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Next Steps: Options for Older Adults

You are settled in your home. You like your neighbors. You like your neighborhood. The only time you really thought of moving was when you thought you might have a chance at that huge Lotto jackpot…maybe a nice little cottage by the beach. But what if you have to move? As Charlie Schad, leader of the Next Steps initiative, stated at the group’s talk at Ashby Village on July 19, “Knowing when is the hardest part…you don’t want it to get to a point where you’ve lost control of decisions that need to be made on your behalf.” 

The Next Steps group started informally at one of Thousand Oaks Hamlet’s monthly lunches in early 2017. “The universal motivation,” Charlie shared, “was to continue living independently in our own homes rather than move into senior housing.  Health and safety concerns were in the back of everyone's mind and we all wanted to learn about in-home care.”  So, for the last year and a half, the group met with professionals and experts to help them with their deep dive into housing, legal, and financial considerations for older adults. Among the many learnings the Next Steps group shared with the audience was that each of these issues was far more complex than they could have predicted.     

After hearing about the wealth of information and options the whole group learned about on their journey,  one of the strongest takeaways from the panel is that we should, as the saying goes, hope for the best and expect the worst. After all, the group shared, “It’s possible to live independently, at home, well into your nineties, even with significant disabilities. And that would be the right decision for some.” Some individuals, though, may find some peace of mind by putting down “a refundable deposit to get on the waiting list of a place you are interested in. It is cheap insurance.” There is no one size fits all answer, but there are plenty of options!     

The Next Steps group plans to continue their education by exploring a number of issues specific to moving, as well as issues specific to not moving. They’ll work on how to decide if or when you should move, in addition to how to build support networks. They will learn more about having someone else live in your home with you and how to select a good roommate. The list is extensive! Did you miss the event? Want to learn more? Email Charlie at charlie.sch@att.net.


Panel members sharing their findings



Audience and panel members chatting
after the talk.






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