Community Corner: Mollie’s Meals

As you consider where life will take you next, you may be contemplating a move to an independent living community in Pennsylvaniaand for good reason! This state is celebrated for its retiree-friendly policies, including no state tax on social security and other retirement incomes such as 401(k)s and IRAs, making it an ideal location for senior independent living.Does this move make sense for you or your loved one? Heres what you need to know to feel confident about your decision.Benefits of Living in PennsylvaniaPennsylvania is a top destination for retirees looking for independent living combined with significant financial advantages. The states commitment to providing a retirement-friendly experience is evident through its favorable Pennsylvania retirement taxes and the many senior living options.Pennsylvania Cost of LivingOverall, the cost of living in Pennsylvania aligns closely with the national average, though expenses can vary. Urban centers like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh may cost more than suburban areas like Upper St. Clair or the picturesque rural regions. These variations make Pennsylvania a flexible choice for retirement, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.Is Pennsylvania Retirement Friendly?Absolutely! Pennsylvanias approach to retirement is designed to maximize comfort and security, making it an excellent choice for anyone considering independent living. The states policies make it easier for seniors to enjoy their retirement years with peace of mind and financial stability.When Is Independent Living Right for You?The timing of moving to independent living is different for everyone. However, many seniors regret not moving into their community sooner. While there may be some apprehension in the face of such a big life change, moving to a senior living community as soon as possible can be beneficial for many reasons. As our care needs evolve, relocating to a Life Care community that provides comprehensive on-site health servicesincluding memory care, skilled nursing, and assisted livingcan offer enduring security and comfort. Choosing this type of community means you wont have to move again if your needs change, allowing you the comfort and familiarity of living in the same community.The Cost of Independent Living in PennsylvaniaCosts for independent living in Pennsylvania can vary significantly by community type and the services, amenities, and care provided. Some communities require a one-time entrance fee alongside monthly payments to secure priority access to comprehensive care options in the future. When evaluating different communities, consider the quality of accommodations, the range of services offered, and the levels of care available, all of which are crucial for getting the most from your long-term investment. Its also important to factor in the rising healthcare costs, which can impact overall expenses.In addition to care and accommodations, another significant benefit of independent living is the consolidation of expenses. Most communities bundle care, specific dining options, amenities, and other services into a single monthly payment, simplifying financial management and reducing the burden of handling multiple bills.Costs and FeesThere are over 700 retirement communities in Pennsylvania to choose from. These communities range from small rental options to continuing care retirement communities and senior living buy-in options. Each community will have its own fee and payment structures. Some may require an upfront entrance fee in addition to monthly fees. Monthly fees often include utilities, maintenance and access to on-site amenities and services. Choosing the Best Independent Living Community in PennsylvaniaMoving to a senior living community is a big step and may feel overwhelming, especially if youve lived in a large family home for a while. However, moving to a new community opens up a world of possibilities. Community life is all about supporting your independence, not limiting it.  LocationChoosing the right independent living community means finding a place that aligns with your lifestyle and personal needs. When exploring independent living options in Pennsylvania, consider how each communitys location will impact your daily life.Is it important for you to be close to family and friends? Staying nearby can make it easier to maintain those vital connections and receive support when needed. Alternatively, consider how the location might influence your access to city amenities. Will you miss the vibrancy and variety of events and activities available in a big city if you opt for a quieter suburban setting?Community ServicesEach communitys services and amenities also play a crucial role in ensuring your comfort and satisfaction. Look for communities that not only meet your current needs but are also capable of adapting to your future needs. This can help support a seamless transition through different phases of retirement.Having a checklist of questions and things to consider can also be helpful as you tour different communities. This pre-planning can help you feel more confident and comfortable as you determine the best fit for your lifestyle.Why Choose Friendship Village of South Hills?At Friendship Village of South Hills, upscale amenities and expert care come together to enhance your lifestyle. Enjoy personalized health and wellness services, diverse entertainment options, and essential services like housekeeping and maintenance. The result? A carefree living environment that lets you live fully each and every day.Our supportive community offers numerous social events and activities to build connections and help combat loneliness among seniors, but dont just take our word for it. We invite you to contact us today to schedule a visit to experience Friendship Village of South Hills for yourself. Were looking forward to meeting you and answering any questions you may have.

