WHAT IS ‘WWW.4KIDSOVER50.C0M’ ?
The “4kidsover50.com” site is intended and designed to be a source of free information, resources, and services for the adult Senior or the families and friends of Seniors. It is the brainchild of Jim McKibben, a Realtor/Broker who has the SRES® designation (Senior Real Estate Specialist®).
As a Senior himself, Jim took the training and seminars to achieve the SRES® designation to better serve Seniors’ needs in buying and selling real estate. Jim and wife Sandi (Realtor) stand ready to assist Seniors sell and buy their homes in Michigan and elsewhere in this nation and internationally.
Whether the Senior wants to downsize, move into a condo, active senior housing or communities, restricted or mixed ages housing or communities, investment retirement housing, or assisted living senior housing, Jim and Sandi are here to assist.
Often times they provide on site assistance for out of area family in arranging living accommodations, downsizing, and proper disposal of real and personal property, for their senior parents, grandparents, friends and other relatives. Jim & Sandi soon are viewed as a trusted extended family resource, who truly care for their Senior.
www.4kidsover50.com will go far beyond the buying and selling of real estate. Here will be found free information, resources and services for the Senior that include their expertise as Realtors, but go clearly beyond, to provide a valuable resource to advise, enable, assist and refer the Senior, their families, and friends. This service is free with no obligation to the user.
As a true ‘work in progress’, the format, articles, sources and information will be changed in a timely fashion to make it a source to come back to on a regular basis. The user can also e-mail Jim & Sandi, with questions or requests not addressed.
Click here to e-mail Jim & Sandi
_____________
S.R.E.S.® Life…On your terms.™
WHAT IS AN “S.R.E.S.®” ?
“Senior Real Estate Specialists” (SRES)® are Realtors qualified to meet the special needs and concerns of maturing Americans. A national program since 1998, “The Senior Real Estate Advantage Council®”, (SREAC®) offers a specific designation (SRES®), to identify those members who have successfully completed its education program, along with other prerequisites.
By earning the SRES® designation, your Realtor has demonstrated necessary knowledge and expertise to counsel senior clients through major financial and lifestyle transactions involved in relocating, refinancing, downsizing, selling the family home, moving into senior communities, to assisted living residences.
A Seniors Real Estate Specialist® is experienced and knowledgeable in meeting your special needs, that can make all the difference in the world.
As we age, we demand specialists in our health needs, so why not in our housing and environment as well? An S.R.E.S.® brings:
www.4kidsover50.com
S.R.E.S. Life….On your terms.™
- A customized approach to your situation; an SRES® works with how your living style fits your overall plan.
- Expertise and patience without condescension.
- Jim McKibben, as an SRES® has received special training, gets regular updates, and is prepared to offer the options and information needed in your making life-changing decisions.
- An awareness of options and solid, reliable referrals for specific situations to explore unique options for you.
- A variety of choices to reduce out of pocket expenses, gain cash, or create or define how either to stay independent or to finance assistance.
- S.A.R.E.C.® members and S.R.E.S.® designees are not qualified to offer legal or tax advice. All clients are urged to contact a real estate attorney or certified tax accountant*portions reprinted from S.A.R.E.C.®
S.R.E.S.® Life….On your terms™
Newsletter reprint:
“Trends in Senior Housing”, so you can stay in your home longer-with safety, independence, comfort, and the ability to function.
AGING IN PLACE deals with how to modify and adapt existing homes. UNIVERSAL DESIGN primarily deals with the creation upfront of easily accessible homes and products rather than after the fact modification. THINK OF IT AS PRE-PLANNING.
WHAT IS AGING IN PLACE?
Remaining in your current home, as you grow older “Not having to move from one’s present residence in order to secure necessary support services in response to changing needs.” -Journal of Housing for the Elderly
- A new variation is aging in your current community, where your friends, activities, and organizations are located; but in a different house or condo, not your home of thirty years where you raised your children.
- The National Association of Home Builders defines aging in place as:
*Remaining in one’s home safely, independently, & comfortably.
*The pleasure of living in a familiar environment throughout one’s maturing years.
*************
Do you want to live in a NORC?
Over one-fourth of seniors live in Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities where residents have aged together. Maybe you moved there for the quality high school, raised your kids together, buried each other’s parents, created a tightly knit community, and stayed.
When reviewing your goals, ask yourself “Do I want to live in a community exclusively comprised of peers? Do I want a blended community of children, families, middle-agers, and seniors?
