Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers: A Retirement and Aging Roadmap for Single and Childless Adults (Retirement Planning Book, Aging, Estate Planning)

by Sara Geber, Moody (Foreword by)

Overview

A Retirement Gift for Women Who are Solo Agers

"When it comes to aging, you can't count on your children, especially if you don't have any. But help is on the way.” ―Harry R. Moody, Ph.D., retired Vice President for Academic Affairs, AARP

Wall Street Journal Best Books of 2018 on Aging Well
#1 Best Seller in Aging, Aging Parents, Gerontology, Volunteer Work, Budgeting & Money Management, Almanacs & Yearbooks, Eldercare, Retirement Planning , Parenting & Relationships, and Reference

American Baby boomers are aging and fifteen million of them are childfree. Who will take care of them as they retire? Unprecedented in U.S. history, this demographic is creating challenges for these individuals as well as for society.

Childless Solo Agers. In Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers, Sara Zeff Geber, a Ph.D. in Counseling and Human Behavior and a Certified Retirement Coach, coins the term “Solo Ager.” Solo Agers are the segment of society that either does not have adult children or is single and expects be on their own as they grow older.

A Happy retirement gift for women―and men. With a compelling and readable style, Geber takes her Solo Ager readers on a journey toward happy retirement, starting with the choice to be childless and why so many boomers were able to make that decision. Through stories and narrative, she explores housing choices, relationships, and building a support system. Geber shares her expertise on what constitutes a fulfilling older life and how Solo Agers can maximize their opportunities for financial security, physical health, meaning and purpose in the second half of life.

Learn about:

• Levels of care and independence
• Types of living arrangements
• End-of-life issues
• Legal and financial decisions

If you have read Who Will Take Care of Me When I'm Old?, Aging Alone, or The Ultimate Retirement Guide for 50+ by Suze Orman, you will love Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781633537682
Publisher:	Mango Media
Publication date:	04/15/2018
Pages:	322
Sales rank:	101,034
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

A certified retirement coach and workshop leader Sara Zeff Geber is a recognized expert in the field of planning for the next phase of life, with a focus on the 55+ age group. Sara has been among the first professionals in the field to recognize that the baby boom generation would re-invent the whole notion of retirement in a very exciting way.




Sara’s professional roots are in organizational psychology. She has worked extensively in the area of leadership development, helping professionals understand the importance of their personality and behavioral style to the kind of work they choose to do and becoming more effective within their chosen field. In her current work Dr. Zeff Geber has shifted that knowledge and expertise to helping people understand how their background, style, and personality can lead to a more satisfying post-career lifestyle or 55+ job shift.




Sara has a Ph.D. in Counseling and Organizational Behavior, a M.A. in Guidance and Counseling, and a B.A in Psychology. She has worked successfully, both nationally and internationally, with multi-billion dollar corporations, small to medium-size organizations, and independent individuals..




A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Sara is an active member in the Financial Planning Association of Silicon Valley, the Life Planning Network, and Women in Consulting. She is on the leadership team for the NorCal Life Planning Network. In her scarce spare time Sara sings soprano in Schola Cantorum, a premier Silicon Valley choir, skis in the winter and grows vegetables in her garden in the summer. She lives with her husband and their elderly canine companion in San Francisco Bay Area, CA.

Harry “Rick” Moody is the author of over 100 scholarly articles, as well as numerous books on aging. Dr. Moody previously served as Executive Director of the Brookdale Center on Aging at Hunter College and was Chairman of the Board of Elderhostel (now Road Scholar).



His new book, Gerontology: The Basics, will be published by Routledge in 2017. In 2011 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society on Aging; in 2010, the Robert Kahn Award for Successful Aging, from Masterpiece Living and in 2008 he was named by Utne Reader Magazine as one of “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World.”



Dr. Moody lives with his wife in Boulder, Colorado.

