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Losing a loved one

Tying the Knot in Your Golden Years: 8 Tips for Retirees

Elderly Couple Kissing

You were content preparing for retirement on your own – but your vision of the future changed when you met someone truly special in your golden years. Getting married in retirement can be the beginning of a beautiful new phase of your life! If you’re a retiree who has recently tied the knot, you might be wondering what comes next. These guidelines will help the two of you navigate situations that you may face after getting married in retirement.

Consider Opening a Business

As you and your new spouse build your life together, you’re probably making some big decisions about how to manage your finances. Perhaps both of you have saved diligently for years, but now that you’re married and enjoying your retirement, you want to have a little extra income coming in so that you can treat yourselves and have fun. Why not start a business together? It just might bring you closer!

If you do choose to start a business, how can you get the word out about your products and services? You’ll need to engage in marketing. In addition to going to local business events, putting up flyers, and building a website, you should also design a standout logo for your business. This is a great way to make a lasting impression on customers. You don’t need to be a graphic designer to make a custom logo – simply use a free logo maker with pre-made templates that will allow you to add text, images, and colors.

Choose the Right Place to Live

If both you and your spouse owned property before getting married, you may be wondering where you should live now. Consider the value of each property, the connections you have in your current neighborhoods, where you’ll have better access to healthcare and senior support services, and what kinds of amenities you enjoy. Think about what would be the fairest arrangement for both of you – you don’t need to rush this decision.

An Elderly Couple smiling and holding flowers

Update Your Insurance Policies

Dealing with health insurance and long-term care insurance in retirement can be tricky – and this is especially true if you get married in your golden years! You may want to talk to a health insurance advisor who offers assistance to seniors who need help managing their Medicare plans. When it comes to long-term care insurance, you could research companies that provide shared policies for senior couples. It’s important to choose policies that work for both of you.

Decide How to Combine Your Finances

After getting married in retirement, you may feel conflicted about how to manage your finances. At this point, both of you may have been living independently for quite some time, and completely combining your finances may not be worth it. But you may want to open a joint checking account that you can both draw from when necessary. Furthermore, you should take the time to establish a budget and determine what both of your financial responsibilities will be. This process can take some time, so don’t feel like you need to make a decision overnight.

Taxes and Social Security

If you get married in retirement, your tax filing requirements will change. You may also need to change the way you manage your Social Security payments. If you’re not sure what to do next, hiring a financial advisor who works with seniors is your best bet. They will be able to walk you through your new tax filing responsibilities and explain how your Social Security payments might change. Furthermore, if you have questions about combining your taxes, budgeting, or paying for health insurance and long-term care insurance, an advisor can help you in these areas, too!

But how do you go about finding a financial advisor? SeniorCaring recommends asking at your bank first, as they may be able to provide you assistance without charging any fees. You can also usually attend financial education seminars for free held by local organizations that support seniors. If you choose to work with a personal financial planner, make sure that they hold the proper certifications and have no violations on their record.

Try New Hobbies Together

Retirement brings many perks and positive lifestyle changes, but perhaps the biggest benefit of retiring is creating so much time for your hobbies! You and your spouse can try out some new hobbies together. For example, Sixty and Me recommends traveling, learning a foreign language, cooking and baking new recipes, playing musical instruments, scrapbooking, or even diving into the history of your families. You could also get involved with a volunteer group in your area and pitch in to make your community a better place. With so much free time to fill, retirement is the perfect opportunity to learn new skills! It will be even more fun when your spouse is learning along with you.

Introduce Your Families

One of the joys of marriage is bringing both of your families together! Perhaps you and your spouse had the chance to introduce each others’ families before you got married, but now, you can give everyone the ability to get to know each other on a deeper level. You could plan for joint holiday gatherings, take regular trips to meet each other’s families, or simply host your relatives for dinner more often.

Expand Your Social Life

Finally, retirement presents lots of new opportunities for socializing. You and your spouse can introduce each other to your respective friend groups! Plus, you can make an effort to meet new people together. You never know who you’ll meet in retirement, and as a married couple, you can help form new connections amongst your friends.

Getting married in retirement marks a significant lifestyle change. If you were expecting to live alone and manage your finances independently in retirement, you’re probably in the midst of shifting your original plans! While you may encounter some complicated situations, these tips will help you manage the transition smoothly.

To find out more about Aspen Senior Care’s commitment to excellence, please visit AspenSeniorCare.com or call 801-224-5910.

Jillian Day created 508Assist to help people all across the web make their sites accessible to individuals with disabilities. She was inspired to start 508Assist when a close family member, who happens to have a visual impairment, had trouble finding a dinner recipe online that he could read easily. When she’s not chasing after her little ones, Jillian enjoys being outside, whether she’s fishing, hiking, or Geocaching with her family.

How Seniors Can Navigate Getting Married and Building a New Life Together

An elderly couple taking a photo with a cell phone

Getting married later in life is exciting, but it also means facing unique challenges. Fortunately, seniors come to the table with a wealth of life experience, and they can make the process even easier with a bit of planning. By squaring away a few things early in the relationship, you’ll have a stronger foundation. Plus, it ensures you’re both on the same page.

If you’re a senior who’s about to get married, here are some tips from Aspen Senior Care to help you build a new life together with your new spouse.

