Family Legacy Video Presents "Toss the 'Stuff' NOT the Stories!"

Toss the "stuff" - NOT the stories!

By Steve Pender, Family Legacy Video, Inc.

Crash! "Now it's garbage!"  Remember that scene in the "Odd Couple" movie, the one where Oscar smashes Felix's plate of pasta against the kitchen wall? (Okay, the film WAS released in 1967, so you younger folks may need to Google it. Look for the spaghetti scene.)

Well, the same kind of thing is happening now with the possessions of our parents and grandparents. What do I mean?

Family keepsakes - and stories - are at risk.

I treasure my grandparents’ Atwater Kent radio and my great-grandfather’s meerschaum pipe. But I’m not sure who in my family will want these physical links to our past once I’ve shuffled off this mortal coil. And, as pointed out in two recent articles by Richard Eisenberg ("Sorry, Nobody Wants Your Parents’ Stuff" & "What You Said About 'Nobody Wants Your Parents' Stuff'") this is a challenge facing many families today. With Baby Boomers downsizing and younger generations shunning lots of possessions, the things that used to be family keepsakes are being donated to Goodwill, placed in consignment shops, sold to antique stores, or just tossed in the garbage. That's troubling, but there's an even bigger issue here.

Losing connections to our family history.

What concerns me as a professional personal historian and video biographer is the continuing loss of something even more valuable than mementos and keepsakes: family stories. That's because so many of the items being sent to landfills today have great family stories and associations attached to them. For instance, I treasure with my grandfather's pocket watch. It'll never cause an "Antiques Roadshow" appraiser's eyes to light up with excitement, but every day when I see the old silver timepiece hanging in its display stand, I'm reminded of a man who I still love deeply, decades after his passing. It's amazing how a simple item like this serves as a powerful touchstone to feelings and memories.

But I get it: Some families just have too many items that nobody wants to display or store. So how can you let go of this stuff without trashing your family history?

Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.

My apologies to "The Godfather" for this analogy. But before tossing your parents' keepsakes (the gun), save the stories and memories associated  with them (the cannoli). How can you do this? Here are a few ideas:

• Video Inventory. Break out your video camera (or hire a professional) and gather your family and the possessions you're planning to "eighty-six." Shoot each item, describe what it is and share the memories and stories it evokes. With a little editing, the result will be a cool visual record to pass along to future generations.

• Slide Show. A variation on the video inventory theme. Shoot stills of each item and record your remembrances on audio, using a digital MP3 recorder. Combine the two to create a slide show video.

• Illustrated Photo Book. Transcribe the audio recording mentioned above. Produce a book featuring the photos and the transcribed text. The final product can range from simple (loose leaf pages in a binder) to elaborate (hard cover book with glossy pages) - it'll all depend on your budget, wants, and needs.

Make sure your family stories survive.

You may not treasure the possessions your parents and grandparents accumulated, but don't forget that the memories associated with these items speak directly to your family's identity and values. Your grandkids and great-grandkids may one day feel disappointed that you consigned all this family stuff to a dumpster. But they will be grateful that you made sure the stories connected to these items survived.

Visit us online at  Family Legacy Video® online at www.familylegacyvideo.com

Phone: 520.743.4090

Email: steve@familylegacyvideo.com

Reverse Mortgage Line of Credit Could Fund Long-Term Care

There’s a 70% chance that people over 65 will need some kind of long-term care, including services such as home care, assisted living and skilled nursing, according to government statistics.

There are lots of ways to pay for long-term care services, including Medicare, Medicaid, traditional health insurance, long-term care insurance, life insurance and annuities. Some people may have access to funding via the Older Americans Act and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

There’s an additional option worth exploring: a reverse mortgage line of credit, in which you can withdraw cash from the equity you have built up in your home.

Access to your home’s equity

Most reverse mortgages involve a lump sum for an immediate need or a string of payments over time to use a certain percentage of home equity to fund a need. Because reverse mortgages are generally used by older people whose homes are paid off or nearly paid off, long-term care is one natural use of the funds.

Since 1989, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has worked with private lenders to administer what are officially called home equity conversion mortgages, commonly called reverse mortgages. Several modifications over the years have added more features and programs to help homeowners 62 or older access a portion of their home equity.

