of employers that offer traditional pension programs has dropped. Opting instead to place more of the burden for retirement on the shoulders of their workers, many companies offer employees 401(k) and other qualified retirement plans that require the majority of
the contributions be made by the employees. What can you do to guard against fiscal misfortune as you age? Consider working longer. An additional three to five years of working provides the opportunity to reduce outstanding debt and to sock away additional retirement savings, which sometimes are significant amounts. While working longer, avoid the temptation to begin receiving Social Security benefits. Every year that benefits are delayed, up to age 70, increases the monthly payment by approximately 8 percent. By waiting until age 70 to collect benefits, instead of collecting at age 62, you will increase your monthly benefits by 64 percent. Living longer sounds great, but the trade-off of reduced mortality is increased morbidity, or disease. Americans are living longer – but not without health concerns. Today, a couple aged 65 has a 50 percent chance that at least one of them will require long-term care before dying. Unless relatives provide that care, retirement savings can be quickly depleted. The 2012 Genworth Cost of Care Survey analyzes the nationwide cost of home care providers, adult day health-care facilities, assisted-
living facilities and nursing homes. Here are the median rates for care in Oregon: $20 hourly for licensed homemaker services; $21 hourly for licensed home health aide services; $97 daily for adult day health care; $3,850 monthly at assisted-living facilities for one bedroom, single occupancy; $225 per day for a semiprivate nursing home room and $250 daily for a private nursing home room. As you can imagine, a nursing home can easily cost in excess of $150,000 for an average two-year stay. Purchase long-term care insurance. Not only is a portion of the premium tax-deductible, but Oregon is a “partnership” state. For each dollar of long-term care costs provided by insurance, Oregon exempts one dollar of personal assets from the Medicaid spend-down rules. This bestows a policyholder with two valuable means of preserving assets. An old rule of thumb was to deplete retirement savings by no more than 5 percent annually. Unfortunately, that is no longer true. Current estimates shrink that annual figure to only 3 percent to 4 percent. Another method, developed by Phil Lubinski of Denver, is to divide
retirement into five-year segments. Remove all market exposure from money needed during the first 10 years of retirement and use fixedincome products to provide a guaranteed income during those years. To hedge against inflation, invest the remaining funds in a graduated range of low-, moderateand aggressive-risk mutual funds, variable annuity or managed money portfolios. Restrict aggressive investments to less than 14 percent of assets. For more information about the “Income for Life” model, watch a 20-minute video online at tmbfinancial.com under Featured Links. You also can get more information by calling me at 503-861-9402 or by emailing Teresa.brown@ investfinancial.com. With proper planning, a long, financially comfortable retirement can become a reality. (Teresa Brown is a registered representative of INVEST Financial Corporation and a member of FINRA/ SIPC. INVEST and its affiliated insurance agencies offer securities, advisory services and certain insurance products that are not affiliated with TMB Financial, LLC.) J10247
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Coast River Business Journal
THE BUSINESS OF AGING
January 2013 • Page 23
Art and aging: One artist’s perspective by Charles Schweigert
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ong before there were “life coaches” and “career exploration programs,” we were left to figure things out by ourselves. There were no role models for being an artist in the small town on Lake Michigan where I grew up, and there was little encouragement from parents and teachers. While my elementary school art teacher always gave me A-pluses on my report card, my junior high art teacher practically threw me out of class when I failed to follow directions (by making a wonderful ceramic sculpture of a dog instead of the assignment, a bowl). I dropped out of art class and signed up for band instead. I didn’t take another art class until college. And then, there’s the dreaded advice offered by almost everyone: “You can’t make a living being an artist... You can always do art as a hobby.” Replace the word “art” in that statement with the word “music” or “dance” or “writing,” and you have the classic dilemma faced by every creative person at some time in his or her life. I took that advice reluctantly, not fully believing it, and went on to acquire the requisite credentials for a “real” job. Eventually, in my late 40s, I abandoned my “real” job as a program planner withr the City of Denver (a job I loved) and moved to Santa Fe, N.M., to seek my fame and fortune as an artist. I wasn’t totally unprepared for the move. Back in my college days, while pursuing a pre-med program, I had snuck in a second major in fine art. I also kept up with music by playing in the college wind ensemble. It was my art and music that kept me sane while wrestling with the complexities of comparative anatomy
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7 D ek Wewecome! s
visitor
and organic chemistry. Also, while working at regular jobs for the next 20 years, I was able to develop relationships with various galleries. I began exhibiting and selling my paintings throughout the Southwest. When I arrived in Santa Fe, I already had a few successes on my art résumé. I mention these details because being a professional artist requires careful planning, as well as a great deal of persistence. Now, in my mid-60s, I can say that I have not always made a living doing my art but I have made a life. Through my various career changes, art has been a constant. It is the one thing that has sustained me, and now nourishes me as I grow older. I never plan to “retire” from producing artwork. It is the daily challenge of creating new work and exploring new avenues for exhibiting that occupies a good deal of my time and my energy. And there is an added benefit, as we grow older, to living a creative life. If we can believe current research on the brain, creative activities help regenerate brain cells and foster increasingly complex connections between different parts of the brain. Our brains may slow down as we grow older, but their output in the form of decisions and creative expressions are richer and more nuanced than earlier in our lives. And I’m speaking of the brain after age 50!