Table of Contents

Foreword 19

Chapter 1 Introduction 22

Part I Preparing for the Future

Chapter 2 Child-Free: Pioneers of a Generation 28

Chapter 3 The Role of Adult Children in the life of an Elder 40

Emotional Support 47

Residential Decisions, Real Estate Transactions, and Help with Moving 48

Investments and Other Financial Decisions 51

Legal Representation 51

Rill Paying and Handling Money 52

Medication Management and Help With the Activities of Daily Living 53

The Social Network 53

Part II Enjoing the second Half of life

Chapter 4 Happiness and Satisfaction 60

Chapter 5 Financial Security 63

Chapter 6 Good Health and Physical Well-being 72

Chapter 7 Self-awareness, Meaning, and Purpose 79

Values Clarification Worksheet 1 81

Values Clarification Worksheet 2 83

Values Clarification Worksheet 3 85

Consider Your Legacy 91

Leaving a Legacy Worksheet 95

Chapter 8 Adaptability and Flexibility 99

Change and Adaptability Quiz 102

Chapter 9 A Strong Social Network 109

Relationship Evaluation Worksheet 119

Thinking about Relationships NOW 122

Chapter 10 A Belief System Larger Than Yourself 124

Six Keys to a Fulfilling Older LifeRating Worksheet 127

Chapter 11 Making an Income in later life 129

Part III Deciding How And Where To Live

Chapter 12 Avoiding Loneliness and Isolation 152

Chapter 13 Privacy, Autonomy, and Independence 160

Chapter 14 Defining Your Most Important Criteria 164

Chapter 15 The Early Options 177

Retirement Communities 179

Active Adult Communities 181

Cohousing Communities 184

Home Sharing 190

Intentional Communities 193

Continuous Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) 196

Cultural Specialty Communities 197

Chapter 16 Stranger in a Strange Land: Moving to a Different Country 199

Evaluating Criteria for Living Outside the US 207

Chapter 17 Aging in Place 211

The Village Movement 212

NORCs (Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities) 216

Part IV Ensuring Comfort And Care In Your Oldest Age

Chapter 18 The Trajectory of Aging 234

Chapter 19 "What Will We Need? 238

Chapter 20 Financing the Care You Need 244

Long-Term Care Insurance 246

Personal Assets 246

Medicaid 247

Chapter 21 Options for Receiving Care 251

Continuous Care Retirement Community (CCRC) 254

Assisted Living Communities 261

Board and Care Homes 263

Nursing Homes 264

Chapter 22 Documenting Your Preferences for Care 269

Advance Health Care Directive 271

Power of Attorney for Finances 272

Last Will and Testament 274

Revocable Trust 275

Long-Term Care Plan 281

Ensuring a Secure Future 283

Finding a Younger Support System 285

Hiring a Professional 287

Creating a Planning Kit 295

Avoiding "Elder Abuse" 296

Chapter 23 End-of-Life Choices 299

Chapter 24 Conclusion 305

A Final Checklist and Guide for Your Planning: 307

Resources 310

References & Recommended Reading 313

Acknowledgments 318

About the Author 320

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Sara Geber provides an excellent, comprehensive guide to aging and covers a wide variety of topics ranging from reinventing yourself to leaving a legacy to making wise long-term care choices. Readers will find her insights very helpful as they chart the second half of their lives.” ―Richard Eisenberg, Managing Editor of Nextavenue.org

"When it comes to aging, you can't count on your children, especially if you don't have any. But help is on the way. Sara Geber has given remarkable guidance in her book Solo Aging. You may be solo, but you're not alone. Don't wait to read the book." ―Harry R. Moody, Ph.D., retired Vice President for Academic Affairs, AARP

"While most older people are not lonely, Gerontologists know that those without children are at greater risk for loneliness and isolation. Dr. Sara Geber's practical, readable guide, based on solid scientific research, is a much-needed planning resource for "solo agers" and the Gerontologists who work with them." ―Donna E. Schafer, Ph.D., C.P.G. Executive Director, National Association for Professional Gerontologists

“Time to take our heads out of the sand. While there is no guarantee that adult children will step in to help financially and with caregiving as their parents’ age, those of us aging without children are particularly at risk of flying without a net. Geber explores with authority why it’s imperative to take the time to plan for our future financial security, social network and more. We must take a clear-eyed appraisal of what we might require, as the years move along, and who will be on our team to lend a hand and have our backs. At its heart, this solid book is chock-full of straight-forward advice and captivating stories to spur the creative conversations today that will allow us to plan for our journey with care and confidence.” ―Kerry Hannon, AARP’s Job Expert and best-selling author of Great Jobs for Everyone 50+: Finding Work That Keeps You Happy and Healthy...and Pays the Bills."

“This book fills a void of addressing retirement issues for adults with no children. Yet it is much more. Its message is of value to all of us who want our next chapter of life to be the best one. Sara seamlessly integrates important content about health, fitness, financial security, social connections and meaning with poignant interviews and self-evaluation exercises. The book feels personal, as though I was having a cup of coffee with the author. The words flow effortlessly. I recommend this to those with or without children who want to create their own best aging experience. Kudos to you Sara for your important contribution.” ―Helen Dennis, author, columnist and lecturer on aging and the new retirement. Co-author of Project Renewment: The First Retirement Model for Career Women.

“Sara Zeff Geber’s book is a must read…not just for solo agers but for anyone looking to have the best aging experience possible. Planning for retirement today has changed dramatically. Boomers are living longer and have the opportunity to embrace new frontiers. Dr. Geber does an excellent job of addressing the concerns and opportunities we encounter as we age.” ―Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D., Author of A New Purpose: Redefining Money, Family, Work, Retirement, and Success.

“In Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers, Sara reminds us that aging alone doesn’t have to be a scary proposition, and it also doesn’t mean living in isolation. By establishing our social networks and building communities through house sharing and other alternative living options, we can create our own nurturing support systems designed to help us thrive socially and financially in our retirement years. This information-packed guide has valuable insights to help everyone architect successful retirement solutions, but particularly for those who will be “Solo Aging.” ―Wendi Burkhardt, Silvernest CEO & Founder

"Planners - this book is for you! Procrastinators―run, don't walk to get your copy of this practical, information-rich and inspiring guide.” ―Betsy Werley, Encore.org Director of Network Expansion

“Aging is a challenge, even under the best of circumstances. As we get older, we all have to deal with inevitable losses and increasing health risks. In this country, children are expected to provide care for their elders, but this is often problematic for those who are aging on their own without traditional support. Sara Geber has written an encouraging guide to those who are “aging solo” and shows how they can make sure that they, too, have the resources and connections they need to thrive in later life.” ―Richard Adler, Distinguished Fellow, Institute for the Future

"Thank you, Dr. Sara Zeff Geber, for giving me a solid roadmap with all the essential planning tools to implement while aging alone. I have no partner or adult children to count on for support and help, and the predicament concerns me. But the tools in Dr. Geber’s (your) book, Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers, empowers me to design a well-thought out retirement plan to remain safe, independent, financially secure, and age well at home, I appreciate your wisdom, advice, and knowledge. I’m so happy you put it all together for individuals like me." ―Carol Marak, Aging alone advocate, founder of the Elder Orphan Facebook group, and editor at Seniorcare.com.