2024 Retirement Guide

L A W R E NC E

Journal-World RETIREMENT GUIDE ®

Sunday, February 25, 2024

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From lightbulbs to ladders or just a little extra help, Community Village is up to the task Nonprofit serves residents who need help but aren’t ready to leave their homes

By Chris Conde cconde@ljworld.com

Sometimes the small things can be a big factor in whether someone can avoid moving into an assisted living or nursing home facility.

A Lawrence nonprofit focuses on those smaller tasks and uses volunteers from across the community to get the jobs done.

“Neighbors helping neighbors is a phrase we use quite often,” said Judy Bellome, a volunteer for The Community Village Lawrence organization.

The Community Village Lawrence has been serving residents since 2012 and helps people with small tasks around the house and throughout the community. The people relying on the service can be any age but mostly are those who are past retirement age but not quite ready to move on to a retirement community or an assisted living facility, Bellome said.

It is a part of the national Village to Village network.

The Village is partnered with Lawrence Goodlife, which provides services for people with disabilities, and is made up of a network of vetted volunteers who are ready to answer the call — in some cases the email — to run errands, change lightbulbs, or even just to check up on members who may not have family members nearby.

For $30 a month, older residents can have someone reliable to reach out to. The service is run by volunteers and the money is used to pay for administrative services and supplement fees for some members who cannot afford the full cost of the service, Bellome said.

“A member is someone who needs a little help staying home.

They may need someone to take them grocery shopping, or change a lightbulb, or climb a ladder. If this was your mom or dad and they needed help, the Village would do it,” Bellome said.

The service isn’t devoted to standard services like house cleaning, regular deliveries, or health care but rather for those

Contributed Photo

VOLUNTEER CHRISTY KENNEDY, RIGHT, and Community Village Lawrence member Helen Crockett take a photo while Kennedy was helping Crockett get to an appointment.

‘‘

Neighbors helping neighbors is a phrase we use quite often.”

— Judy Bellome, Community Village Lawrence volunteer

extra duties that might slip through the cracks, Bellome said.

To get help, a member calls into the Village or sends an email, and that creates a service ticket that is distributed to local volunteers and an available volunteer can plan to meet the person in need to get the job done, Bellome said. The service is currently limited to Lawrence, but Bellome said they would like to expand to the entire county.

“It’s whatever the community wants to make it. We would like to serve Baldwin City and Eudora but we have to get strong enough, with enough volunteers and members, to grow into those communities,” Bellome said.

In support of the service, the Community Village Lawrence has been holding an annual fundraiser for nearly a decade, minus the pandemic years, called A Taste of San Francisco led by volunteer John LaRocca. For the event, the Village flies in fresh

seafood from LaRocca’s family business in the San Francisco Bay area where fundraiser attendees pay $150 a plate, $50 for food and the $100 as a tax deductible donation.

“My grandfather started the second seafood business ever started in San Francisco, and it’s still in operation 120 years later, my nephews are running it. He started selling dungeness crabs out of a wheelbarrow and ended up having the largest fishing fleet on the west coast, but they don’t have boats anymore. Now, it’s more of a brokering thing,” LaRocca said.

This year’s menu for the event held at the Oread, 1200 Oread Ave. in January, included dungeness crab bisque, oyster shooters, ceviche and steak tartare and many other San Francisco inspired dishes, LaRocca said.

Desserts and breads for the event were donated by Wheatfields, 904 Vermont St., in Lawrence.

The money from the fundraiser goes to community outreach to increase awareness about the Village and to help recruit new volunteers, LaRocca said.

Bellome said people who are interested in volunteering or want to learn more about using the service for themselves or their loved ones can call 785-505-0188 or email info@ CommunityVillageLawrence.org.

Adobe Stock Photo

INSIDE l Volunteer opportuni-

ties at LMH Health. 2C l The window is open

to change your Medicare Advantage Plan or revert to original Medicare. 4C l Strive to maintain social connections for a happier retirement. 6C l Study finds women entering retirement at a financial disadvantage.

