More than half of homeowners age 65 and over have lived in their homes for 20 plus years. These seniors have deep roots in their respective communities and generally prefer to stay put. They have long friendships developed, known health care providers and entrenched connections to their communities. Uprooting seniors from a known, stabile environment to a new locale that is unfamiliear may not be the best route to take.
So what are you to do? Here are some suggestions to help guide you through the process.
1. Start with an open and honest discussion with your spouse and immediate family members. What are the ramifications of your parents moving with you? Would everyone get along? Is there enough space to ensure privacy for everyone? How will the household be effected? What will the impact be on the family budget? If the health of one of your parents' begins to fail - how will you handle it?
2. Move on to an open and honest discussion with your relatives and parents. Prepare by making a list of all the possible scenarios. Include downsizing the current home with support; staying in the same locale but moving into assisted living apartment or nursing home; moving to the new area and living with you; or moving with you but living somewhere close by. Explore the possibilities of your parents staying where they are. Do you have extended family and close friends who are willing and able to provide support? If not, are there support services in the community where they currently live? Contact local agencies and senior centers.
3. Can your parents afford to move? Explore both of your financial situations completely. If your company is moving you, talk with your relocation director. You might be eligible for elder care assistance.
4. Consider your parents' health. Would the new area be better or worse for them? What kind of medical resources are available?
5. Do your research on your new town. The aid of a local real estate agent is invaluable here. Use them as a resource. Request area maps, information on cultural and recreational resources for retirees. Ask about public transportation for seniors. Would there be shops, restaurants, churches, and social activities within walking distance?
You must keep in mind that if your parents do move with you and do not like the new area, it might be very difficult to move them back again. If possible visit the new location with your parents to see how they feel about the area before making a decision. A professional real estate agent could provide them with a sightseeing tour that will give them a better sense of what living in the new area might be like.
Moving can be a stressful time for everyone. You will want to discuss all these issues with sensitivity. Seek input from your parents and listen to their concerns. Encourage them to make the decision with you, not just go along with whatever you want. Create a win-win situation for everyone and everyone will win.
(c) 2008 Shannon Aldrich, Keller Williams Coastal Realty Portsmouth NHVisit the Real Estate Seacoast Team online for more helpful tips and blogs.
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Every time we drive to work or school, use our heating system or air conditioners, clean our windows, or even style our hair, we make choices that affect air pollution. Here are ten steps we can all do to reduce air pollution.
Odiorne Point is located at the tip of Rye jutting out into the Gulf of Maine. There is more than meets the eye as you stroll through this State Park. What meets the eye first is some of the best views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Isle of Shoals around. Odiorne Point is named after John Odiorne. He was a resident of Portsmouth NH and a fisherman who was granted 42 acres on "Great Island" (New Castle) just before he purchased the land that is now Odiorne Point in 1657. The Odiornes made their living by fishing, farming, haying the salt marsh and trading with the Abenaki Indians. The family lived here continuously for 282 years before the government took the land in 1942 to build Fort Dearborn. Owners were given only 30 days to vacate before the area was seized.
It is interesting to note that most of the homes on Odiorne Point were owned by women. For the times it was relatively unusual but the country's shaky economy had led many families to shelter property holdings in women's names. This was to stop seizure of property when men had their assets acquired during the Great Depression.
World War II has left its mark on the park. Four gun positions were established here to defend the harbor and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Rapid fire 155mm guns were installed on what today look like large fountains but are actually "Panama" mounts. Only one is visible today, two have been filled in and one is overgrown. These guns were able to fire a 138 pound shells about 15 miles. Many other defenses were implemented including underwater listening devices, mines and a submarine net stretched across the mouth of the harbor. The large mounds you see are not natural to the landscape. They are the gun batteries and bunkers. Before the war these were open fields and pastures. Bunkers were positioned all along the Atlantic Coast from Maine to the Caribbean. Inside the bunkers are rooms for shells, powder, and target plotting. Observation posts are located on top of the bunkers. These posts were crucial to the safety of our shore in the days before radar.
When leaving the trails make sure you watch out for poison ivy in season. You can recognize it by the old rhyme "Leaves of three leave it be" it is a low growing plant and the leaves often appear to be shiny. Another common plant you will find is Salt-Spray Rose or "Rosa rugosa". This rose came from the Orient and thrives in the salt air on our shores. In the fall people still gather the rose hips from these plants to make jam or tea. It is very high in Vitamin C. It bright fuchsia color can be seen abundantly along our coast.
The main entrance to the 
Secret Factory Outlet - 
Portsmouth Public Library