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Charles Schweigert, here in his studio in Astoria, has paintings at the RiverSea Gallery in Astoria, White Bird Gallery in Cannon Beach, Gallery 903 in Portland, Mary Lou Zeek Gallery in Salem, Hanson Howard Gallery in Ashland, and on his website, cjschweigert. com. During January, his most-recent paintings are featured in a solo show at the RiverSea Gallery. Courtesy photo
Greg Cross
greg@nwlendinggroup.com www.nwlendinggroup.com I 503-325-4116 1227 Commercial St. Astoria, OR 97103 NMLS 222493, NMLS 1850 NMLS #222493/252425/1850 J10248
THE BUSINESS OF AGING
Page 24 • January 2013
Reflections on ice By Mary Faith Bell
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CEANSIDE – Figure skating great James “Jimmy” Lawrence lives in Oceanside. You may know him as a member of the library board, as Lenora Lawrence’s husband, or perhaps as a CPA before he retired. But if he hadn’t written and published a memoir, “Memories of the Great American Ice Shows,” you might never have guessed that Jimmy Lawrence had been a championship figure skater. Or that he won the role as the lead male performer in the Ice Capades in 1942. Lawrence recently gave a reading
from his book at the Tillamook County Library, where told stories from his professional figure skating years and showed film clips of some of his performances. By the time he retired from figure skating in 1957, he had traveled the world as a top-billed performer. He’d been part of the first American ice show to perform in London, had met royalty – Arabian princes came to the show – and was the first figure skater to do a double revolution in the air in the Ice Capades. Lawrence first saw figure skaters while in Minnesota as a young lad. He had suffered several life-threatening bouts of asthma as a child and doctors had told his parents to prepare for the
Coast River Business Journal
worst. When he was 10, Jimmy’s dad took him to see the figure skaters at the St. Paul Auditorium. Two things happened there that would dramatically alter the course of Jimmy’s life: the moist, cold air of the skating arena allowed him to breathe freely, and he fell in love with figure skating. On the spot, Jimmy’s father recognized this might be the place where his son could thrive. They went from the auditorium to a sporting goods store, where his dad bought him the best pair of skates they could get. The family could afford only a few lessons, but Jimmy turned out to be a natural. He had the focus and determination to teach himself. At age 14, Jimmy traveled to Chicago to compete in the Junior Midwestern Championships. His family couldn’t afford to go, but they put together the money to send him on the “shiny, new Burlington Zephyr Streamliner, the first diesel-electric passenger train in the country. It went a breathtaking 77 miles per hour.” Traveling to Chicago alone at 14 was an eye-opening adventure for a humble Minnesota boy. There, he performed his self-taught routine in store-bought ice skates without family or coach, competing with the best skaters in the Midwest. And he won. He went on to compete in the national championships, taking third place. Back home, Jimmy was skating with the St. Paul Figure Skating Club and making a name for himself as a performer. That’s where he attracted the attention of the treasurer of the Ice Capades.