Marita Ellers* was lucky. Her parents lived three blocks away in Greater Detroit. She enjoyed a close relationship with them and could tend to their needs as they continued to age, which was well into their 90s. They both passed away when Marita entered her 60s as she helped with their hospice care needs. But having never married, and with only a chronically ill brother and sister-in-law living in Seattle, reality set in when Marita needed major surgery which would incapacitate her for weeks or possibly months.Unlike her parents who had her to depend on, Marita had no one. Of course there was her circle of friends, but as it turned out most were married. Shed never thought about cultivating relationships with single people; it had just never occurred to her. Her married friends had busy lives of their own with spouses, adult children, and grandchildren, and the last thing Marita wanted to do was impose on them during a long recuperation.Ellers is part of a growing trend of elder orphans and solo agers: individuals ages 55-plus who live alone without a spouse, partner, children, or other family around at all, or if they are around, they cannot be relied upon sometimes due to family dynamics. In short, these individuals have no real support networkno safety net. In a survey of 500 elder orphans, nearly 70 percent hadnt identified someone to help them with health problems, while 35 percent had no friends or family to begin with who could help.Studies show the demographics numbers are on the rise and the group is so ubiquitous, it even has its own Facebook page with nearly 10,000 members to provide support through shared experiences. If you fall into this category, what are some of the steps you can take to prepare for successful aging?Planning to Live as a Solo AgerThe best kind of plan for almost anything is, naturally, to plan. If we dont do that, we may leave critical decisions to disconnected relatives, acquaintances, or ultimately overburdened, court-appointed strangers who have no idea what we need and want. Considering herself staunchly independent, Maritas lack of planning was twofold: she was in denial about her own aging process, and at the same time she figured the experience of seeing her parents through lifes end stages would enable her to apply all that knowledge to herself if the time came.While in some respects her experience puts her a step ahead of many of her contemporaries, her reasoning does not allow for what can happen when her mobility is compromised, cognitive capacity is diminished, or myriad other conditions where she may need more help than she can give to herself. Maritas upcoming surgery was a wake-up call, making her acutely aware of what steps she should have taken and scrambling to put as many as possible in place.Understand the Levels Between Senior Independence and Assisted LivingYesface things and research them, laying them out as early and comprehensively as you can. Avoidance will only get you so far. The antidote for anxiety, feeling isolated, and depressionthree issues elder orphans and solo agers have expressed are problems for themis action. Goethe said, Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid. Keren Brown Wilson, known as the pioneer of assisted living, says there are many steps and levels between independence and dependence. She recommends interdependence: a mutual reliance on one another on the path to better aging.Think about trained caregivers for when you may need help with activities of daily living (ADLs) and a fiduciary or senior care advisor for your financial needs including Long-Term Care insurance. Go out and cultivate friendships if you dont already have them with other elder orphans or solo agers. People in similar situations may have more time to give you if the need arises, as you can give to them.Build a Senior Support Network That WorksIf you dont know how to go about something, network with people in your community. This may include professionals and others you know at work, where you volunteer, doctors, dentists, lawyers, librarians, teachers, salon and store owners, as well as neighbors. We all age and ahead of that most of us have aging parents or had parents who got up in years. That kind of personal experience is invaluable in terms of recommending others they trust who can help you put things in order now and down the line.Communities for Successful AgingGet Involved!With the rising tide of graying Baby Boomers, city and business leaders and policymakers need to embrace the task of developing solutions for better aging. This needs to be done on a nationwide basis. Elder orphans and solo agers are affected at even deeper levels than their counterparts who are surrounded by family and friends in a position to help. In some locations, there are more resources already in place in the realm of affordable transportation, technology training, respite care, senior advocacy, nutrition oversight, and home health care. But we have a long way to go.If you are an elder orphan or solo ager looking for involvement in your own community, turning your attention to the cause can bring awareness and even expedite results from which everyone can benefit.(* Name has been changed for purposes of anonymity.)