6C

Tips to make the best use of retirement spending

By Kate Ashford NerdWallet via AP

Financial planners talk about three phases in retirement: the go-go years, the slow-go years and the no-go years. Expenses tend to be highest at the beginning and end of retirement — creating a U-shape. But many people think of retirement spending as a constant variable.

“As they enter retirement, especially early in retirement, they see themselves spending all sorts of money and then they can’t envision themselves cutting back,” says Jonathan

Swanburg, a certified financial planner in Houston.

But the big trips and experiences you’re planning for your golden years are often one-time things, and as you get older, you may naturally travel and spend less. Then at the end of life, there’s an uptick in spending on things like long-term care.

“It kind of looks like a smile when you look at all the numbers,” says Michelle Crumm, a CFP in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Here’s how to lean into this spending pattern.

works for many people — but not all. You and your financial professional should discuss what you hope to get out of your retirement.

“If it’s a couple, you’ve got to make sure they’re on the same page,” Crumm says. Some people, she says, want to vacation up to the last day of their lives, buy new houses or always give money away. “They’re not good candidates for a smile strategy.”

your retirement savings to start, but in later years, you’ll be able to pull more from Social Security.

“The other half of the ‘U’ is funded much more by Social Security and less by your savings,” Crumm says.

If you don’t have the ability to wait, you may be on a more linear retirement path. Crumm says she’d almost never recommend taking Social Security at 62. “But if there are a ton of health care isDelay Social Security sues or a lot of other things going The longer you wait to claim on, they’re not on a smile spendSocial Security, the higher your ing strategy,” she says. “They’re payments will be, giving you more more on a survival strategy.”

Get clear on your goals income to work with. You’ll have > SPENDING, 6C A U-shaped retirement plan to pull disproportionately from

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| Sunday, February 25, 2024 .

RETIREMENT GUIDE

L awrence J ournal -W orld

LMH Health has a variety of volunteer opportunities

By Autumn Bishop

Chapman. She spent much of her life working as an English teacher, including stints at West Junior High, Lawrence To learn more about volunteering at LMH Health, conHigh and Free State High tact Lauren Cobb at Lauren.Cobb@lmh.org or visit lmh.org/ School. When she retired, volunteer.

Chapman began looking for other ways to fill her time.

“I had a friend who was the practice manager at OrthoKansas. She needed help with paperwork and I ended up working with their medical records for 11 years,” she said.

“I made great friends there and got to know all the doctors and staff. They’re all great people.”

Chapman has been a volunteer at LMH Health for about three and a half years, though she took some time off during the COVID pandemic and for a knee replacement. She gives back to the community by working as a wayfinder at the West Campus, helping patients navigate the building.

“It seems like a simple forCourtesy of LMH Health mula, but when I ask someone if I can be of help and CHARLES DECEDUE AND MARY CHAPMAN are two volunteers who do the answer is yes, that’s really work with LMH Health. gratifying,” Chapman said. “A Jeff Sigler set up vaccine clin- to serve patients facing a dif- lot of people want to be useful. I see old friends here, I’ve ics at Theatre Lawrence and ficult diagnosis. needed volunteers to make One of the main technolo- made new ones and it’s really the process run smoothly. De- gies Decedue had worked with a beautiful facility to be in.” cedue was ready and willing during his tenure at CritiTech to help, working at 21 of the was an oncology drug. After Opportunities abound clinics. seeing it from a research per- at LMH Health Volunteers at LMH Health When those clinics began spective, he was interested to wane, he started to wonder in volunteering at the LMH are able to work in a number what else he could do. That’s Health Cancer Center and of areas throughout the health when Decedue remembered having the chance to view it system, providing the opportuthat a good friend volunteered through a different lens when nity to learn new skills, meet new people and make a differat LMH Health after his retire- interacting with patients. ment and really seemed to en“You get to work with pa- ence in the community.

