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Vista del Rio is a preferred 55+ MHP in Fisher's Landing. We've moved several seniors there, all homes are very nicely set so that they are handicap accessible. And good community support and activities. But not walking distance to any services, and near freeway noise.
We also help seniors who have really enjoyed living at or near this little community, walking distance to Fred Meyer 164th https://www.cafsl.org/. I'm sure there are others. Fairway village has been popular with active retirees for about 30 yrs, and a few friends we had there aged out to assisted living care, or passed away.
It is really too bad Vancouver area does not have a Senior Housing Coop (yet). I only know of one in Bellevue, + a few smaller private ones in Olympia (retired teachers only) and Bremerton (single ladies only).
Co-ops can be double edged sword. Our daughter currently lives in one and she can't wait to leave.[/i] [
Is Vista Del Rio the kind of MHP where you own the land? She will barely look at houses with small HOAs; $500+ in space rent will be a solid no
Last edited by winecohusky; 09-12-2022 at 11:44 AM..
Reason: typo
It really depends on the person even in their senior years in terms of how much they want to get out vs. accessing the basics such as shopping and medical care. There are so many options including 55+ communities vs. living alone. Does she really need a house that large? Maybe it would be easier in terms of hording and all that stuff. But it might also be a good time downsize and shed the weight of all those 'things.' Though not easy, I know, from moving parents myself.
The downside is, since its so spread out, traveling typically requires a car and you have to be willing to drive across town or across the river for certain amenities. Again, this varies depending on the services needed. There are shopping centers and medical facilities here. Though if you need to see specialist, that may take more driving.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention, being further south and more inland, it will be warmer here than Camano Island which is a good thing during winter, but not as good during summer. Vancouver will get into the 90s with a few 100+ degree days. Those temps can be deadly especially for the elderly who do not have A/C in some of the older homes here. That's something we hear about every summer, warnings on the news for the elderly in these older homes. Also without good A/C, they will have to deal with very bad air quality at times from fires out east. That is why we're extremely thankful for A/C and would not live here without it. Today is a perfect example with terrible air quality due to fire smoke blown in by strong easterly winds. Some summers are better/worse than others. But its a fact of life here one needs to be aware of and plan for.
In all honesty, I think having family closer by such as yourself is worth far more than any 'tax savings' in these later years especially after losing her husband like that. That's what I would strongly encourage her to do. Is living alone what she really wants stuck on Camano Island or somewhere else with only old memories at this life stage? However, if she insists staying in WA, then Vancouver is a nice place to live with easier access for you. Good luck and sorry for your loss.
Derek
1. The house could be 700 sq ft, but she'd like a bedroom with adjoining shower for herself, a guest room and an office/sewing room. Shopping, medical, weekly hairstyle is what she does.
2. Vancouver has elderly transportation, correct? Probably more uber/lyft options than can be found on Camano.
3.Thanks, I did not know Vancouver was quite that hot. A/C will be a necessity. It seems like it's almost becoming that way in all of western WA the past few years. Have Vancouver summers always been that warm?
4. You and I agree on this point, but she is stubborn.
1. The house could be 700 sq ft, but she'd like a bedroom with adjoining shower for herself, a guest room and an office/sewing room. Shopping, medical, weekly hairstyle is what she does.
2. Vancouver has elderly transportation, correct? Probably more uber/lyft options than can be found on Camano.
3.Thanks, I did not know Vancouver was quite that hot. A/C will be a necessity. It seems like it's almost becoming that way in all of western WA the past few years. Have Vancouver summers always been that warm?
4. You and I agree on this point, but she is stubborn.
You can ask the old timers here about the years gone by. We moved here from CA ~ 3.5 years ago and every summer it has been hot with varying levels of fire smoke as a result of the lack of rain during that time.