One of the options under this program is a reverse mortgage line of credit that increases in value each year as long as the owner doesn’t use it. Here’s an example:

Let’s say you’re 65. You don’t need long-term care now, but you want the security of knowing it will be there when and if you need it. You could, for example, get a $160,000 reverse mortgage line of credit that increases in value around 4% per year no matter what the value of your $300,000 home does.

When you reach your mid-80s and your need to pay for long-term care could be reaching a high point, the line of credit amount would be about $350,000. As you use this available money, you don’t have to pay a monthly bill as you would with traditional home equity loans; the money is just subtracted from the equity in the home. The line of credit comes due either when you move out of your home or die, in which case your heirs or your estate could pay the loan back either through sale of the home or other means. Depending on how much of the line of credit has been tapped, this could result in significant debt left to heirs. If you never used the line of credit, the equity would still be in place and would pass to heirs along with the home.

Advantages over a HELOC

A reverse mortgage line of credit holds some advantages over a home equity line of credit, a similar concept in which a homeowner can borrow against the equity in the home. With a HELOC, the borrower must begin making monthly payments immediately. With a reverse mortgage line of credit, the borrower doesn’t have to make monthly payments at all.

And, as indicated above, the available funds in this type of line of credit grow over time, while HELOCs typically provide a fixed amount that the borrower can draw against and that the lender could freeze at any time to preclude further borrowing.

You can think of this type of reverse mortgage as an old-age insurance vehicle. Of course, it’s not insurance, but it’s an opportunity to have another source for funding long-term care services if Social Security, pensions and savings can’t cover the cost of care.

Several vendors are offering this program for as little as $125 in total out-of-pocket cost, which is dramatically cheaper than previous versions that included thousands of dollars in costs and fees. That means lenders are being competitive for placing this product, just like credit card companies offering 0% balance transfers.

You can find lenders in your state using the HUD website.

Having as many resources as possible to cover long-term care needs is an important part of a holistic financial plan. A reverse mortgage line of credit can ensure you’ll have funds readily available at the time of need.

Visit Robin Loomis on Facebook @  http://www.facebook.com/reversemortgageaz or visit us online at our website www.NovaReverse.com

University of Michigan Study Affirms Benefits of Personal Legacy Projects

Steve Pender, Family Legacy Video, Inc.

The reported benefits of family legacy videos are usually more anecdotal than clinical. But now and again an official study affirms what video biographers know: personal legacy projects often have profoundly positive mental and physical impacts on storytellers and their families. Who says so? Researchers at the University of Michigan and University of Alabama, that’s who.

The “Legacy Project” study is one of the first studies to examine the benefits of family life review efforts. The study concentrated on individuals with chronic, life-limiting illnesses, aged 60 and older. Researchers helped patients and their family caregivers create personal legacies in video or scrapbook formats; the participants were surveyed throughout the course of the project.

Less difficulty breathing, reduced stress and depression and greater social interaction are some the benefits documented by the study. According to co-author Louis Burgio, a research professor at the University of Michigan, “Working together on a joint project called a legacy improved the quality of life of both patients with life-limiting illness and their family caregivers.”

You can read more about the study here: http://ns.umich.edu/new/releases/6786

Visit Family Legacy Video® online at www.familylegacyvideo.com,
Phone: 520.743.4090
Email: steve@familylegacyvideo.com

Unexpected Benefits of Video Biographies

Steve Pender, Family Legacy Video, Inc.

Video biographies are certainly wonderful ways to capture and preserve your precious personal stories and family history. They also tend to generate surprise benefits as well. Here are a few examples from Family Legacy Video’s files:

Uncovering an Olympic moment.

Mary-Lou’s dad was a track star for Cornell around 1910. He also ran in the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm. During the course of producing a video biography for Mary-Lou and her husband, Dick, the couple asked me if I thought there might be film of the 1912 race. I checked with the International Olympic Committee – and sure enough, they uncovered a film clip from that long-ago event. Long story short: A copy of that race, on DVD, now occupies a place of honor in Mary-Lou and Dick’s family archives. By the way, when Mary-Lou, who was in her eighties, watched the clip of the race, it was the first time she saw her dad run. Her reaction: “You can’t imagine what a thrill it was to see Dad running. That was an amazing thing you did for us but it meant the most to me. Thank you again and again.”