“We have gaps to fill in arjoy his experience. He decided tients on a daily basis. Some that might be the perfect fit. of the treatments can be very eas such as our surgery wait“I have familiarity with a long, so I bring them snacks ing room, wayfinding at both number of large hospitals be- and refreshments,” Decedue of our campuses, the Gift Shop cause of my education. I un- said. “Being able to visit with and Mario’s Closet, as well as derstood at a gut level the patients and bring a smile to oncology and other clinical anxiety that comes with going their day — they really appre- areas,” Cobb said. “While we don’t have as many clerical opinto one,” he said. ciate that contact.” portunities as we used to, we Volunteers perform a variwant to ensure our volunteers ety of tasks in the Cancer Cen- A community filled are placed in the area that’s ter, including cleaning treat- with volunteers ment rooms between patients If you attended Lawrence right for them.”

Though a number of voland providing transport to and Public Schools prior to 2006, from other departments. Each there’s a good chance you may unteers are adults, people as day provides an opportunity have been taught by Mary young as 14 can volunteer at

Want to volunteer?

Volunteering provides the opportunity to connect with your community and make a difference in the lives of those in need. Volunteers at LMH provide a special touch, one that can ease the stress for patients and families facing difficult and uncertain times.

Lauren Cobb, volunteer services manager, said that an ideal volunteer is someone who truly wants to help.

“The reason people give their time is very personal, but they’ve all got a mentality of service,” she said. “Volunteers want to make someone’s day better or just take the load off. They truly want to serve in whatever way they can.”

Lifelong passion Volunteering has been a lifelong passion for Charles Decedue. He has been giving back to the community since he was in high school and living in New Orleans.

“I enjoy being in places where I can be useful and help is needed, even though I’m pushing 80,” he said.

Decedue spent the majority of his career at the University of Kansas as a researcher and administrator. He worked as the executive director of the Higuchi Biosciences Center for 18 years before becoming the chief scientific officer at CritiTech Inc. “My biggest hobby was acting, so I started reading for Audio Reader shortly before I retired from CritiTech,” Decedue said. “About 12 years into it, I began having trouble with my voice and dropped reading but continued with audio description. Then the COVID pandemic hit and everything shut down.”

His love of theater and his desire to help collided with the advent of COVID vaccines in early 2021. Local pharmacist

LMH Health. Additional requirements include: l A long-term commitment of at least three months, helping at least three to four hours each week l Tuberculosis (TB) screening l Proof of flu vaccine (October through April) l Documentation of immunizations (including Hepatitis B, MMR, Tdap, Varicella and COVID) l Background check for volunteers age 18 and older (costs $15) “We have a number of volunteers with needs and accommodations,” Cobb said.

“The mentality of service and being here to help, regardless of ability, makes for a great volunteer.”

Chapman said Lawrence is filled with terrific examples of volunteerism. She enjoys being at the West Campus and giving back to an organization that has provided her with outstanding health care.

“It’s really an act of appreciation and acknowledgement that I’ve got good health and received great care, so I want to put it to work,” she said.

“I’ve had good experiences with orthopedics, physical and occupational therapy, so being in this atmosphere and being of some help is really appealing to me.”

Decedue doesn’t see a downside to volunteering at LMH Health.

“I like the idea that in Lawrence, we have a hospital of this caliber — one that punches above its weight — and that it’s a not-for-profit owned by the community,” he said.

“Volunteering at LMH Health helps keep the doors open. We can make a frightening prospect be more comfortable for patients and their loved ones, and that’s just a great feeling.”

— Autumn Bishop is the marketing manager and content strategist at LMH Health.

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RETIREMENT GUIDE

| Sunday, February 25, 2024 .

L awrence J ournal -W orld

Window open to change Medicare Advantage plan, revert to original Advantage plan and allows them to make certain changes,” says David Lipschutz, asMany people choose sociate director of the Center Medicare Advantage plans for Medicare Advocacy.