From what I've heard from the natives, it use to be 'somewhat' cooler back in the day. Houses were not built with A/C. By cooler, I think they meant there were fewer 90, 100+ degree days. Though they still happened and would still get hot. Given that we're inland from the coast by ~ 2 hours, it makes sense geographically. Think of inland CA vs. the coast. Vancouver is still cooler than places like the Inland Empire or the Sacramento Valley. But we don't have that coastal climate like places such as Camano Island there in the Sound.
Yeah, I know stubborn after helping my mom until she passed away. Once older and retired, seniors don't like *anyone* telling them what to do. And that includes their kids even if for their own good (I know, up for debate, right?). That becomes a greater challenge as their health and cognitive abilities decline with age. The stubbornness can get even worse to the point of it jeopardizing their own health and safety. That's another reason its good to have some family around in the case of unexpected falls, dementia and other associated challenges. Getting old is not easy. But they do appreciate the help even if more grumpy.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,694 posts, read 58,012,579 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by winecohusky
1. The house could be 700 sq ft, but she'd like a bedroom with adjoining shower for herself, a guest room and an office/sewing room. Shopping, medical, weekly hairstyle is what she does.
Any of the above mentioned places will have those features.
2. Vancouver has elderly transportation, correct? Probably more uber/lyft options than can be found on Camano.
https://www.cityofvancouver.us/messenger/page/different-types-transportation-options-senior-citizens https://c-tran.com/c-tran-services/s...anced-mobility https://c-tran.com/c-tran-services/s...opping-shuttle
(Most of our friends used to use C-Van daily for delivering them to the senior center for meals (C-tran for seniors) I don't see it listed on the C-tran website.
3.Thanks, I did not know Vancouver was quite that hot. A/C will be a necessity.
We still don't use AC, we use a whole house fan at night, it brings the house down to 60F by morning (Unless it is 70+F outside)
I have friends who recently moved from their 20 acre spread in Olympia to a 55+ community in Lacey. They were on the waiting list for several years and it takes a big chunk of money to even get the waiting list. The community is called Panorama. I am not remembering the specifics of this community, but it is a mix of apartments, SFH, duplexes, etc. They have a lovely remodeled home on the lake. I believe aging in place services are available. There is a name for this type of community, but it escapes me. There must be others around.
There is a new 55+ community starting to build in Camas. Our neighbors (in Ridgefield), have bought a place there that has just started construction. Avid gardeners, they are no longer able to keep up with their yard, even though they are still healthy and active.
It was important us to move closer to kids as we aged. We moved from Wenatchee in 2015 to be closer to three sons in Portland. Only one remains in Portland, one is now in Hood River, one in Boise. Lives change. At some point in the future we are talking about building a 3 generation home with a granny flat. That is way off in the future however. And who knows what the future brings?
In 2005 my parents moved from southern California to Wenatchee to be closer to use. They were in their late 80s. Prior to this move they had never lived more than an hour from where they were born. They bought a home, adjusted well, lived an active 3 years before their were hints that my mother's health was declining. Dad sold the house, they got a senior living independent apartment, ended up in assistive living, Dad died, mom ended up in memory care, she died in 2014. Their options for living situations were good (mostly because they had the money to afford what they wanted), but the important part was that my husband and I were there to help coordinate the choices. Nobody has a lot of experience in the area of aging until you get there. I don't know how we would have done this if my parents had not moved closer to us. Good luck with your choices.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,694 posts, read 58,012,579 times
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Quote:
the specifics of this community, but it is a mix of apartments, SFH, duplexes, etc. They have a lovely remodeled home on the lake. I believe aging in place services are available. There is a name for this type of community, but it escapes me. There must be others around.
CCRC. Continuing Care Retirement Community
Great choice if you can afford it. Some are affordable, usually state / senior services (income qualified). Or... Church / denomination based.
We do volunteer services for seniors (for last 40 yrs)
Even with family close-by, some situations are nearly impossible.
Really good idea for your seniors to write out their plan A through C, as they may not be the ones making the connection and decision at some point. Best to have their wishes in writing, and their plans as desired. (Btdt - 32 yrs of caring for a disabled parent, who made every minute as difficult as possible). Fortunately, my 18 previous yrs with that parent were equally miserable as diligent preparation for what was to follow.