Bring up the topic of decluttering in a conversation with older adults and youll get a variety of responses. For some, getting rid of things is easy; they may even respond with something like I love throwing things away! On the other hand, you have people who cant seem to throw anything away. You can actually see them shift into a state of panic at the thought of discarding their belongings. The majority fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, being able to confidently identify what is clearly trash, yet feeling certain about items theyre compelled to keep.Why Is It So Hard to Let Go?Clutter is common in the lives of so many. There is only one factor that makes the clutter of an older adult unique: time. The older you are, the longer youve had to accumulate things. As time passes, you attach meaning to those things which provoke certain emotions and these feelings may develop into a physical form of nostalgia. Many items can impact us emotionally, something renowned organizing and decluttering expert Marie Kondo calls objects that speak to the heart. These evoke a flood of memories and sentiment, something that provides even more significance and comfort as we age.Though it may be hard to discard possessions, holding onto too muchespecially as a senior with increasing needs for a safe environmentcan have dangerous results. What we accumulate can present challenges throughout the living environment. Clutter resulting from stacks of mail, paperwork, packages, books, magazines, holiday dcor, knickknacks, mementos, and more on and around surfaces and furniture can also contribute to feelings of confusion and overwhelm, increasing cortisol (the stress hormone) levels. Studies show clutter can also contribute to increasing dissatisfaction with life. Overall, these issues are something an older adultpossibly with increasing cognitive issuesneeds less, not more, of.Risks of Clutter and Life-Threatening InjuriesStatistics tell us that each year, 36 million Americans, or one in four adults over age 65, experience a fall. That number climbs every five years. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths for people over age 65.Increased risk of fallingWhile some falls are caused by physical decline, including balance and mobility issues, clutter in ones surroundings can raise the odds of an accident no matter what the seniors condition. It can present hazards to navigate, resulting in tripping and breaking a leg, arm, hip, neck, ribs, requiring stitches, sustaining head trauma, or suffering internal injuries.Confusion over medicationsCluttered medicine cabinets can be life-threatening for seniors. Decluttering your medicine cabinet is critical, especially for those with decreased vision. If a medicine cabinet is disorganized, it can be easy to confuse medicines ones life is dependent on. Throw away expired medications and keep them organized to reduce confusion.Limited mobilityExcess furniture can lead to many challenges for seniors with limited mobility. Not only can they have more trouble getting around on a daily basis, but this trouble can be serious if disaster strikes and they cant get through certain spaces.If doorways are blocked, or even partially blocked, first responders may have trouble entering the premises or getting into specific rooms. Also, if caregivers are working in the home, its especially important that they have a safe, adequate berth in which to maneuver and support the client. With challenges mounting as seniors age, the last thing a caregiver needs to worry about is steering a client around piles of personal belongings or oversized furniture too big for a space, or pieces of furniture placed too close together, or improperly stored equipment including walkers, wheelchairs, oxygen concentrators, shower chairs, and more.Health Benefits of DeclutteringThe benefits of having an organized space extend far beyond general safety conditions. Mental health experts and geriatric social workers concur that aging seniors with less clutter in their everyday lives enjoy many health benefits.Improved concentrationOne of the most noticeable differences you may experience after you declutter your living area is an improvement in your ability to concentrate. Although you may not realize it, the items in your space are constantly competing for your attention. When you are in a cluttered environment, you are essentially forcing your brain to multitask by giving it extra stimuli to filter through as you try to focus on your task at hand. As soon as you declutter your space, you will likely notice an immediate boost in your productivity.Better sleepMany older adults experience a surge in sleep disturbances as they age.Another great reason for seniors to declutter their space is that it can positively impact the quantity and quality of their sleep. You are probably familiar with the feeling you have when you get into your bed after you just cleaned your room. You feel noticeably more relaxed and ready for bed than the previous days.Interestingly enough, those with more clutter have been shown to have more difficulty not only falling asleep but also staying asleep. Those with clutter often have more sleep