myLifeSite Blog Archives

I am a big fan of continuing care retirement communities (also known as CCRCs or life plan communities), specifically the ones that are well-run, financially sound, and put residents and staff first. Compared to the myriad challenges and uncertainty that often come with aging at home, particularly when one’s mobility or cognitive functions decline, CCRCs provide [...]

A quick glance at the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA’s) World Factbook, which tracks life expectancy at birth for every country in the world, revealed a surprising truth: In 2016, with a life expectancy of 79.8 years, the United States was only ranked 42 out of 224 countries. I don’t know about you, but I would [...]

A recent study conducted by Merrill Lynch (in collaboration with Age Wave) sought to determine which areas of life are the top priorities of Americans so that financial planners could offer better advice on retirement planning. While of course people’s priorities shift and evolve over time, this “Finances in Retirement: New Challenges, New Solutions” study [...]

While the retirement community industry continues to grow, a majority of older adults still say they prefer to stay in their own homes–at least as long as possible. While this decision to stay in the existing house may seem like the most economical option on the surface, cost-effectiveness can quickly diminish if home care services [...]

Our recent blog post on the importance and value of compassionate hospice care got a lot of attention. In it, I talk about how hospice caregivers can help people have a good life, all the way to the end, making life’s final stages as meaningful as possible, free of suffering, and helping the person [...]

So many times, at church or other places, I’ve heard someone say, "Hospice has been called in" when referring to a sick or elderly friend or family member. It sounds so ominous, like the final grains of sand are slipping through to the bottom of the hour glass. "Called in"…what does that even mean? What [...]

Today’s senior living communities offer more services and amenities than ever, with perks that range from the convenient (like on-site healthcare facilities, transportation, and home maintenance) to the luxurious (like on-site 5-star dining options and indoor pools). Yet despite the seeming allure of many senior living facilities, survey after survey reveals that today’s senior still [...]

Your local long-term care ombudsmen program advocates for people living in care facilities, offering residents a way to file a formal complaint against a facility and then working to resolve the grievance or regulatory violation. They also can provide you with information about any complaints lodged against the senior living communities you are considering.

Here are links to six articles from the past few years that we have found to be particularly helpful for those who are considering a CCRC.