Saturday May 19, 2012
To Jimmy Stottler, a retired fisherman, it must have seemed like the perfect storm.
First he and his wife inherited custody of a granddaughter due to her mother's drug use. Then the age-restricted community where the Stottlers live sought to bar the granddaughter from residing there. And the home market was so depressed that the Stottlers couldn't sell their home and relocate.
The court case dragged on for five years, but it was finally settled in favor of the Stottlers. Thank goodness. There's something really wrong when a homeowners' association will consider splitting up a family just to keep their rules intact.
The judge in this case said that his judgment was meant to apply to the Stottlers' case only and should not be considered a precedent for other cases. That's okay. Such situations probably need to be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Last year about this time I wrote about some grandparents who live in an age-restricted community whose grandchildren have been barred from visiting. The bottom line for grandparents: If you are considering moving into a retirement community, read the fine print and think about what would happen in the event of a perfect storm.
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Friday May 18, 2012
My favorite workout slogan is "Sweat Save Lives." I saw it on a T-shirt, and it keeps me going when I don't really want to get on the treadmill or do another rep. It's a good slogan for this week, which is Women's Health Week, since we now know that being active can lower one's risk of breast cancer and colon cancer, as well as heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes. Exercise can also reduce your likelihood of falls and the likelihood that you will suffer from depression. I don't know of any other strategy that pays off so richly.
Some people do well exercising on their own. I need to go to a gym. Last week I was excited to see a Silver Sneakers logo displayed at my gym. Silver Sneakers is a program providing free gym memberships for those 65+ who are covered under certain insurance programs. I don't personally qualify, but I'm excited for my friends and neighbors who do. Also, if you visit a Curves studio this week, you will qualify for a free 30-day membership. Curves is a fitness program created especially for women. If you've hesitated to join a gym because you're self-conscious about exercising in the presence of the opposite sex, Curves is a great solution for you.
It's Women's Health Week. Find a way to kick it up a notch. Do it for your grandchildren. Sweat saves lives.
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Thursday May 17, 2012
Multigenerational households certainly seem to make sense, with so many families struggling to pay the bills and so many young families in need of child care help. Still, it appears that most Americans are clinging to their single-family homes. According to a report from the Census Bureau, only 5.7% of American families live in households of three or more generations, with foreign-born residents being more than twice as likely to live in such households as native-born residents. A tenth or more of householders originally from the Caribbean, Mexico, Latin America or Central America share housing with two other generations, with those from Asia and Oceania coming in just below 10%.
Our country's best-known domicile, the White House, accommodates three generations, and a couple of readers have shared with us how they handle multigenerational living. Still, Americans prefer to be independent and autonomous. We'd rather drive our own cars than use public transportation, and we'd rather live in single-family houses than double up, even though in both cases to do so would be a better use of our personal and national resources. I can't get on my high horse, though, because I own an automobile and live in my home with just one husband.
What will it take to change our ways, or do you think that there is no need for change? Leave a comment below.
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Wednesday May 16, 2012
Some swear by "Wally World"--Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Others, like this little miss, prefer marine parks like Sea World or zoos, where they can have close encounters with walruses and other amazing creatures. Another group prefers the unspoiled beauty of beaches or mountains.
If you could go anywhere you please with kids or grandkids, what would be first on your list? Leave a comment below.
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Photo © M. Bonin
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