NEWS & ARTICLES

Your Brain Activity: How to Stay Mentally Sharp in Retirement

Stay Mentally Sharp in Retirement The role of mental health and longevity is well documented. Just as we need to exercise our bodies to protect cardiovascular and bone health, working out our brains is essential to preserving our mental, social, and emotional health. Mental Stimulation and Combating Alzheimer’s Alzheimer’s disease is very common today. It’s characterized by mild memory loss in the early stages and can progress to include a

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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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Best Ways to Protect Seniors From Fraud & Identity Theft

Senior Risks Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States.  Although anyone can be a target, many seniors are at a higher risk for fraud schemes and identity theft.  While technology and social factors contribute to the reasons for this trend, it’s also important to realize that many seniors have accumulated a certain amount of wealth, making them a primary target for criminals. For this reason, Baywoods of Annapolis has compiled a list of 4 ways you can lower your risk for identity theft and fraud schemes. Identity Protection Services – This is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself or your loved ones from identity theft. These services monitor credit bureaus, personal information, the internet, and a variety of other platforms to help ensure your identity is protected.  According to NextAdvisor, the top 3 are: IdentityGuard Experian Lifelock Phone & Door-to-Door Scams – Two of the most common scams targeting seniors are from unwanted callers or salespeople going door-to-door. There are two quick and easy ways to avoid these scams: Never provide someone who called you with your personal information. If they represent they are with the bank of credit card company, hang

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Why Annapolis Is a Great Place to Retire

Retire In Annapolis Are you ready to enjoy retirement?  Are you thinking about moving to an active adult community?  Would you love to include a waterfront lifestyle into your retirement living options?  When it’s time to retire, there are a variety of factors that can influence the decision on where to do so.  In this article, we’ll discuss a hidden gem in Annapolis, Maryland that offers the best of everything for your retirement living options. Waterfront Lifestyle Although many people think of ‘going south’ when it comes to retirement, you may not have to go any further south than the Mason-Dixon line!  As a matter of fact, there are some really great reasons to retire in Maryland!  In Annapolis, Maryland, Baywoods of Annapolis offers one of the few retirement communities overlooking the magnificent Chesapeake Bay.  The Baywoods dock provides a bird’s eye view to watch the famous Wednesday night sailboat races and enjoy warm Bay breezes.   Hop into the downtown area to enjoy world-famous seafood, including famous Maryland crab cakes, at one of the many waterfront restaurants. Arts & Culture Annapolis has a love of the arts!  The Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts features events throughout the year while

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Is Waterfront Retirement Living Right for Me?

Waterfront Retirement Living Choosing the right retirement community for yourself or a loved one can be a challenging undertaking. With so many options available, we often feel overwhelmed. Waterfront retirement living has its advantages – could it be the perfect option for you? Check out these benefits of choosing to live retired life next to the water. Location, Location, Location, the waterfront atmosphere Water is known for its ability to create a serene atmosphere. After the hustle and bustle of our working years, a little tranquility could be just what the doctor ordered. BayWoods of Annapolis residents enjoy their own amazing water view of the Chesapeake Bay. The campus has a private pier, complete with benches and immaculate landscaping. A putting green directly overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. The waterfront views provide the perfect place to relax and reflect. For more information on our cooperative living environment on the Chesapeake Bay, please contact us. Waterfront views and Events Everyday should be filled with fantastic scenery. On those special occasions to celebrate what better way than with a waterfront view? Take advantage of the water’s tranquility by using it as a backdrop. BayWoods of Annapolis welcomes the use of the wooded boardwalk

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2 Steps to Plan for Retirement Living

Making the decision to move into a retirement community is a large step. Planning for a new life at an assisted living community can seem like a mysterious process, but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s how to make the retirement planning stages easy. Financial PlanningHaving a reasonable idea of monthly expenses is the best place to start when planning for life after retirement. Beginning with a monthly calculator, figure out a standard budget for your expenses. Groceries, gas, dining, and entertainment expenses all add up, so take the time to consider every aspect of your retirement finances. Once you set a budget, stick to it. Total the amount of your Medicare payments and investment accounts to determine what you can allocate to each area of your budget each month. Having a clear idea of what you can spend takes the stress out of planning. For further information on financial planning, talk to one of our representatives about the investment of living at BayWoods. Social PlanningSome retirees wonder how they will fill their time once they finally retire. To ease the worry of empty days, plan how your retiree will be involved socially and mentally. Look at a community’s program