Where you are located at 65 is probably where you will stay. Seventy percent (70%) of seniors live out their lives wherever they were at 65. Many plan for retirement and relocate at 65 or earlier and then stay there. The early baby boomers (born at the end of WWII) are moving in their late 50’s to early 60’s to their vacation homes and staying put. Some are relocating and then commuting from the planned retirement home to work those last few years in the work world.
An AARP study revealed that 89% of homeowners prefer to remain in their homes, yet 80% of the population will require special housing needs at some point.
MODIFICATIONS CAN MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO STAY IN YOUR HOME, FOR MANY MORE YEARS:
Specific Remodeling
Breaking a hip is a common and valid fear. Without aggressive physical therapy, the consequences are serious. The obvious changes are handrails and lights in the hallways; grab bars in the shower and tub. But it goes beyond that for safety, comfort, and ability to function.
You and your SRES® may wish to consult a professional early on when evaluating what you need now and may need in the near future to stay in your home. A home builder or remodeler who is a
“Certified Aging in Place Specialist” should be part
of your team.
Focus on modifications that cater to any potential limitations. The list below is not a massive to-do list, but areas to consider that may uncover previously unrecognized needs.
GENERAL
*Adapt lower floor of home for possible one level living
*Increase general incandescent and specific task lighting
*Easy garage or parking access
*At least one entry without steps
*Doorways 36” wide with off set hinges on doors
*Levered door handles instead of knobs-so Grandpa Arthur (short for Arthritis) doesn’t have to grasp and turn handle
*Electrical outlets at 18” instead of 12
*Easy to open or lock patio doors and screens
*Light switches at 42” instead of 48
*Adjustable controls on light switches
*Lighted glow in the dark switches in bedrooms, baths, and hallways
*Strobe light or vibrator-assisted smoke and burglar alarms
*For easy opening window sills
*Programmable thermostats for heating & cooling
*Contrast colors between floor and walls
*Color borders around floor and counter-top edges
*Non-skid flooring
*Matte finish paint, flooring and counter-tops
*Non-glare glass on art work
*Lower the peep hole in door
*Incorporate an emergency response system-built-in or wearable
Bathroom
*Install anti-scald valves for lever faucets and mixers
*Temperature controlled shower and tub fixtures
*Stall shower with a low threshold and shower seat
*Grab bars for shower, tub and toilet
*Bathrooms with turn around and transfer space for walker or wheelchair 36” by 36”
*Bathroom counters at workable height
*Telephone jack
*Installation of medical response device
Kitchen
*Equip kitchen cabinets with pull-out shelves and lazy susans
*Easy to grasp cabinet knobs or pulls
*Task lighting under counters
*Cooktop with front controls
*Side by side refrigerator, adjustable upper shelves and pull out lower shelves
*Variety in kitchen counter-height-some as low as
30”
*Gas sensor near gas cooking, water heater and gas furnace
*Color or pattern borders at counter edges
Living Room
*Seating at least 18” off the floor
*Chairs with sturdy arms and shallow seats
*******************
For more information please feel free to fill out the form below. You can request any of the following, or simply ask a question.
- A List of Certified Aging Specialists in your area
- An SRES Realtor in another area
- An elderstore catalogue featuring a host of assistive devices for seniors to maintain independence
- An enable catalogue with an array of technology products to foster independent living
- Site that features ergonomic kitchen and cleaning gadgets, garden tools, plus storage and organizational products for the senior
- A Free Home Market Analysis to know what the value of your current home is
- A Free Consultation to discuss your living needs, down sizing needs, resort home needs, your life style and type of retirement or senior environment desired with Jim and Sandi McKibben
- To get the list of Elder-attorneys in your area
- To receive a list of Senior housing, Assisted Living, Active Senior Living, Resort/Vacation Homes and Senior Communities in most areas of the nation and most other countries
- Describe your or your senior’s needs, questions, or concerns and we will locate the answer and/or website to find the answer, the solution or source.
mcksold@msn.com
This site will continue to add updated information, articles, and sources on a timely basis, so please visit it often. Please share your comments and if you would like a particular subject or area covered here, e-mail us.
Also, remember that Jim & Sandi McKibben are here to not only assist Seniors in their housing and other needs, but they are ready to help seniors and non-seniors buy and sell real homes or condos whether they are 19 or 91+. Please consider referring your family and friends to them for buying and selling homes.
Many thanks,
Jim & Sandi McKibben Realtors/Broker, SRES, ABR
