Making A Smooth Transition

At DFW Real Estate Center we understand the many concerns and fears people have as they transition into an Assisted Living Facility.  We believe in developing deep relationships with our clients to truly understand their situation, needs, concerns, and driving values, and help them to reach their ultimate scenario.

Transitioning into an Assisted Living Facility is another step on the journey of life.  As this is a big lifestyle change and there are several areas you should consider to make the transition as smooth as possible.

• Disposition of Property
  • Real Estate – sell or keep
  • Personal Property – sell, give away, give to family
  • Storage of any remaining items – length of storage, types of facilities available
• Moving to the new living arrangements – options between full and limited service movers
• Insurance coverage – moving insurance, renters insurance, vacant property insurance, long term care insurance
• Legal considerations – power of attorney (financial and medical), Will, estate planning
• Medical considerations – continuity of doctor relationships, advanced medical directives

The main focus of DFW Real Estate Center is disposition of real estate.  Experience shows, however, that understanding the bigger picture families are facing, and working closely with them to achieve their goals helps everyone to make this transition easier.

Finding a Real Estate Consultant

Most of the time, people need to sell thier home to move into an Assisted Living Facility. There are, however, other choices to consider – including renting the home out, or getting a reverse mortgage.

Where To Begin?

The first step is to meet with a real estate consultant who understands the complexities of transitioning out of independent living and into assisted living to determine the best solution for your specific situation.

When you meet with Deborah at DFW Real Estate Center, she will lead you through a thorough step by step analysis of your situation to determine areas of concern, needs, and issues that might need addressing up-front. She will discuss the various options and the pros and cons of each option to help you weigh the financial impact and benefit of each one.

An important part of the DFW Real Estate Center service is the communication. Often times there are several family members involved – located in various cities/states. For the family, we use a wonderful internet-based software package that all family members can be given access to. You can view documents, links to web sites where the home is advertised, other marketing material, and communicate with us at anytime. For the family member that is moving to assisted living, we tailor communication to the form most comfortable for them – usually phone and in person.

The First Step

The first step is an initial 15 minute phone conversation to get a basic overview and determine timing and next steps. To schedule a phone consultation, go to www.ScheduleDFWRealEstateCenter.info select the Phone Call – Initial or Periodic Update schedule, and pick the best date and time for you. We will take care of the rest of the details…including setting up a conference line if more that one family member will be on the phone.

Nina’s Story

Nina and her husband built their home in Arlington in the late sixties.  They raised their two daughters in the home, lived, loved, laughed and cried in the home.  After their girls had grown-up, moved away and had families of thier own, Nina’s husband died.  Nina was well situated in the community – all of her friends, and network were here, but no family was close by to help care for her as she got older.

With her eye-sight deterioting rapidly, her independence began to be an issue and her daughters had to make some difficult choices on how to best help Nina.  It was decided to move her up to Colorado to be near family.  This was a difficult decision but they all realized it was the best thing. 

With no family in town to help with this large undertaking, Nina’s minister suggested the family call Deborah at DFW Real Estate Center.  Deborah met with Nina and her family and asked probing, thought provoking questions to determine their concerns, fears, needs, and drivng values.  Together, they crafted a strategy for selling Nina’s home, coordinating an estate sale of the items that would not be moving to Colorado, and interfacing with the moving company to help with the out-of-state move. 

Deborah understood the difficulty of trying to oversee the sale of the home from Colorado along with the emotional stress Nina was feeling selling her home and memories that she had collected over the past 40 years.  Deborah interacted with the out-of-state family via phone and internet to keep them up to date on the progress of the sale and interacted with Nina in a personal one on one interaction – they way that Nina understood best. 

The home was sold, the estate sale completed, and Nina’s remaining possessions were packed up to go to Colorado.  It was the end of a phase in Nina’s life and the start of a new part of her journey.  DFW Real Estate Center was an integral part of helping them transition into this phase.

Anna Mae’s Story

Anna Mae was a wonderfully independent woman who had successfully raised four boys, was married for over 50 years, and owned and ran a grocery store.  She made the best coconut cream pies in town and no one could match her fried chicken.  Her husband passed away in the late 1980s and she continued to cook and care for her sons and grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Unfortunately, as often happens in life’s journey, Anna Mae’s memory began to fail in early 2002.  Her sons were concerned for their mom and knew that the time had come to start looking at alternative living arrangements for Anna Mae.  There were three sons still living at that time, and they divided up the responsibility of Anna Mae’s care between them.  One was in charge of her finances.  One was in charge of her medical care; and one was in charge of the rest of her assets. 

Deborah of DFW Real Estate Center consulted with the sons about the condition of Anna Mae’s home and what would need to be done to sell it.  She gave them two options to consider: 1) selling the home “As-Is”  – the price it would bring and how long it would take and 2) emptying the home and making a few repairs and updates – the price it would bring and how long it would take.  Armed with the facts, the sons were able to make an informed decision weighing the financial implications of each one with the needs of Anna Mae.

Selecting a Storage Facility

Choosing a self storage facility can seem a bit complex.  The questions below can help you narrow down what is important to consider.

• Does the facility offer 24 hour access, 7 days per week? If the access is limited, will that inconvenience cause an issue?
• Does the facility have pitched roofs or a flat roof? Pitched roofed buildings shed the rain better and have a lower temperature inside the storage space during hot weather.
• Is the facility built with brick or metal? Brick construction is more durable during inclement weather.
• Does the facility have a refundable deposit instead of administrative fees?
• Are all of the storage spaces on ground level? Certain facilities have second and third story space and require access through stairwells or freight elevators.
• Can you pull your vehicle directly in front of the door to the storage space?
• Are there lights in the storage space? Only a few facilities offer lights in every storage space.
• Are the office and grounds professionally managed? Are the managers friendly?
• Does the facility have surveillance cameras and computer controlled access gates?
• Does the facility offer climate controlled spaces for specialty items or antiques?
• Does the facility have a variety of sizes to fit your exact needs?

