Navigation

Navigation by Salemtowne is a program that allows its members to age at home and not have to worry about their medical care. The program will have a new offering in 2019 for those who want to live in their current home as long as they can and then move into Salemtowne. The new plan will cover 65% of in-home care services and up to 96% of the one-time Navigation membership fee may transfer to the Salemtowne entrance fee.

Merry Mingle

I went to a Merry Mingle at Salemtowne this afternoon. Its the annual Christmas gathering of the Towne Club (people on the waiting list for residency at Salemtowne). Lots festive, friendly folks getting to know their future friends. You never meet a stranger at Salemtowne, everyone seems like someone already you know; that's one of the reasons I chose to live there.

Savers will understand

I signed the reservation agreement for my apartment in Salemtowne so I'm now committed to the move. As it is with anyone moving to a CCRC, there is a lot I have to do in preparation for the move. I have to downsize, consider all I need and don't need due to the lifestyle change, and then prepare the house for selling and put it on the market. All that keeps you busy every day, but for some of us, there is another is another concern. The reality of having to spend the money you have saved just for this occasion. When you are a dedicated, lifelong saver, spending is painful and keeps you awake at night second-guessing all your decisions.

Financial Trackers

I like to manage and track my finances myself instead of paying someone a lot of money to do a relatively simple task. For major investments, I use mutual funds that have very low management fees and have better growth over time than that of any financial firm. The online services of major mutual fund groups offer all the information and analysis iI need

For over 20 years, I’ve used Quicken software to track all my finances and keep track or net worth. It’s been very useful, but it's always had a lot of features I don’t need or use. Over the years it’s become slow and prone to problems, but I stuck with it because it was familiar with it. However, under new ownership, it has switched from being an application you could use for years to an overpriced annual online subscription, so in January I began evaluating some top FREE online money managers. I narrowed the choices to three, Mint (owned by Intuit, the old owners of Quicken), Personal Capital, and the Money Manager provided to Truliant Credit Union members (other credit unions also offer money managers to members).

I used all three trackers simultaneously for a few months to evaluate them. Personal Capital ads and phone calls can be annoying and it doesn’t allow you to split transactions into different categories or delete them. If you don’t need to track your spending closely, then it's okay. Truliant Money Management is easy to use and has no ads. It lets you split transactions but not delete them. Mint has ads but they are unobtrusive. You can split transactions and delete them. It automatically updates your home and vehicle values. Although the Truliant tracker is a good choice, overall, all I like Mint the best and have been using it as my sole financial tracker for the last 6 months.

I got the call!!

After 35 years of planning for retirement living, 5 years of touring retirement communities in the triad area and lots of research and analysis on the subject, I finally got the call.

In February 2019, I will be moving into the Salemtowne Retirement Community in Winston-Salem NC.

I will be posting updates (under the My Quest topic in the menu) about my experiences during my transition from a house to an apartment in an independent living retirement community. Once I move in, I'll be adding more information to the blog about what its like to live in a CCRC and I'll create a page of tips for Salemtowne residents, some of which may be useful for residents of other CCRCs.

A new concept in residential living for those suffering with dementia

Dementia village, a new concept in residential living for patients with dementia, started in 2009 in Norway. The Hogeweyk (from the Hogewey nursing home) is a specially designed, self-contained,  residential neighborhood with 23 homes where 152 elderly people with dementia live in maximum privacy and independence in a lifestyle similar to that with which they are familiar. There are 7 lifestyles available: city, Goois, domestic, Christian, traditional, Indian, and cultural.

With the assistance of staff, the residents run their own households to the best of their abilities. In the neighborhood are streets, squares, courtyards and a park where the residents can walk safely in freedom. The neighborhood has various facilities including a restaurant, café, supermarket, and a theater. Interacting in this type of environment appears to trigger memories in the patients and helps slow the progress of dementia.

The dementia village concept is spreading around the world. The first village in the United States, Town Square, a new adult daycare facility using this concept, is opening in San Diego, California. The facility represents a "town" from the years 1953-1961. It encompasses 8,500 square feet with 24 buildings and 12 storefronts — including a diner, post office, barbershop, pet store, library, museum, and a movie theater. Dementia patients will be able to spend the day exploring the facility independently, in small groups or with their families. The facility offers a secure environment, under the watchful eye of dementia care professionals operating the storefronts and other businesses and interacting with the patients throughout the day.

Useful information

For useful information about retirement planning and retirement living, check out this publication.

Tribune: An Erickson Living monthly newsletter.