Do Boomer Enrichment Centers Count as Aging in Place?
When you are rushing to catch the subway to work and reflecting on how much older you are than when you first started this routine, it is easy to think that there are no satisfactory options for retirement. Conventional wisdom has it that New York retirement can go one of two ways. Either you stay in your cramped apartment and brave the icy stairs every winter, or else you move from Florida, where you are far away from your closest neighbors and worlds away from the people you have known your whole life. Besides, being stranded in a Florida hurricane is every bit as scary as being snowed in during a New York blizzard. No matter where you are, seniors account for a disproportionate share of fatalities related to adverse weather events. Aging in place, where you widen the doorways of your house and then grow old, surrounded by your family, leaving your children to push their own babies in baby carriages through the wide doorways of your family home, is only a practical option if you live someplace where real estate costs a lot less than it does in New York. A more practical option could be to age in place by slightly adjusting your definition of “in place.” To build an estate plan with an open-minded view about aging in place, contact a Bronx estate planning lawyer.
Leaving Your Empty Nest While Keeping Your Familiar Surroundings
Sometimes the most practical way to age in place is to move out of the house or apartment that served you well while you were working, while remaining in the Bronx. Wanting to stay close to familiar people and places is one of the most common reasons that seniors choose aging in place; an adventurous retirement is not for everyone.
It might be a good idea to move to a housing development built with seniors in mind, but one that is not far from home. The notorious “Boomer enrichment centers” in Manhattan are only the most expensive examples. It is also possible to find more affordable apartment buildings that have amenities that are more accommodating to people with limited mobility. Consider that home is not just your residential quarters; it is also your community. If you only move a short distance away when you retire, it is easier to stay in contact with your friends; even though your subway route to visit them may be slightly different, they are still only a subway ride away. You can still go to your favorite deli. Even more importantly from a practical standpoint, you can continue seeing the same primary care doctor and dentist who have treated you for all these years, and you can keep banking at the same bank and getting haircuts from the same hairstylist.
Schedule a Confidential Consultation With a Bronx Estate Planning Attorney
An estate planning lawyer can help you make a realistic estate plan that involves aging in the Bronx, if not in your empty nest. Contact Cavallo & Cavallo in the Bronx, New York to set up a consultation.
Source:
aarp.org/home-family/your-home/info-2023/future-of-aging-in-place.html