The U.S. was about to go to war, but Jimmy was too young to enlist. In 1942, at 16, he was hired by the Ice Capades as its lead male performer. When he first was offered the role, his father wouldn’t allow it. He wanted Jimmy to stay in school. “I would have crawled over broken glass to go,“ said Lawrence. “So I went on whining and finally my dad made me a deal. I could go with the show for three years and then I had to go to college.“ Lawrence was there in the heyday of the great American ice shows, when they traveled all over the country, eventually the world, sporting hundreds of performers, 90 “chorus” skaters, full orchestras, and elaborate sets and costumes and choreography. He studied with Gene Kelly’s brother, a dancer and choreographer (but allegedly less photogenic than his famous brother). He performed in operas on ice, and Broadway musicals and Disney shows on ice. Lawrence skated with the best and most beautiful female leads of the time. He fell in love with one of them, his first wife, Margaret Field, with whom he had two children. In 2000, Lawrence attended the 60th Ice Capades reunion. There, he reunited with some of the performers from the early days of the show. They shared stories from their time together on the ice and on the road. That reunion inspired him to write those stories down, to preserve the history of the great American ice shows. You can find Jimmy Lawrence’s book, “Memories of the Great American Ice Shows,” at libraries or online at amazon.com.
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THE BUSINESS OF AGING
Coast River Business Journal
The
Diamond years by Mary Faith Bell
A
l Wylder, 89, of Hebo is well known in south Tillamook County, where he has lived for the past 20 years. He is known for his waxed, white, handlebar mustache; his colorful clothing; his friendly demeanor; a huge, outsized laugh; and his love of good food. Al is a lifelong runner. Locals still see him burning up the pavement along Oregon Highway 22, running with his dog, Buddy. But local residents may not know that Wylder is a World War II veteran of the attack on Pearl Harbor. “I graduated from Rogers High School in Spokane in June of 1941. In July of ‘41, I joined the Army. I was 18 years old. “The morning of December 7th, 1941, I was eating bacon and eggs for breakfast when we heard the Japanese planes overhead. “It was that unmistakable dive-
bomb sound. “All of a sudden, there was a boom that shook our whole building. I went outside and saw the son of a guns diving. I even saw their bombs. “I went back inside and finished my breakfast. When I went back out, they flew right overhead, strafing us. “They were shooting their dadblamed machineguns at us. “Well, I went back inside, we all did, until they flew past. Then we loaded up in our trucks and headed for battle stations. “The first day in combat, I lost my best buddy. “The Japanese were shooting their machineguns at us from the beach as we were coming ashore. My best buddy was right next to me when he got hit.” “Anyway,” he said, “we went ashore through their gunfire and went on in the jungle. “It was not fun.” After the war, Wylder went to college on the GI Bill and became a pro-
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fessional sports trainer. “I was a rub ‘em down and tape ‘em up trainer,” he said. Wylder worked with college runners for years, then made the leap to the San Francisco Warriors of the National Basketball Association. But along the way, Wylder set his sights on professional baseball. “Well, I just always loved baseball,” he said. “Loved the sport. “When the Giants and the Dodgers moved to San Francisco and Los Angeles in 1958 or ’59, I knew the trainer for the Giants was in his 60s and they were gonna be without a trainer before long. “I managed to get on with the Salt Lake City Bees, they were with the Pacific Coast League, in 1959. And from there, I was on my way.” In 1965 at age 41, he made the big leagues when the Cincinnati Reds hired him away from Salt Lake City. The Reds was a winning team with
some powerful hitters. Wylder was all of 5 feet, 4 inches tall and 110 pounds in his physical prime. During his time as a trainer for the Reds, the players would pick him up by the belt and jersey and toss him out of the dugout to meet each homerun hitter who crossed home plate. Wyldner said he has no idea how many times that happened – the Reds hit a lot of homers. “Jim Maloney was the guy who instigated that program,” he said. “He was a pitcher. Every time someone hit a homerun, they’d toss me out to greet the guy coming across home plate. “It happened most every game. “God, I loved it. It was a fun career. I loved every minute of it.” In 1968, Wyldner was offered his dream job, the one he had been thinking about for 10 years. He became the trainer for the San Francisco Giants. “With the Giants, we had the three Ms,” he said. “Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Juan Marichal. There was also Gaylord Perry. “Boy, they were some players. Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry were some of my favorites, just good people.” He stayed with the Giants until 1975. “I loved everything about it, except that I got so dad-blamed cold in night games in San Francisco. Cold to the bone. It was just freezing.” In the mid-70s, Wyldner tired of the traveling required in a pro ball career. He went back to work training college runners, retiring in 1993. Wyldner bought a home in Hebo when he retired and moved here in 1993. “I’m 89 going on 59,” he says. He still has a half-dozen pair of running shoes lined up neatly in his living room.
