• Allows you to pay much smaller payments on funds used
• In many cases offers a same day decision and much faster funding (24-48 hrs)
• Is typically unsecured up to $50,000
• Enables up to six people to apply together so that relatives and siblings can share the responsibility
• Funds are sent directly to the senior living community
• Has repayment terms of 3-5 years so that if a house needs to be sold there is plenty of time
• All documents clearly state that this is for mom or dad’s housing care

The Penguin Seltzer maker is a simple and quick way to enjoy fresh soda fountain drinks made to your liking. There are many on the market today ranging anywhere from $79 to upwards of $300 from companies such as Soda Maker, and Soda Club and Penguin. In less than 30 seconds this sleek machine makes seltzer or soda, then emits a penguin squawk when your drink is ready. No cleanup, batteries, or electricity! The Penguin carbonates a full liter carafe of water at a time and includes 18 delicious soda mix flavors: Cola, Lemon-Lime, and Orange-Mango, two glass serving carafes, and two CO2 canisters. Each CO2 canister carbonates up to 45 carafes of liquid refreshment. It is made of stainless steel and durable plastic with brass and aluminum fittings.

Visit the Choices for Healthy Living Community & Marketplace for more green living ideas.

To live a healthy life as we age, it is necessary to change how we feel about our own aging as well as the aging of our family and friends. Here are 14 Steps to Independence that when incorporated into your daily living will help you to be open to the transitions we all must go through as we age.

1. Make a commitment to developing an Independent Mindset and to guiding your family and friends into this Mindset, by sharing these principles with them in discussion and application on a regular basis.

2. Empower yourself by learning more about aging on a personal, professional and national level.

3. Accept, embrace and celebrate your aging and the aging of your family members and friends.

4. Think about what it will take for you to maintain your independence with accessibility and mobility and autonomy in mind.

5. Be proactive about everything – this is how you can avoid living life in crisis mode!

6. Know that you are the one responsible for your own health and that you can, by doing simple things every day, move forward towards better health. Get plenty of sleep, get out in the sunshine for a few minutes on a daily basis, eat right, drink lots of water, focus on having a good attitude and get some exercise.

7. Spend time with God, know and trust that you are important to Him and that He loves you!

8. Learn to be frugal and control your spending habits. Save and make plans for your future. Think about how you would live if there was no social security, retirement money etc. Would you need to live with others, what would you need to do to continue to live independently?

9. Keep your mind active. Do puzzles, read, memorize things – subscribe to the on-line sites that promote mental wellness via games and other techiques.

10. Stay active in your community and with friends who share common interests, people you can serve and people you can have fun with.

11. Connect with a community of professionals who can provide you with the resources, services and support you need to live the best quality of life as you age like the Choices for Healthy Living Community & Marketplace.

12. Think Green. Green saves you money, reduces your carbon footprint and gives you a better quality of life.

13. Take care of your home/living space and help your family members to do the same, with regular termite inspections and maintenance.

Improve your home/living space, or move to a new place where you will have accessibility and comfort by incorporating universal design features.

14. Listen to your body, mind and spirit. Know when you need to ask for help.

If you aren’t as comfortable in your home as you used to be, consider renovating it now so that everything is accessible and so that you and your family will live a better quality of life as you age.  Here are some things that you can do to improve the comfort and accessibility of your home:

• Work at establishing a barrier-free front entrance to your home by taking out items that are in the pathway and removing plants etc. that might get in your way
• Take pictures of the entire inside of your home and spend some time looking at each room with accessibility and ease of use in mind – do you have clear pathways for walking and moving around?
• Purchase storage containers and organizers for easier access to items in the kitchen, bathroom and in your closets
• Make sure that you have well lit outside pathways, interior rooms and hallways – consider using motion detectors on outside lights and in areas that are not commonly trafficked within your home
• Lower your light switches so they can be reached easily from a chair
• Raise your power outlets so that they can be easily reached from a chair

Look into appliances like stoves that shut off automatically,  and dishwashers that are raised about 8 inches higher off the floor for your  convenience.

Are you aware that most homes were built for a 20 year old, 6 foot tall male?  Think about it for a minute, does your kitchen or bathroom have cabinets that are way too high to be useful?  What about having to stoop to get into cabinets that are way too deep and too low, or electric outlets sitting just above floor level?  In your bathroom do you have a tub/shower combo that you “stub” your toe on trying to get in?  You are likely to think of a whole list of examples like this in your home.

Aging in Place is for everyone! National Aging in Place week is October 12-18^th 2009.  Aging in Place means living in one’s home safely, independently and comfortably, regardless of age, income or ability level; 90% of all adults 45+ say they want to age in the comfort and familiarity of their own home.  Because of this, re-designing homes for comfort and accessibility is something to learn about and consider doing, the earlier the better.

The addition of an Aging in Place remodeling plan will make your home more accessible to all members of your family and improve your quality of life. Aging in Place strategies include a transparent approach to making your home more accessible. Some strategies include, wider halls & doorways, decorative grab bars, easy access tubs and showers, appliances and cabinets with special features and much more.

The housing stock in the United States is built to accommodate the average twenty-five year old, six-foot tall male. If this profile does not match your individual vital statistics you can correctly conclude that the bulk of this housing was not built to best accommodate you. In fact, this model group is but a minute segment of the entire population.

There are many professionals available today with the expertise to advise you on this little addressed preventive strategy for healthy aging, Occupational Therapist, Contractors, Designers, Architects and Engineers. The National Association of Home Builders has developed a professional designation know as CAPS, Certified Aging in Place Specialist. To find the appropriate professionals visit the Viva Choices, Choices for Healthy Living Community.

Educate yourself to improve your understanding of what is available today to help you to Age in Place and prepare yourself to better care for elderly parents, improving the quality of life for you and your family. Remember to include Aging in Place in the conversation when you are talking about Preventive Strategies for Healthy Aging.

Visit Our Community and Resource for Businesses:
The Choices for Healthy Living Community
Businesses that Market to Boomers