NEWS & ARTICLES

Downsizing & Decluttering for Retirement

Downsizing for Retirement Downsizing from the 4000 square foot home where you raised a family and accumulated years of “stuff” is not always an easy task.  Memorabilia, collectibles, and other nostalgia are likely found in almost every corner of your home.  Baywoods of Annapolis is pleased to share these tips to help you minimize without stress. Come and Get It! More often than not, your kids have an idea of

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Downsizing & Decluttering for Retirement

Downsizing for Retirement Downsizing from the 4000 square foot home where you raised a family and accumulated years of “stuff” is not always an easy task.  Memorabilia, collectibles, and other nostalgia are likely found in almost every corner of your home.  Baywoods of Annapolis is pleased to share these tips to help you minimize without stress. Come and Get It! More often than not, your kids have an idea of the things that are important to them.   Give them sufficient time to sort through and pack up those items to take back to their home.  Try not to be too sentimental about keeping too much.  They will likely enjoy many of your treasures for years to come and likely will have more room too! Sort, Donate, Pack As you begin to sort through your belongings, you’re going to want to pack items you’re keeping and designate items that should be donated.  Here are a few quick and easy rules: If you haven’t used the item in the last two years, it goes in the Donate pile. If you have more than one of an item, it goes in the Donate pile. If you need help lifting it, Donate it! Most

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Moving to Senior Living

Senior Living Transition Once you decide to move to a senior living community, there is a long list of to-do’s that must be done.  Here are some tips to keep you on track, help you minimize, and reduce stress along the way. Preparing for The Move Once you make the decision to move to a retirement community, you may be emotional, excited, or just ready to get it all done.  One of the first steps is to begin downsizing and decluttering your home and preparing it for sale.  You’ll want to contact family members and begin sorting through items.  Organize your belongings into four categories: Take With Me Give to Family Donate Trash or Recycle A professional organizer can be a big help with this process. Selling Your Home After you’ve begun the decluttering/downsizing process, you will need to get your home ready to sell.  A senior real estate specialist is a great place to start since they focus on your exact needs and can guide you through the process.  Make sure you understand their level of experience and be sure to ask: How many homes have they sold in your neighborhood? How many homes have they sold in the

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The Social Benefits of Community Living

At BayWoods of Annapolis, you can enjoy an independent lifestyle during your retirement while being able to enjoy the physical and emotional benefits of a continuing care retirement community. When one reaches retirement age, it’s vital to remain engaged in life and connected to others. Isolation is a concern for several reasons. Your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing are intricately linked and a failing of one can impact the health of another area. Being in a continuum care Community doesn’t just help to protect these aspects senior living and wellbeing – it also increases life expectancy by doing so. A physical impairment can cause emotional stress from facing new limitations. Mental disruptions may hamper physical mobility, and emotional distress can make it difficult to find enjoyment in daily living activities.  At BayWoods of Annapolis, our staff is committed to ensuring you have peace of mind knowing that we have a campus offering you continuum of care. This encompasses all aspects of life, so get in touch with us if you have any questions about community living. By being part of a continuing care community, you have the ability to balance the aspects of your health, and you’ll have a reliable

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Is Your Retirement Community Pet-Friendly?

Pet Friendly Retirement Community Pets can bring so much joy and help relieve anxiety and stress.  In this article, we’ll review how to make sure your retirement community is well-aligned with the needs of you and your pet. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that pets can be comforting companions, particularly as we grow older.  Walking a dog can provide great exercise, loving companionship, and help provide purpose.  So, you may wonder why a retirement community would have policies against pets?  As it turns out, there are some very valid things to consider, on both sides of the proverbial fence. One of the top priorities with a senior bringing a beloved pet to any community is to ensure that both the senior and their pets’ well-being is taken into consideration.  While pets can provide an array of benefits to their human parents, unfortunately, they can also present some challenges.  Seniors may not be able to continue to remember to properly medicate or feed their pets.  As the animal gets older, the pet may require special care or costly medications.  Getting them to a veterinarian for routine care may also be a challenge.  Furthermore, if you begin to experience

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Five Things Your Retirement Living Community Should Have

Choosing a retirement community is a big decision. How do you know you’re making a choice that will make you or your loved one happy? Use this checklist to ensure your retirement community has all the amenities that will allow you to live a happy, healthy lifestyle. 1. Continuing Care levels Available: Having additional levels of care available when you need is a must. After all, you made the move to a Retirement Community so that you will not have to be burdened with additional moves.  You should have the support there when you need it. 2. Fitness Center and Indoor Pool: Fitness facilities/activities such as water aerobics provide the cardiovascular and mental health benefits associated with regular exercise in a low-impact environment. A refreshing exercise class in a warm pool is a perfect way for retirees to get appropriate exercise without risking injury. BayWoods of Annapolis residents love the option of swimming in the pool and taking instructor led fitness classes. 3. Putting Green Hitting the links may not be such an attractive option anymore, as long days on the course can be physically exhausting. BayWoods of Annapolis putting green overlooking the Chesapeake Bay and the Bay Bridge is

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How to Choose the Right Rehabilitation Facility After a Stroke