Here’s where to start. without exploring their options or noticing what changes their plan may have made, Does your current according to research from coverage work for you?

KFF, a health policy nonprofEven if you haven’t had it. But now that a new year a chance to stress test your has started, you may realize plan yet, do some research the plan you picked during while you still have time to Medicare’s fall open enroll- change your mind. Are there ment doesn’t work for you. providers or specialists you Or maybe you stuck with want to see or hospitals you your old plan and it changed prefer? Make sure they’re in this year. (That can happen, your network. too.)

Check your medications, Medicare Advantage open particularly if you’re on a enrollment, which runs from newer drug that may be covJan. 1 to March 31, gives mem- ered differently by different bers the option to switch plans. How much do your Medicare Advantage plans prescriptions cost under or move back to Original your plan?

Medicare.

Then, think about your “It’s set up especially situation this year. “Are there for people who begin the any procedures, like a suryear enrolled in a Medicare gery that’s coming up?” says

By Kate Ashford

NerdWallet via AP

Christopher Fong, director and co-founder of Smile Insurance Group in Mesa, Arizona. “Is it outpatient? Inpatient? How many emergency room visits do you have? Do you need an electric scooter?” The more you can predict your health care usage, the more accurately you can determine whether you’re in the right plan.

Next, consider your lifestyle. Do you travel or plan to spend part of the year in another state? Make sure your insurance offers an extended network or travel benefit. Or consider Original Medicare, which allows you to see any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare.

can switch — once — to another Medicare Advantage plan, or they can return to Original Medicare and purchase a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. But if you don’t already have Medicare Advantage, you can’t join a plan now.

That said, although you can return to Original Medicare, you may not be able to sign up for Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap.

Medigap’s open enrollment period — when insurance companies must offer you a plan at the same price as everyone else, regardless of health issues — lasts for six months after you’re 65 and have Medicare Part B. After that, aside from a few states What can you do during and situations, you’ll be subject to medical underwriting Medicare Advantage to qualify. open enrollment?

“While you can get in and During this time, people who are already enrolled in out of a Medicare Advantage a Medicare Advantage plan plan on an annual basis, your

enjoyy ! enj

rights to purchase a Medigap huge difference,” says Emily policy are usually far more Gang, CEO of the Medicare restrictive,” Lipschutz says.

Coach, a site that provides Medicare guidance.

If you had a health event Should you switch plans?

Some circumstances are and found that you weren’t red flags — meaning you covered in the way that you should probably change expected, give switching your coverage. If your pri- some thought, but consider mary care physician or pri- that any money you’ve paid mary hospital system is now is a sunk cost. You’ve already out of network, for instance, spent it, Gang says. And it you’ll want to look for a plan may not make sense to start over in a new plan with a that includes them.

If an expensive medica- new deductible.

In general, resist switchtion isn’t covered, see if there’s a plan that includes ing plans for the perks alone. it. (You can input your medi- “We’re not proponents of cations into the plan finder benefit chasing unless everyon Medicare.gov to see op- thing else lines up correctly tions.) Make sure, when for the member,” Fong says.

Then, this year, do your you’re estimating drug costs, that you’re as accurate as homework during Medipossible about what you’re care’s fall open enrollment from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. taking.

“Ideally, you look at the “Some people will get confused between the ge- plan details in advance to neric version and the brand avoid any surprises,” Gang name version, and there’s a says.

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L awrence J ournal -W orld

Sunday, February 25, 2024

| 5C

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To schedule a tour, contact Tracy Harmon or Susan Cook at 785-841-6845 or check our website. Our pricing is available to the public on or website with no hoops to jump through. that are included in entertainment, museums, our monthly rent. We flea markets, and have approximately restaurants. We have 100 activities per exercise programs, art month including trips classes, bingo, along with to the Dinner Theatre, so much more. Most

Contact Amy Wiscombe, RN Executive Director for tours amy@sunflowercarehomes.com grooming, ambulating, medication management), What measures are in place private and semito insure the safety of all private rooms, and pets residents? are allowed based on We have personalized care compatibility. plans to fit each resident’s Outside Services Providers: needs, coded exits, secure including Geriatric back yards, staffed 24/7 Psychiatry Services, and life safety measures.

