Whether you are there or are looking forward to it, retirement is or will be a way of life. Have you ever given thought as where you might live in retirement? One good idea is to certainly live near children and grandchildren. Other considerations are climate and social interaction.
Now, let me give you a surprising statistic. Nationwide some 725,000 people live in Lifecare communities and that number is growing annually. By state, the numbers play out quite differently. Florida has over 11,000 people living in such facilities while New York - way behind because of tardiness in changing state laws - has a little over 3,000 in Lifecare communities.
Lifecare communities are not complicated. Simply stated - once you move into such a residence, you are taken care of for life. That means from living on your own to assistance in your daily life with full nursing care always available for those who develop serious illnesses and cannot live without skilled nursing care.
As I explored this growing new concept, at least for New Yorkers, I had the opportunity to meet with Barbara Danks, marketing director of Harbor Village at Mt. Sinai. Barbara was kind enough to take me through what makes up life care communities - one which she is developing in partnerships with John T. Mather Memorial Hospital.
First of all, you have to be 62 years of age or older and in reasonably good health. And you can participate with or without long term care insurance. If you have such insurance, your entrance fee is somewhat less. That entrance fee gives you the right to live in one of the residences - with 90 percent of what you pay refundable when you leave the community. Then, with a monthly fee for one or two people, you get a myriad number of services.
One meal a day is provided for each resident, housekeeping, linen, and utilities are part of the package. Transportation is also provided for trips to the mall, medical facilities, and religious services. There will also be a 24 hour nurse on duty for all residents.
But, that is not all at Harbor Village. There will be a performing arts center, pool, library, spa/fitness center, pub, card rooms, pool tables and even a woodworking shop! The facility with 186 independent living apartments, 43 assisted living apartments and 60 skilled nursing accommodations, along with all of the amenities, will be located on a 25-acre campus.
Believe me, this kind of facility in New York is ready to take off, particularly as "baby boomers" look at the retirement years.
Barbara Danks summed it up best when she told me, "The fact is that entering a nursing home typically wipes out a lifetime of savings for the resident and his or her estate. Harbor Village offers a plan. Generally, a resident can pay for lifetime care by selling a home and using funds from that sale to pay the entrance fee which includes housing, knowing that 90 percent of that value will be refunded on leaving the community. That refund goes either to the resident or to the resident's estate."
If you would like to learn more about this growing concept, why not drop by the new sales office, 5507 Nesconset Highway, inside the King Kullen Shopping Center on Route 347 for their Open House Dec. 5-7 between noon and 4 p.m. For information call 631-650-2680, or go online to www.harborvillageatmtsinai.com.