When a loved one suffers from a stroke, the family and caregivers are often thrown into a whirlwind of decisions that need to be made in a relatively short time-frame.  The care provided to stroke survivors is often critical to their recovery process.  But, it can also be stressful and cause a significant disruption to the everyday life of the caregiver or family.  So, in this checklist, we’ll help you evaluate what you need to consider when choosing stroke rehabilitation and recovery programs. Does the facility provide the specific services your doctor has identified the stroke survivor needs? What system does the facility use to monitor progress and outcomes? Does the facility have full-time professionals experienced in stroke and rehabilitation practices? How do professionals stay up-to-date on the latest technologies and practices for stroke rehab? Is emergency medical care available at the facility, if it’s needed? Does the facility work with home health care professionals for the transition back to daily life? How are stroke victims transitioned back to daily living? What are the expected treatment program, duration, and outcomes? Is the rehab facility conveniently located nearby? Stroke therapy sessions are often scheduled several times a week, so you’ll want

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From Farm to Table: Nutrition Tips for Retirees

Nutrition Tips For Retirees Good nutrition is essential in our seniors to maintain an active, healthy fulfilling lifestyle. Our nutrition needs change as we age – and we often need less food overall, so making our choices nutrient-dense is vital to achieving a well-balanced diet. Follow these tips to maximize your nutrition. Why Is Good Nutrition Important? In our retirement years, our most important job is safeguarding our health. Calcium keeps our bones strong, while Omega 3s protect brain and cardiovascular health. To maintain a well-balanced diet, try following the Mediterranean Diet: Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, focusing on leafy greens; get protein from fish, legumes, and lean sources of meat like chicken; eat whole grains like wheat, spelt, and brown rice; make fats healthy, like those found in avocado, olive oil, and salmon. Enjoy treats in moderation. Following this diet is good for your heart, brain, and bones. Specialized Meal Preparation Our diet needs evolve as our health changes, requiring specialized diets. If you have special dietary needs, from low sodium to diabetic friendly, talk to a member of our kitchen staff. BayWoods of Annapolis has experience in following special dietary requirements for our residents. Watch Your Sodium

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Waterfront Retirement Living Provides Unique Lifestyle Opportunities

Waterfront Retirement Living While retiring to a golf course community may intrigue some, others prefer the views and activities associated with waterfront living.  In this article, we’ll highlight some of the popular activities available to those who choose waterfront retirement living. Whether you’ve lived in Maryland all of your life, or are venturing into new territories, Annapolis has consistently been ranked, year after year, as one of the nation’s “most charming small towns.”  Baywoods of Annapolis is a unique retirement community that provides easy access to Annapolis and all of its charms, along with a waterfront community that captures the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay. Baywoods of Annapolis offers a truly unique retirement living experience.  On Wednesday evenings, you can take a leisurely walk out to the boardwalk and pier and catch a glimpse of the infamous Wednesday night sailboat races, hosted by the Annapolis Yacht Club.  Up to 150 crews typically compete in the races and they mean business!  It’s fun to watch and a great way to spend Wednesday’s during the summer! Other waterfront activities include: Visit and tour the historic Naval Academy. Take a cruise out of the Annapolis Harbor to visit another local waterfront favorite, the

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Planning for Retirement Living – Where? How Much? How Long?

Retirement Living Planning We all know that planning for retirement, meeting with a financial planner, and understanding the expenses associated with retirement are important to ensure your lifestyle is all you hope for, during retirement.  In this article, Retirement Living Planning, we reveal the five things you should evaluate to make sure that your living arrangements meet all of your expectations. How Long Will You Live? While no one can answer this question for a certainty, the probability and statistics show that we are all living longer lives.  For example, if you saved $5 Million for retirement and only needed it for 5 years, your lifestyle would be very different than if you had to stretch that money to accommodate 25-35 more years.  So, it’s important to plan wisely for income and expenses that can support a longer life span. What Does Retirement Look Like For You? Have you saved up enough money to have the lifestyle you desire, in retirement?  Will you be able to retire early, or will you need to wait it out?  Will you be able to live and play on a golf course day in and day out, or will you need to consider some

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How Can I Help My Family Member Through Short-Term Rehab

When your parent/family member has a set back from an injury or illness that limits their ability to complete their everyday task a physician in a hospital may recommend short-term rehabilitation.  Be supportive and positive about the initiative. What once was easy to do on a daily basis now seems almost impossible. There is often a looming fear that this current disability is now more long term.  Here’s how to keep things in perspective and encourage your loved ones throughout the rehabilitation process. Keep a Positive AttitudeThe glass is half full, the rehab goals are obtainable and they are reasonable.  The process made is dependent on how much effort is put in to reach the goals set by the therapy team.  Your loved ones may look to your reaction to guide their own.  Stay positive and maintain a good attitude throughout the process.  It increases the likelihood that they’ll follow suit.  Provide constant encouragement to your parent or family member and remain as involved as possible.  Keep stressing the end result. Get InvolvedIf possible, talk to your loved ones/parents physical, speech, or occupational therapists after each session.  Know the plan of care for your loved one’s program.  What are the

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