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Our implemented safety measures make life easier for the residents and their What types of accommodations are offered? family members including 24-hour staffing, VNA There are several nursing staff available accommodations that M-F mornings, and one make life easier for the entrance that is unlocked resident and their family during certain hours. If members including 24a resident does not show hour staffing and VNA nursing staff available M-F up for lunch and has not called out, we immediately mornings. do a wellness check.

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RETIREMENT GUIDE

| Sunday, February 25, 2024 .

L awrence J ournal -W orld

Aim to maintain social connections for health, happiness

By Laura Williamson American Heart Association News via AP

Once a week, social connectedness expert Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad takes an afternoon to ski with her husband, Nathan. During the pandemic, the Salt Lake City couple started hiking together regularly. And after 30 years of marriage, they still set aside time to go out on dates.

It’s not just the secret to a good marriage, said Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology and neuroscience in the department of psychology at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

It might help them live longer.

“There is strong scientific evidence that it’s really beneficial to your health to have good relationships in your life,” she said.

Holt-Lunstad talks about what research has shown and explains how to maintain strong connections with family and friends in “ The Experts Say,” an American Heart Association News series in which specialists discuss how they apply what they’ve learned to their own lives. The following interview with her has been edited.

How are good relationships linked to good health?

Studies show people who are more socially connected can live longer.

They are at reduced risk for earlier death from all causes, including cardiovascular disease. Other research shows having poor social relationships is associated with a 29% increased risk for coronary heart disease and a 32% increased risk for

stroke. There is also a growing body of research that suggests social isolation may increase inflammation, raise blood pressure, increase stress and make it harder to get good sleep and stay physically active. All of this may contribute to cardiovascular disease.

To put it in context, lacking social connections may be on par with other well-known cardiovascular risk factors, including smoking cigarettes and drinking too much alcohol, and may exceed the risk from having high blood pressure, obesity and not being physically active.

How does marriage affect heart health?

People who are married can have better health and live longer. Research shows they are less likely than people who

are single or divorced to have cardiovascular disease and less likely to die from heart attacks. But not all relationships or marriages are positive.

People who have happy marriages are more likely to live longer.

My husband and I make time to work on our relationship. We’re fortunate to be able to go on vacations together, which is especially hard when you have kids. Our kids are 17 and 20, so it’s a lot easier now to do that.

Aside from romantic relationships, how do you forge other social connections?

If we don’t have relationships in our lives, or if we’ve lost them, making new ones can sometimes be tricky.

Joining a group is one way, whether it’s a civic or faith-based group or

one built around hobbies or interests in leisure time activities. Groups can provide a sense of belonging. They can help you develop new relationships and provide a sense of purpose and meaning.

Group members can look out for each other and pitch in when someone needs help with a health or other difficult issue, even if it’s just emotional support.

Not only is it great to have people to rely on, but being someone that others can rely on can be beneficial. It’s better to give than to receive.

I did a study in which we asked people to perform small acts of kindness for their neighbors over a four-week period.

People who did this reported reduced levels of loneliness. It’s something that’s really simple that anyone can do.

Sometimes people feel vulnerable reaching out to others to invite them to do something, because they worry they might say no. But helping someone else can be that first step toward making a connection.

How have you maintained the social connections in your life?

I’m married, and I have two sons. I’m also a sister and a friend and a mentor to students and a co-worker.

I’m always conscious of not just studying about and writing about relationships, but of remembering that I need to focus on and make time for my own relationships. I am very conscious about doing the things that all the evidence says are good to do.