disturbances.Reduced stressAnother good reason to get rid of your clutter is to reduce your overall level of stress. Many studies have shown a negative correlation between those who keep their homes clutter-free and those who reside in well-organized homes. There are many reasons for this.As mentioned, having many items in your space places additional work on your brain as you force it to constantly work at filtering out irrelevant information so you can focus on whats important.There has been a study conducted that identified a relationship between homeowners and their density of household objects. They found that the higher the density of household objects, the higher their levels of cortisol tested thus indicating higher stress levels.Improved positivityWalking into a room where there is a lot of clutter can do more than add to your stress, it can also cause you to feel like you dont have your life together.If you think about it, looking at a pile of papers can easily remind you of all the things you havent completed yet, directing your attention away from everything you have accomplished. You know the phrase, out of sight out of mind. Well, that is certainly the case with a pile of papers, along with all other clutter.Using The Four Box Method for DeclutteringOne of the simplest strategies for decluttering your home is one referred to as the four box method. This method works great because it forces you to make decisions about everything you own.To use this method, you are simply going to take four boxes (trash bags can work too) and label them as one of the following.Keep/put awayDonate/sellTossStorageOne room at a time, you will use these boxes to help you categorize your belongings.For example, lets say you have made the decision to organize your home. And lets say you decided to start in your living room. You figure this is not only where you spend most of your waking hours, but it is also where you entertain your guests.When you are ready to begin, you will bring your four labeled boxes into the living room. You will then go through each item in the room and make a decision as to whether you need to keep it, donate it, throw it away, or store it.The Keep/Put Away BoxThe keep/put away box is designated for items you want to keep. Ideally, this should be the smallest box. If the item you want to keep belongs in the room you are working with, you are going immediately put it away. If the item you want to keep belongs in another room, you are going to place it in the box. This is going to help ensure you have enough space for all the items you want to keep.For example, there might be piles of magazines and miscellaneous papers on the table in your living room. In this case, you might want to sort through the pile. You may decide to keep the current magazines on the table and place the important papers in the keep box to be filed away. Any papers deemed unimportant can be placed in the trash box.The Donate/Sell BoxThe donate/sell box is going to be designated for items you want to donate or sell. These items should be in good condition. Ideally, they should be items you no longer find valuable but that may be valuable for someone else.You might have furniture in your living room taking up space. You might want to consider selling or donating it. You can even give it to someone in your family who would make better use of it.Also, take a look at unnecessary knick-knacks.The Toss BoxThe toss box is for items you decide to throw away. This should be anything you dont want any more that is unworthy of selling or donating. Think about damaged items or broken items you intended to fix but never got around to.The Storage BoxRefrain from thinking of storage as a place for items you dont know what to do with, but think of it as items you dont currently need.Seasonal items are a great example. Think about seasonal decor or holiday-specific decorations. These are items you dont need out at all times, only during the particular season or holiday time. Place the out of season items in the storage box.Clothing may be another item you may want to store. If you live in a seasonal area, you will have little to no use for a winter coat in the summer. This would be something you want to keep for the cooler months, but you dont need to have it handy in the summer. Place it in your seasonal box.Its Okay to Ask for HelpAt the end of the day, decluttering should be about letting go of the things you have weighing you down for the benefit of your quality of life. Mental health experts confirm, explaining that the process can result in feelings of accomplishment and control for seniors who are aging at home. In short, decluttering has a positive impact on so many levels.Frequently, the most difficult step is simply to start and that being the case, its okay to ask for help. Check with your county aging services department or community senior resource center on the availability of decluttering services. If youd like to learn more about how a trained caregiver can support a senior loved one to live safely at home, feel free to contact one of our friendly and resourceful Amada Senior Care advisors. Click here to find an Amada Senior Care location near you.