Sometimes you can do nothing right, so just do what's best.
I know Camano a bit, and there are extremely limited services and amenities there. The climate is cooler than down near Vancouver, but it can be very isolated on Camano, especially since most of her local friend group passed on. The main draws for Camano are the beaches and nature (and maybe the golf course).
It's way out in the boonies on an island with one road on and off. Any larger town will have more going on. I've known a number of people who left Camano Island over the years due to the isolation of it and the hassle of getting anywhere off the island. Good luck to the OP. It isn't easy to deal with aging parents.
I know Camano a bit, and there are extremely limited services and amenities there. The climate is cooler than down near Vancouver, but it can be very isolated on Camano, especially since most of her local friend group passed on. The main draws for Camano are the beaches and nature (and maybe the golf course).
It's way out in the boonies on an island with one road on and off. Any larger town will have more going on. I've known a number of people who left Camano Island over the years due to the isolation of it and the hassle of getting anywhere off the island. Good luck to the OP. It isn't easy to deal with aging parents.
Yes, the things she liked about Camano originally (20 years ago): remoteness, golfing, friends are either gone or no longer applicable.
Great choice if you can afford it. Some are affordable, usually state / senior services (income qualified). Or... Church / denomination based.
We do volunteer services for seniors (for last 40 yrs)
Even with family close-by, some situations are nearly impossible.
Really good idea for your seniors to write out their plan A through C, as they may not be the ones making the connection and decision at some point. Best to have their wishes in writing, and their plans as desired. (Btdt - 32 yrs of caring for a disabled parent, who made every minute as difficult as possible). Fortunately, my 18 previous yrs with that parent were equally miserable as diligent preparation for what was to follow.
Sometimes you can do nothing right, so just do what's best.
Oh my, that sounds tough. Fortunately, we get along well. My mom's mom lived with us before she passed away because the island she lived on was even more remote. Apparently, this is a theme in our family.
I have friends who recently moved from their 20 acre spread in Olympia to a 55+ community in Lacey. They were on the waiting list for several years and it takes a big chunk of money to even get the waiting list. The community is called Panorama. I am not remembering the specifics of this community, but it is a mix of apartments, SFH, duplexes, etc. They have a lovely remodeled home on the lake. I believe aging in place services are available. There is a name for this type of community, but it escapes me. There must be others around.
There is a new 55+ community starting to build in Camas. Our neighbors (in Ridgefield), have bought a place there that has just started construction. Avid gardeners, they are no longer able to keep up with their yard, even though they are still healthy and active.
It was important us to move closer to kids as we aged. We moved from Wenatchee in 2015 to be closer to three sons in Portland. Only one remains in Portland, one is now in Hood River, one in Boise. Lives change. At some point in the future we are talking about building a 3 generation home with a granny flat. That is way off in the future however. And who knows what the future brings?
In 2005 my parents moved from southern California to Wenatchee to be closer to use. They were in their late 80s. Prior to this move they had never lived more than an hour from where they were born. They bought a home, adjusted well, lived an active 3 years before their were hints that my mother's health was declining. Dad sold the house, they got a senior living independent apartment, ended up in assistive living, Dad died, mom ended up in memory care, she died in 2014. Their options for living situations were good (mostly because they had the money to afford what they wanted), but the important part was that my husband and I were there to help coordinate the choices. Nobody has a lot of experience in the area of aging until you get there. I don't know how we would have done this if my parents had not moved closer to us. Good luck with your choices.
Thank you.
She has said she will give up and die if she has to move into a senior facility and is even leery of 55+ neighborhoods. Her mother said the same. The time eventually came when I couldn't help grandma 24/7 so she moved into a private home care situation and only lasted a few months. My mom has friends in really nice places in Seattle, but they are $8-10,000/month. If it comes to needing more help, she'll have to suck it up in the heat with me and we'll look into private night care. Can't be more than $10,000 a month, right?
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