> CONNECTIONS, 8C

Study finds women enter retirement at a financial disadvantage

By Laura Chapman Wealth of Geeks via AP

Retired women are 33% more likely than men to say they don’t have enough money for a comfortable retirement.

More than a quarter of retired women have no retirement savings at all, according to a new study from Clever Real Estate.

Although about 40% of all retirees worry they’ll outlive their retirement savings, the concern is particularly high among women. While women tend to live longer than men, they’ve only saved about half the retirement savings as their male counterparts.

More than a quarter of retired women have nothing saved; unmarried women with savings have about half as much as men

projects the average American will live to be 79.25 years old — 10 years longer than the expected life span of Americans just 50 years ago. Although women’s projected life expectancy is three years longer than men’s, their long-term financial outlooks are more precarious.

Clever’s study, surveying 1,000 American retirees, found the median retired woman has $100,000 saved, compared to $217,500 for men — even though experts recommend people start retirement with roughly $572,000, according Living longer with less to Matt Brannon, the report’s auAs of 2024, the United Nations thor and a data analyst at Clever.

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Keep fixed expenses low The more you can simplify your balance sheet — pay off your mortgage, get rid of credit card debt — the more freedom you’ll have to adapt your retirement spending as needed. If the stock market takes a dive, you can drop discretionary expenses so you withdraw less from your savings that year.

“It’s figuring out where we can cut back in the event that things do go haywire,” Swanburg says.

For retirees with larger fixed expenses or who are supporting their children, it may not be possible to budget for swanky trips in early retirement years. “Maybe we do not have those big early expenses because we don’t have a lot of levers to pull in the event they need to cut back,” Swanburg says.

Make plans for long-term care People spend more in late life on health care and longterm care, creating the back end of the U-shape. Longterm care insurance (or a product like it) can make a big difference here.

Hybrid policies that combine permanent life insurance with a long-term care rider have the advantage of paying out a benefit to someone no matter what happens, but they can be expensive.

If clients don’t have longterm care insurance, “We usually recommend holding back $300,000 because that’s, on average, what people are going to need for long-term care,” Crumm says.

If you have equity in your home, you may be able to use that to cover end-of-life expenses. “In most situations, you can take that home equity and repurpose it for the extra expenses related to long-term care,” says Joel

“It’s possible this gap is explained partly by marriages where men tend to be the breadwinner,” Brannon explains. “But even among unmarried respondents, the typical unmarried retired man has twice as much saved as the typical unmarried retired woman — about $80,000 to $40,000. So the gap is real.”

At the same time, women are more than twice as likely as men to say they retired later than planned because they had too much debt. Women are also 78% more likely than men to say they wished they’d retired later because they can’t afford necessities.

The gender gap Institutional and societal factors continue to impact many women’s financial situations.

As of 2023, American women make 82 cents to the dollar compared to men. While this figure has improved since the 1960s, when women were paid 59 cents to the dollar, it still leaves women struggling.

According to the Department of Labor, women are also more likely than men to work parttime jobs that aren’t eligible for company retirement plans. Clever’s survey found that women

were 47% more likely than men to say their employer did not offer a retirement savings plan for them.

Women often put their careers on hold to raise children or care for sick family members, which impacts their ability to put money toward retirement. Women are 87% more likely than men to have to retire early to care for their family, Brannon said.

While women are more likely to leave the workforce early to care for others, they also face challenges meeting their health care needs.

Women surveyed were 41% more likely than men to struggle with paying their medical bills in retirement.

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pay to the price of health care. (Medicare Parts B and D cost more for those with higher incomes.) You might benefit from converting some savings to a Roth IRA or offsetting capital gains by claiming losses. Working with an adviser on retirement income optimization can give you more flexibility when you need it.