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Easy Ways to Prevent Falls for Elderly Persons

Prevent Elderly Falls It’s estimated that over 250,000 Americans are hospitalized for hip fractures each year, according to the CDC.  More than 95% of these are as a result of a fall.  There are many risk factors that increase the chances that someone will fall, which include: balance, poor vision, decreased muscle strength, taking more than four medications and more.  In this article, Baywoods of Annapolis shares some ways to prevent falls from happening in the first place. If you or a member of your family is still living at home, it’s important to create a safe living space.  Some items to consider: Cleaning up clutter and ensuring floors, hallways, and staircases have a clear, unobstructed path. Evaluate floors and remove or repair loose carpet and area rugs which can pose tripping hazards. Add grab bars and handrails, especially in bathroom areas where surfaces can be slippery. Ensure there is bright lighting in the home and night-lights in bedrooms and bathrooms. One level living is ideal. Move furniture and other daily living items to the first floor of the home so that stairways can be avoided. Of course, if you live in a retirement community like Baywoods of Annapolis, most

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How to Choose the Right Retirement Community

Choosing a Retirement Community Here are 3 steps to help you in selecting the right community for your future. Choosing a Retirement Community can be an exciting venture. How to select the best retirement community for you can be a great experience. There are many options available out there. Several considerations should guide your decision when searching for the ideal retirement community. Here are some guidelines to consider as you decide. Follow the ABCs…… Availability of Programs A – is for Availability, when choosing a retirement community look at the programs that are available to you. What are your interests and how does the retirement community’s activities match up to you? Example; trips, outdoor amenities, transportation, etc. At BayWoods of Annapolis, we pride ourselves on offering a wide range of programs that will keep you engaged. The town of Annapolis is rich in culture and yet has many sporting events close by. To look at all we have to offer, contact us. Bountifulness of Support Services B – is for Bountiful, you want to choose a retirement community that offers you the right amount of support services on site for your future needs. At BayWoods of Annapolis, we believe that

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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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5 Ways to Transition Your Aging Parents to Assisted Living

Transitioning Aging Parents Caring for a parent can be an emotionally and sometimes financially draining process.  When it becomes apparent that your loved one should no longer be living on their own, or needs more help than you can provide, the process can be challenging.  In this article, we’ll cover some basic ways to transition your aging parents into assisted living. Where? The Big Decision – Most seniors do not look forward to any change or move.  Leaving their home may cause further distress since they may feel like they are giving up their freedom.  Research and visit facilities ahead of time.  Give them as much flexibility as possible and even consider taking them to visit your final two choices.  This way, they will feel as though they still have choices in the matter.  Perhaps they can even visit the community, meet staff, or take part in one of the events. Lay It Out. Often, this move will be downsizing.  So, make sure to get a floor plan of the new residence and lay out the furniture that will fit nicely in the new space.  Discuss the personal items that they would like to take with them and try to

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5 Tips for Dementia Caregivers

Dementia Caregivers With over 5 million people in the US with Alzheimer’s and/or dementia, more and more families are tasked with caring for a loved one who suffers from these tragic diseases.  A long-term continuing care retirement community (CCRC) can be of great assistance, but it’s also important to educate and empower the family and loved ones.  This article will provide insight on how to care for and communicate with a loved one with Alzheimer’s and/or dementia. ADAPTING THE HOME When an Alzheimer’s or dementia patient still lives at home, there are many concerns that must be addressed regarding safety.  While we always want to treat these patients with love and dignity, we must remember that they often have poor memory, difficulty following instructions, and periods of agitation or irritability.  So, like young children, we must adapt their living environment to accommodate for these shortcomings.  Cooking appliances must be adapted with safety mechanisms to avoid something being left on and the risk of fire.  Door and window alarms may need to be installed.  Hazardous materials may need to be stored in a locked cabinet. HELP IS EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK Caregivers are often overwhelmed, uncertain, or scared.  However, there are a

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