Some storage facilities to consider

 

SecurCare Self Storage – Pantego

3654 W. Pioneer Pkwy

Pantego, TX 76013   

(682) 622-8676

 

Uncle Bob’s U-Store-It

1761 Eastchase Parkway
Fort Worth, TX 76120
(817) 460-4111

 

Public Storage
2300 West Park Row
Pantego, TX 76013-3301

(877) 788-2028

 

Storage Choice

1601 Harwell Drive
Arlington, TX 76011
Phone: (817) 261-5427

Interviewing Moving Companies

Moving companies are very difficult to select since they are handling your precious memories and possessions.  We recommend picking a moving company based on a referral from someone who has used them.  The two moving companies below have been recommended by some of our clients.  Talk to others you know who have had a positive moving experience for additional recommendations.

Coast to Coast Movers

470 Pulaski Street
Brooklyn, NY 11221
1-800-USA-MOVE

 

All Star Movers

3713 Flory St
N Richland Hills, TX 76180

(817) 589-1424‎

Facts and Information about Assisted Living Facilities

WHAT IS ASSISTED LIVING?

Assisted living facilities offer a housing alternatives for older adults who may need help with dressing, bathing, eating, and toileting, but do not require the intensive medical and nursing care provided in nursing homes.

Assisted living facilities may be part of a retirement community, nursing home, senior housing complex, or may stand-alone. Licensing requirements for assisted living facilities vary by state and can be known by as many as 26 different names including: residential care, board and care, congregate care, and personal care.

WHAT SERVICES ARE PROVIDED?

Residents of assisted living facilities usually have their own units or apartment. In addition to having a support staff and providing meals, most assisted living facilities also offer at least some of the following services:

• Health care management and monitoring
• Help with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, and eating
• Housekeeping and laundry
• Medication reminders and/or help with medications
• Recreational activities
• Security
• Transportation

 

HOW TO CHOOSE A FACILITY?

A good match between a facility and a resident’s needs depends as much on the philosophy and services of the assisted living facility as it does on the quality of care.

The following suggestions can help you get started in your search for a safe, comfortable and appropriate assisted living facility:

• Think ahead. What will the resident’s future needs be and how will the facility meet those needs?
• Is the facility close to family and friends? Are there any shopping centers or other businesses nearby (within walking distance)?
• Do admission and retention policies exclude people with severe cognitive impairments or severe physical disabilities?
• Does the facility provide a written statement of the philosophy of care?
• Visit each facility more than once, sometimes unannounced.
• Visit at meal times, sample the food, and observe the quality of mealtime and the service.
• Observe interactions among residents and staff.
• Check to see if the facility offers social, recreational, and spiritual activities?
• Talk to residents.
• Learn what types of training staff receive and how frequently they receive training.
• Review state licensing reports.

The following steps should also be considered:

• Contact your state’s long-term care ombudsman to see if any complaints have recently been filed against the assisted living facility you are interested in. In many states, the ombudsman checks on conditions at assisted living units as well as nursing homes.
• Contact the local Better Business Bureau to see if that agency has received any complaints about the assisted living facility.
• If the assisted living facility is connected to a nursing home, ask for information about it, too. (Information on nursing homes can be found on the Medicare website at http://www.medicare.gov/nhcompare/home.asp).

WHAT IS THE COST FOR ASSISTED LIVING?

Although assisted living costs less than nursing home care, it is still fairly expensive. Depending on the kind of assisted living facility and type of services an older person chooses, the price costs can range from less than $10,000 a year to more than $50,000 a year. Across the U.S., monthly rates average $1,800 per month.

Because there can be extra fees for additional services, it is very important for older persons to find out what is included in the basic rate and how much other services will cost.

Primarily, older persons or their families pay the cost of assisted living. Some health and long term care insurance policies may cover some of the costs associated with assisted living. In addition, some residences have their own financial assistance programs.

The federal Medicare program does not cover the costs of assisted living facilities or the care they provide. In some states, Medicaid may pay for the service component of assisted living. Medicaid is the joint federal and state program that helps older people and those with disabilities pay for health care when they are not able to afford the expenses themselves. Additional information on financing can be obtained from the resources listed below

 

WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT ASSISTED LIVING?

Older persons who want to find out more about the assisted living option can start by contacting their local area agency on aging (AAA). Contact the U.S. Administration on Aging’s Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 or visit www.eldercare.gov to find the AAA office closest to you.

Here are other places you can check for more specific information about assisted living

Assisted Living Federation of America

11200 Waples Mill Road, Suite 150

Fairfax, VA 22030

(703) 691-8100

www.alfa.org

 

Consumer Consortium on Assisted Living

2342 Oak St.

Falls Church, VA 22046

(703) 533-8121

http://www.ccal.org

 

National Center for Assisted Living

201 L St., NW

Washington, DC 20005

(202) 842-4444

http://www.ncal.org

 

American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

2519 Connecticut Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20008-1520

(202) 783-2242

http://www.aahsa.org

 

The American Seniors Housing Association

5100 Wisconsin Ave., NW

Suite 307

Washington, DC 20016

(202) 237-0900

http://www.seniorshousing.org

Additional Websites:

Assisted Living INFO at http://www.assistedlivinginfo.org

Elder Web at http://www.elderweb.com

The Family Caregiver Alliance at http://www.caregiver.org

The Senior Resource Center http://www.seniorresource.com