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ur community is built upon independence, privacy, respect, loving care and a sense of family. • Private apartments w/ kitchenette • Large elegant dining room • Spacious activities area
Make Yourself Comfortable
• Library • Internet access • Beauty and barber shop • Rent is month-to-month
Thanks for shopping at a local, small business
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www.maggieandhenry.com
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Al Wylder was tossed out of the dugout every time the Reds hit a home run. At left, he is tossed out by Tony Perez (left) and Gary Nolan (hidden), after Leo Cardenas homered. Floyd Robinson is on deck with a bat.
January 2013 • Page 25
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THE BUSINESS OF AGING
Page 26 • January 2013
Coast River Business Journal
SMR Construction
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Scott Rice (front left) and his work crew at SMR Construction. Courtesy Photo
Stretch out… relax… enjoy… bathing as it was meant to be. The Active Daily Living Spa’s universal design is unlike a walk-in bath. You can stretch out your legs, soak your back and shoulders, and relax in a full-size, deep-soaker bath with extra hip room. The ADL Spa Bath is accessible from wheelchairs, walkers and lifts. They are the same fivefoot length as a standard bathtub and fit through a 24” doorway for trouble-free installation.
“People usually are the happiest at home.” – William Shakespeare by Scott Rice SMR Construction
Millions of Americans are living longer and enjoying more active lives. But new and changing lifestyles often bring with them a need to revitalize the home. One phrase for this is “aging in place.” Q: What is aging in place?
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A: Aging in place is the ability to live in one’s own home regardless of age or abilities. You may well need home modifications to help you or your loved one remain in their home.
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Q: What are some examples of home modifications necessary to make sure an older adult is safe and comfortable at home? A: A few items of concern include a lack of support in the shower or bathroom, inadequate railings, obstructed or too small pathways, poor lighting, and dangerous flooring such as throw rugs. Preventing falls is one important key to safety for the older adult. Q: What are some of the modifications needed to provide comfort and safety for an aging adult who wants to remain in the home? A: Some of the simpler solutions are increased lighting, adding handrails and grab bars, non-slip
flooring and removing clutter. Other options include ramps for accessible entry and exit, walk-in showers or tubs, and specialty poles with attachments for safety and comfort. Also, ADA toilets provide a little extra height. Q: Are there other issues to consider? A: Yes. While this is a quick overview of some of the modifications necessary, there are other considerations as well. Those include respite care, social services and nutrition counseling, to name a few. Q: What do I look for in a contractor, one who can make sure we are getting quality service and parts? A: One thing to look for is if your contractor is CAPS-certified. CAPS stands for “certified aging in place.” This will assure you they have been through the necessary training to be knowledgeable in the various aspects of aging in place. Q: Are there any CAPS-certified general contractors in this region? A: SMR Construction at 3300 U.S. Hwy. 101 N. in Gearhart is CAPS-certified and has a showroom where you may view accessibility products, ramps, grab bars and more. For information, visit the showroom or call 503 738-9444.
THE BUSINESS OF AGING
Coast River Business Journal
January 2013 • Page 27
A reverse mortgage might be right for you
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by Steve McLean Reverse Mortgage Advisor Bank of the Pacific
n addition to accessing the equity in a house you currently own, a reverse mortgage can also be an option if you are looking to buy a new home.
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live in the home as your primary residence; keep property taxes paid current; provide adequate homeowner’s insurance; and maintain the home. The loan becomes due in full when you no longer choose to fulfill these requirements or when you reach your 150th birthday. For most people, this means you’ve permanently moved out of your home, sold your home or have died. At that point, your loan balance will be paid off from the proceeds of the sale of your home, whether you sell it yourself or it is sold after your passing. One important point to stress is that you can receive your money as a monthly check for as long as you live in the home – even if the loan balance eventually exceeds the home’s value. In addition to accessing the equity in a house you currently own, a reverse mortgage can also be an option if you are looking to buy a new home. Let’s say a retired couple sold their home in the Portland area and moved to Clatsop County to be near their daughter and grandkids. They found a nice home that would be just right, but their verifiable monthly income didn’t qualify them for the traditional monthly mortgage payments. They have plenty of cash assets in bank accounts and a portfolio of investments. They could liquidate these to buy the house. But they’d prefer to use them to fund their retirement income. By rolling the profits from the sale of their Portland house into a down payment, and using a reverse mortgage to finance the balance on the new house, the couple could have a zero monthly
Enjoy Greater Financial Freedom with a Reverse Mortgage Get the real truth about reverse mortgages from a local senior. With over 30 years lending experience in the Northwest, Steve McLean is your trusted advisor. Please Call 360.588.9383 801 Commercial Avenue, Anacortes SMcLean@BankofthePacific.com NMLS #120173
All loans subject to credit approval. Certain fees and restrictions may apply.
