With the holidays approaching, you’re likely to be paying a visit to an important senior in your life, and there’s no better time to evaluate how your senior is managing to survive on their own. Particularly if you live a good distance from a loved one, it can be hard to know whether they could require home care assistance. Here are the signs to look for during your holiday visits this year:

1. Check the refrigerator – spoiled foods or lack of nutritious food options may indicate that your senior has not been eating properly due to a health issue, difficulty shopping for groceries or preparing meals

2. Look in high places – if your senior has always been neat and tidy, dust or dirt in higher places may indicate changes in their mobility

3. Look at their mail – bills piling up around the home, or bills that aren’t being picked up from the mail box could either mean that they aren’t managing to stay on top of their financial responsibilities due to a condition like Alzheimer’s or dementia, or it could be related to their finances

4. Check their medications – look in the medicine cabinet and compare dates and dosages to the number of prescription pills in the bottles

5. Take a look at your loved one – their appearance can give away a lot. Do they appear to be well-groomed, dressed and bathed?

6. Talk to friends and neighbors – those that see your senior on a regular basis might be able to give you some insight; ask close friends and neighbors casually when you see them over the holidays

Via: Home Instead Senior Care

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugar Land, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215.

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

Home Care Houston Southeast serving elders in the Bay Area; Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, League City, & Pearland - call (281) 484-0200.  

Home Care Houston South Central serving seniors in Meyerland, Bellaire, Missouri City, Sugarland, & Stafford - call 713-774-2215. 

Home Care Houston Southwest serving aging adults in Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fushear, Sugar Land, Stafford, Memorial City & Galleria areas - call 832 379-4700.

It’s human nature to worry about finances, but as the recession continues to haunt our lives our concerns are increasing; especially those of us in our senior years, retired and living on limited incomes. With the current state of the economy, now might be the time to gain access to additional financial resources through effective asset management to unlock equity and leverage your home.

There are many major lenders and institutions beginning to encourage seniors in this increasingly common practice. Older adults who have already paid off their home mortgages, can leverage the equity in their homes by re-mortgaging or financing to get the money they need to pay for medical bills, assist family members to pay for education costs, or to complete much needed renovations in their own homes.

Reverse mortgages are another option and are HUD backed.

Maintain Your Independence

A reverse mortgage can give you access to your home equity without having to make monthly loan payments.  Instead, you receive tax-free loan proceeds that will not affect Social Security or Medicare benefits.
You can choose any combination of these flexible payout options at closing:

.  A lump sum to cover large expenses
.  Monthly installments to supplement income
.  A line of credit to draw on as needed

And you can change how you receive proceeds as often as your needs change during the loan term.

Secure Your Financial Future

There are no income, employment or credit requirements.  The amount you can qualify for is based on your age, your home’s value, its location, and current interest rates.

.  You keep title and ownership of your home
.  You continue to pay property taxes and insurance
.  The amount you owe can never exceed the home’s value.

Funds received during your loan term, and interest, become due and payable by you or your estate when you sell or permanently leave your home. The home itself-and remaining equity-belongs to you or your heirs.

Thanks to Wells Fargo Reverse Mortgage Solutions for providing this information.