Dealing with Your Finances

Investopedia notes that one of the trickiest parts of combining your lives is making financial decisions. Money stress can weigh heavily on a marriage regardless of your age. You may have different money management styles that you’ll want to navigate to simplify managing joint funds and expenses. Additionally, you might be fairly set in your ways, creating some obstacles.

Plus, there could be inheritance concerns to work through. Each partner likely has assets they’ll bring into the marriage, and they may already have plans regarding their distribution when they pass.

Since navigating marital property laws is complex, you may want to work with an estate planner. You could also turn to a financial planner to determine how to manage shared expenses or the best approach for maintaining some financial autonomy after you start your lives together.

Living Arrangements for Newlywed Seniors

According to Harvard University, around 79 percent of adults age 65 and up are homeowners. Once you’re married, you’ll need to decide how to handle your housing options. In some cases, you may feel that moving into one of your existing homes and preparing the other for sale is best. In others, you may decide that a fresh start is the better choice.

Consider what each of your homes offers, particularly if you’re part of the 90 percent of adults age 50 and older who want to age in place. Think about the home features you’d like to have today and in the future. If you’re self-employed, you’ll also want to prepare for an interruption in work, prioritize your home office, and obviously, plan ahead.

It’s also possible that a time will come when one or both of you may need in-home care or will want to move into assisted living or skilled care communities. If that time comes, you’ll want to focus on your needs and budget, ensuring you get the best overall fit. Spend time researching local communities now and taking tours to find your perfect option. That way, you can plan for the transition in advance, making it easier to manage.

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Keeping Your Relationship Vibrant

No matter your age, there are plenty of things that you can do to keep that spark alive. Trying new things together is an excellent option to keep your relationship strong. Whether it’s starting a hobby that you both can enjoy, exploring different cuisines, or traveling to exciting destinations, you’ll have new experiences to enjoy together.

Also consider the benefits of starting a business together, which is a great way to spend more time together, and it creates the perfect opportunity to pad your income. Of course, you’ll want to market your business. First, create business cards that will leave a lasting impression. A professional-looking business card is more visible than email, and offers potential customers and clients something tangible to remember you by. Designing a personalized business card is simple when you use pre-made templates that you can customize by adding images, text, color schemes, and the font of your choice.

Learning a skill or language is another excellent choice, as it keeps your minds active while you navigate unfamiliar territory as a couple. It’s all very beneficial for your relationship, ensuring you remain connected and engaged.

It’s never too late to find love in your life. With the tips above, you’ll be ready to enjoy life with your new spouse.

Contributed by an Aspen Senior Care Contributor.

The award-winning team at Aspen Senior Care specializes in assisting seniors in their homes by providing caregivers you can trust. Connect with us to find out more at 801-224-5910.

What a Caregiver Can Expect During the Final Act of Living

Caregiver

The topic of death and losing a loved one, for many, is a difficult topic to address and understand. Every individual will go through a different process and each caregiver will experience different emotions. There is no right or wrong way to feel when the one you love is reaching the final act of living.

“I truly believe it’s all about the living. We are born and we die and everything in between is living, clear until our last breath.” – Diana Cazier

For our in-service for the month of February, Aspen Senior Care had the wonderful opportunity to have Diana Cazier from Elevation Home Health and Hospice teach our team about the sensitive topic of recognizing the signs to look for when your loved one is in the final act of living. She referred to the booklet by Barbara Karnes, RN, titled, “The Final Act of Living: Reflections of a Long-Time Hospice Nurse”.  

The final act of living is a challenge.  This is a flexible guideline for what caregivers can watch for because no one knows the exact date that someone will pass.

Signs to look for in the Final Act of Living

One to three months before death:

  • Withdrawal from world and people
  • Decreased food intake
  • Increase in sleep
  • Going inside self
  • Less communication

One to two weeks before death:

Mental Changes

  • Disorientation
  • Agitation
  • Talking with the unseen
  • Confusion
  • Picking at clothes

Physical Changes

  • Decreased blood pressure
  • Pulse increase or decrease
  • Skin color changes; pale, bluish
  • Increased perspiration
  • Respiration irregularities
  • Congestion
  • Sleeping but responding
  • Complaints of body tired and heavy
  • Not eating, taking little fluids
  • Body temperature: hot, cold

 

 

Days or hours before death:

  • Intensification of one to two week’s signs
  • Surge of energy
  • Decrease in blood pressure
  • Eyes glassy, tearing, half open
  • Irregular breathing: stop, start
  • Restlessness or no activity
  • Purplish, blotchy knees, feet, hands
  • Pulse weak and hard to find
  • Decreased urine outlet
  • May wet or stool the bed
  • Acetone breath

Minutes before death:

  • “Fish out of water” breathing
  • Cannot be awakened

Through this presentation, we were taught how to be more aware and understanding of the different signs we may observe as one approaches death from disease or old age. We are so grateful to Diana for her presentation as it will continue to help us be more supportive and observant as professional in-home caregivers.

“At Aspen Senior Care, we like to align ourselves with the finest Home Health and Hospice agencies in Utah. We appreciate their willingness to present at our in-service training and reach us about important topics.  We are better because of it.”

Gary Staples, Owner and Administrator

 

If you have any questions, or if you need further support, contact us today at 801-224-5910. You can also refer to “The Final Act of Living: Reflections of a Long-Time Hospice Nurse” by Barbara Karnes, RN.

For more information and topics about in-home care, visit aspenseniorcare.com