Saturday, June 25, 2016

Put Your Bedroom on the First Floor

Gary North writes in his email tip of the week:

We are seeing more and more reports on boomers who live in suburbs that are
not geared for older people.

They won't all be able to drive.

Their large homes have bedrooms upstairs, not on the main floor. What if they
can't climb the stairs?

The Pew Trust says that a lot of boomers have not thought through these
issues.

http://www.garynorth.com/snip/1239.htm

I started planning for this 44 years ago. My wife is eight years younger than I
am.

Uber is here. Self-driving cars will be here by the time that I can't get a
driver's license.

I don't think the transportation issue is a major concern.

Medical care is. I live three minutes from a huge, brand-new hospital
complex. It came to me. It was not there when I bought my house in the recession
of 2009.

I made a master bedroom on the main floor a non-negotiable issue when I
bought.

If you don't have a bedroom on the main floor, it's time to sell your home if you
are a boomer. I mean this summer -- before the recession hits.

Being a couch potato these days isn't so bad. The Internet provides all the
entertainment that most boomers need.

Technology is not standing still. So, you can sit there. The world will come
to your door. But you had better be able to pay for it.

That's why I got a second job at age 71: the Ron Paul Curriculum. It's better
than being a Walmart greeter.

Gary "Screencasts" North


Recent articles posted at www.garynorth.com

8 comments:

  1. Rather the put the bedroom on first floor we put it on 15th floor. We sold the 3-story 4-bedroom monstrosity and bought a condo in FL with its own elevator, and another in VA (14th floor). This is another solution to your problem except the age gaps are reversed - my wife is 5 years older than I am.

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  2. When I bought my house 30 years ago, I wanted a two story. My father asked me why I wanted to walk up and down stairs all the time. I bought a one story instead and his advice retains its value.

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  3. I'm converting my stand alone garage into a garden cottage with a quarter acre gated for privacy. I can rent out the main house.

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  4. North gives short-sighted advice here. My wife and I, in our 70's, walk 33 steps to our bedroom. It's become easy and helps keep our legs strong. When we're 95 and unable to walk at all, then we won't be able to walk the steps. Exercise keeps you young, your muscles and bones strong.

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  5. I'm not yet 40 and am already making preparations for my old age. It's called weightlifting and eating well. There's no reason to become frail just because you become old.

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  6. I have to go with @Michael here. As we age we should be looking for ways to be more active, not less. And personally, if I ever get to the point that I can't climb a small set of stairs, I'm taking the Smith and Wesson Retirement Policy.

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  7. Being next to a hospital means being next to the third worst cause of death. Better to fight degenerative disease with a balanced plant-based diet, raw juicing, and preferably from greens that you grow yourself in your backyard. Stay away from all processed foods and all pharmaceuticals. The lifestyle of people who live healthy beyond 100 involves regular ritualistic hard work - carrying wood, building fires, gardening. Keep your stairs. Take long strenuous walks. Keep moving and keep physical work part of your daily activity. Sell your TV.

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