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4450 Bauer Farm Drive • Lawrence, KS • 66049 Leasing Office: 3320 Mesa Way, Suite E • Lawrence, KS • 66049 THE CEDARHURST PROMISETM We promise. If you’re not satisfied and decide to move out within your first 60 days, we’ll completely refund your rent.* *Cedarhurst Promise™ program is only available at advertised community. Not applicable for respite or other short-term stays. Refund is available only if move out is a result of dissatisfaction with Cedarhurst community as documented throughout stay. Complete rent refund includes base rent only.

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SENIOR LIVING OPTIONS What are some amenities or activities that your facility offers that residents enjoy the most?

Our residents enjoy: Chair Yoga, Strength and Stretch, Bingo, and our monthly Happy Hour known as Swizzle Stix What types of accommodations are offered?

We are a CCRC offering independent living, assisted living and health care. For our independent living residents we offer 2 bedroom townhomes, and several different floor plans of 1 and 2 bedroom apartments. We currently have 2 townhomes available.

Pioneer Ridge Retirement Community

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Residents in every care level enjoy 3 homecooked meals daily, regular housekeeping and linen services, and scheduled daily activities.

Lawrence Presbyterian Manor 1429 Kasold Dr. Lawrence, KS 66049

785-841-4262 www.lawrencepresbyterianmanor.org Contact Chris Phelps for tours What measures are in place to insure the safety of all residents?

Our doors are all coded and are locked after business hours. We have 24/7 healthcare on site.

Our rapid recovery and skilled nursing community features a state of the art physical therapy gym.

What types of accommodations are offered?

We provide four levels of care, independent living, assisted living, rapid recovery, and skilled nursing, all featuring private apartments. Independent living features one and two bedroom apartments, assisted living features studio and one bedroom apartments.

Rapid recovery and skilled nursing feature studio layouts.

What measures are in place to insure the safety of all residents?

Our independent living community features an on-site Our buildings are all secure. Assisted living, skilled pub, bistro, library, movie theater, and more. Assisted nursing, and rapid recovery feature 24/7 licensed staff living residents enjoy welcoming common areas to spend as well as a licensed nurse on call. time with neighbors.

Interim Healthcare Inc. 5200 Bob Billings Pkwy, Lawrence, KS 66049

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Our services are provided wherever home is. We provide Home Health, Hospice, Palliative Care and Personal Care and Support Services.

Our services are one on one and customized to meet an individual’s needs. Our Home Life Enrichment Program is part of all our services.

Many of our hospice patients enjoy our music

and massage therapies.

We have received a lot of positive feedback about our “We Honor Vets Program” and do many special activities for this group.

Our services are highly individualized dependent upon needs. We provide nursing, physical, occupational and speech therapy, medical social work, chaplain, nurse aide and companion services.

What types of What safety measures do you accommodations are offered? follow or offer?

We provide the full continuum of in-home care from a couple of visits a week to 24/7 Care.

We provide home safety evaluations and emergency planning as a part of all our services.

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SENIOR LIVING OPTIONS Brandon Woods at Alvamar What are some amenities or activities that your facility offers that residents enjoy the most?

Brandon Woods at Alvamar is a great home for the active senior. We have an indoor, heated saltwater pool and hot tub which is the home to our aqua-Ageility classes 3 days a week. If the pool isn’t for you, we offer other exercise programs to keep you strong and healthy that range from seated chair exercise to blended balance classes which integrate yoga and tai chi poses.

At Brandon Woods At Alvamar you can be as active and engaged as you would like to be. Our LifeStyle 360 Programming calendar is packed with activities for all interest levels. Book Club, Wine Club, Osher classes, watercolor class, bridge groups, bingo, trivia....there is always something going on!

What types of accommodations are offered?

Brandon Woods at Alvamar offers three care levels, independent living, assisted living and memory care. Our

Connections CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6C

Here are some examples: l Be spontaneous. When I think of a friend, I reach out to them and say hi. I’ll sometimes see something that makes me think of

Savings CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6C

An emotional toll Many retirement-age women struggle not only financially with their retirement needs but also with anxiety and shame.