payment on their new house. Another question often asked is, “Are there restrictions on how I use the loan proceeds?” You have sole discretion as to how you choose to draw your funds and how you choose to spend or invest them. One of the benefits of choosing a reverse mortgage is you do not have to qualify for the loan based on your credit score or debt-versus-income ratios. This takes some of the worry and stress out of the loan process. Finally, one of the most popular reasons for taking out a reverse mortgage is its flexibility. At some future date you have the ability to change the monthly income. Or you can pull out a lump sum based upon the limits of the loan. I’ve been asked, “Why would I ever want to do that?” First, as we have more birthdays, oftentimes our abilities change. So do our financial needs. I used to cut my own lawn and do minor repairs. Now, I hire that high- energy neighbor kid to do the job. My wife doesn’t enjoy cooking “all the time,” so now we eat out a little more often. By the way, we’re also spending a little more time at the doctor’s office. These things cost money. So the ability to adjust your income or access a lump sum can be a very valuable option. If you are looking for ways you can maintain or improve your independence and existing lifestyle, as well as plan for changes in the cost of living and health care, you might consider a reverse mortgage as one of your financial options. It’s important to note that a reverse mortgage is not for everyone. Reverse mortgages carry slightly higher closing costs
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or some seniors, a reverse mortgage can maintain or improve their independence and their existing lifestyle. As the cost of living, health and other issues change with time, so does the need for more income. A reverse mortgage program is one way to do just that. Some financial planners consider it a “leg of the retirement stool” that includes one or more of resources for funds that include your Social Security; pension, IRA and/or Steve McLean 401k plan; personal savings and investments; and home equity. Home equity may be accessed through a traditional cash-out refinance, through proceeds from the sale of a home, or through an FHA-insured reverse mortgage. As a mortgage lender, I’ve been involved in providing reverse mortgages to seniors for over 10 years. Each client has a unique story to tell as to why they decided to choose a reverse mortgage. The first question most clients ask me is, “Why choose a reverse mortgage?” The answer is pretty simple. A reverse mortgage is still a loan, one based on the equity you currently have in your home. You may receive a lump sum amount of money, monthly disbursements over the term of the loan (called a tenure plan), or a combination of both a lump sum and monthly disbursements. The difference between a reverse mortgage and a traditional mortgage is that you do not have to make monthly payments and there is no pre-set payoff date. There are, however, some requirements that must be met. You must be at least 62 years old and
and other considerations that the borrower must be made fully aware of. However, when the financial and personal advantages of this product outweigh the costs and other considerations, a reverse mortgage may allow you to keep control of your independence and may improve your personal living conditions and lifestyle. (For more information, call Steve McLean at 360-588-9383 or email smclean@bankofthepacific.com.)
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Page 28 • January 2013
THE BUSINESS OF AGING
Coast River Business Journal
Are you considering long-term care for your loved one? Finding the right place to provide long-term care for an aging parent or spouse can seem like an impossible task. Of course you want the best, but where can you find the individualized and attentive care that your loved one needs and the family support you need? Providence Seaside’s Extended Care Unit can help. With a broad range of compassionate professionals, Providence provides the highest quality of care in a warm, family atmosphere. Our residents have immediate access to medical care, therapy and clinic appointments. Our caregivers offer a variety of programs and activities designed to stimulate their physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs.
Come see for yourself, drop by anytime for a visit or tour of our facility. We are sure that you will see and feel the caring difference. For more information call our helpful staff at 503-717-7120. Providence’s Extended Care Unit is proud to be the North Oregon Coast’s only five-star center of quality care, as rated by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services.