September 12th, 2009
According to The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, Boomers were responsible for 50% of the home improvement market in 2008.
One big concern in many renovations is the bathroom. Points for safety are the faucets, the height of the sink and toilet and the entry to the tub or shower.
Lever handle faucets are usually chosen for ease of operation. If the owners have trouble standing up, a higher toilet seat is often helpful. Better than just a higher seat might be a higher bowl. There are 16 1/2 inch tall stools which many like much better than a standard toilet.
If there’s only room for a tub or a shower, it might be time to opt for a shower which is much easier and safer to enter and exit. The other option is a tub with a door on it. These are guaranteed not to leak and can come with hydrotherapy and a seat.
Two huge items to consider with a Boomer bathroom renovation are making doors on the shower and bathroom open outward and installing grab bars on the wall.
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July 22nd, 2009
1 of every 8 Americans aged 40 to 60 is both raising a child and caring for a parent.
Did you know July is National Sandwich Generation Month? I didn’t know it was an official month, but I was familiar with the term.
According to Wikipedia:
In the United States, Sandwich Generation Month is a month of awareness to commemorate and celebrate the dedication, patience and caring of adults who are part of the Sandwich Generation – those caring for their children as well as their own aging parents. Sandwich Generation is officially registered within the National Special Events Registry as an annual national observation, occurring each July 1-31.
I know a little about that situation. My Dad passed away when he was 52 and my Mom is still very independent and active at age 85. Both of my husband’s parents have passed away, but there was a time in their last days when we saw some of the Sandwich Generation affect. We were caring for our own 3 children and also looking after my husband’s parents. They lived a few miles away from us. It’s not only parents, but our siblings too, that can need looking after.
Being in the Sandwich Generation isn’t strictly a Baby Boomer thing. My sympathy goes out to that 1 of every 8 Americans aged 40 to 60 who is both raising a child and caring for a parent (from Pew Research Center).
If you’re in this Sandwich Generation, hat’s off to you. Let us know how things are going! It has to be really difficult to juggle all the things being thrown your way.
Tags: baby boomer, July, parents, sandwich generation
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July 20th, 2009
Many who have already retired are looking for work!
Every day I find another story about another Boomer who fears that he or she won’t be able to retire until after the age of 70 or more.
Instead of finding a tidy nest egg waiting for them at the end of the work part of life, they are seeing unnerving declines in assets. Not only is their retirement account declining in value, but their home has also lost equity. Many took advantage of the fast rise in housing prices, to refinance and use their equity to buy luxury items or vacations. Now they find that the house is worth less than their mortgage. To cap off the assault, rumors are rampant that Social Security will run out of money in our lifetime. How will we ever make it through old age? These were supposed to be our “Golden Years”!
If Boomers are not delaying their retirement, some, who have already retired, are looking at how to reenter the job market while the jobless rate is near an all time high. Some fear that they will run out of money later, when they won’t be able to go back to work.
A whole generation of people who were spoiled by the relatively easy money of the 80’s and 90’s are now in a world of concern over what to do next.
Tags: boomer, economy, equity, Retirement
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