Women are 41% more likely than men to say they feel stressed about retirement, Brannon said.

In the book “Financial Feminist,” money expert and podcast host Tori Dunlap writes that many financial woes women face come down to psychology.

spacious, beautifully updated apartments come in both one and two bedroom floorplans. In our memory care neighborhood we offer private studios.

What measures are in place to insure the safety of all residents?

Brandon Woods at Alvamar takes the safety of our residents very seriously.

During regular business hours we ask all outside visitors to sign-in so that we know how many extra people are in our building and the purpose for their visit.

After hours, between 8:00pm and 8:00am, our building is locked and only our residents or their family members have special keys that can enter the building after hours. We also have security personnel that walks the community perimeter between 8:00pm and 6:30am.

Each resident that lives at Brandon Woods is provided with a emergency call pendant that when activated will send a page to our nursing staff that is available 24/7.

someone in my life, and I’ll make a point of letting them know that.

I try to reach out to friends and family members in these small little ways. l Set up traditions and routines. It’s important to have a regular cadence to our interactions. One group of friends, we get together every month at the same time. We plan on this. With other

In working with clients, she found that women often experience substantial guilt and fear that impact their finances.

Dunlap generally suggests that women reevaluate their relationship with money. Her website, Her First 100K, aims to teach women about managing debt, negotiating higher salaries, and saving more money for retirement.

Those priorities are important for women who feel their income is insufficient for saving. More than half of the women in Clever’s survey said they didn’t make enough money in their working years

friends, I might have a birthday tradition or a holiday tradition that we always follow. Even though getting together may be sporadic in between those interactions, we can always count on seeing each other for these traditions. And if you have to travel far to see someone, if you don’t plan it, the time can fly by and then it’s been five years since you’ve seen them.

to save for retirement.

Megan R. Gibbs, a Nebraska-based financial adviser at Edward Jones, says it’s important for women to understand their cash flow fully, including knowing which expenses are essential and which ones aren’t and reallocating discretionary money toward savings accounts.

Breaking the cycle While retired women today may be struggling, there are options. For example, Gibbs encourages women to maximize their Social Security benefits.

“You can start taking Social Security at 62, but

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l Social media is not enough.

Social media may make it easier to keep in touch with friends or facilitate getting together, but it shouldn’t be thought of as a replacement for seeing people in person. During the pandemic, especially during lockdown, we spent a lot of time interacting this way. And while it was great to get on video chat with other people, it

your monthly checks will be much bigger if you can afford to wait until your full retirement age, which will be around 66½,” she explains. “If you are married, you may want to coordinate your benefits with those of your spouse — in some cases, it makes sense for the spouse with the lower benefits to claim first, based on their earnings record, and apply.”

Younger generations of women should consider saving for retirement as soon as possible. As of 2024, Americans meeting certain income requirements can contribute up to $7,000 per year toward

just wasn’t the same. We wanted to be with other people. It felt like a poor substitute. l Stay close to family. I’m one of six kids. With my siblings that are local, we get together monthly for dinner. For my entire sibling group, we all get together once a year. We might see each other more than that, but we always know for sure this will happen.

an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Additionally, 401(k) plans allow Americans to contribute up to $23,000 annually.

“Try to contribute as much as you can afford to your 401(k) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan,” Gibbs concludes. “Your earnings can grow tax-deferred, and your contributions can lower your taxable income.”

A common retirement savings benchmark is to have an amount equal to one’s salary saved by the time they’re 30 and three times their salary saved by 40.

Women shouldn’t necessarily feel discouraged if they see these benchmarks come and go without meeting them. It’s possible to play “catch up” using other assets, whether it means selling a home or vehicle in the future — or setting a goal to increase the amount they put in retirement savings each year.

If one’s employer doesn’t currently offer a retirement plan, employees should consider asking their company to add one.

Even a simplified retirement plan can mutually benefit the company and its employees.

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