Reconnecting with family.

Doug hired Family Legacy Video to create a video bio featuring his mom, Marion. She detailed events that her kid sister never knew occurred. After watching the video, her sister and other relatives rekindled their relationships with Marion. Here’s how Doug described what happened: “Mother’s only surviving sister, who is seventeen years younger, was not aware of the Washington adventures and many other items that the three older children had experienced. Mother and her sister are now much closer because of the video. Many nieces and nephews with whom she’d had little contact are now in touch with her again. Thank you for providing us with a Family Legacy Video that will be passed down and enjoyed by our family throughout the coming generations.”

Inspiring a new interest in family history.

Family Legacy Video recorded a conversation between two brothers, Will and Pren. They had a great time recounting their family history and adventures. The project inspired Pren to do even more to preserve his family history. According to his daughter: “One of the hidden benefits of this project was the search for family photos to include in the video. I really enjoyed looking through them all with my parents, and labeling them for future generations. What a treasure! I am so glad we did this now. My father has been so inspired that he has taken on a new project – he found boxes and boxes of slides in the basement of his Illinois home and has been scanning them. He’s really enjoying it and it’s been great to see those old photos too.”

Finally telling the full story.

Len made his fortune in Peru, arriving there early in 1940. He had many fascinating adventures, both business and personal, to relate. He was most interested in detailing his business success. At the end of his interview (which stretched over three days) he had this to say: “I am very appreciative. I look forward to giving my children my background. I’ve always told them a little bit here and a little bit there, but never the complete story.”

Every video biography project Family Legacy Video undertakes results in benefits like those above. So don’t wait – get started on your family video biography project today. The benefits, both apparent and unexpected, will thrill you.

Visit Family Legacy Video® online at www.familylegacyvideo.com,
Phone: 520.743.4090
Email: steve@familylegacyvideo.com

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Our mission at Ability Center is to provide our clients with professional solutions that enable you to lead more active and independent lifestyles.   We accomplish this through a knowledgeable, understanding and compassionate staff who partner with you to provide a quality, one-stop-shop experience.  As a leader in the mobility industry, we honor our responsibility to actively support and participate in the communities we serve.  We have solutions for your home, vehicle and personal use and offer free in home consultations.  

Home Mobility Solutions:
We carry only name brand products to help you be in your help more independently.  Our home solutions allow you to reclaim access to your entire home with products that exude elegance and style.  Our certified and factory trained installers set up the safest and most reliable lifts and ramps that properly fit your home.

*         Indoor stair lifts, both straight and curved

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Vehicle Mobility Solutions:
We know that driving means independence to so many people and we have many products and adaptations to keep you independently driving.  When you and your family are faced with a situation where driving is no longer an option, we also have many products to help you safely transport your loved ones.  We have simple solutions to simply help you get your mobility scooter from place to place and have very complex solutions where people can drive from their wheelchair with the use of electronic driving aids.  Here are some of our vehicle solutions:

*         Wheelchair Accessible Minivans, both used and new

*         Wheelchair Accessible SUV's, both used and new

*         Scooter and Wheelchair lifts, both interior and exterior

*         Hand controls and driving aids

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Personal Mobility Solutions:
Independence starts with simply getting around; getting around your home, getting around your community and around town.  From simple transport wheelchairs to electric scooters and wheelchairs, we have a solution for you.  Let us help you find the best personal mobility device for you:

*         Transport Manual Wheelchairs

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Visit us online @  http://www.AbilityCenter.com or call (520) 293-3596

Don't Let The Holidays Disrupt Your Senior Loved Ones Routine: 3 Tips To Help You

The holidays are fast approaching. When you have a senior loved one who is suffering from Alzheimer's or dementia, routine is everything. There are a lot of ways to make sure this happens.

1. Focus on Schedule

You may have a lot going on to prepare for the holidays, but you have to keep your loved one on schedule. Write down everything that they normally do so you don't lose track of what's going on.

2. Keep the Festivities Local

Traveling with a senior is hard enough. When they suffer from dementia, it can lead to confusion and various other issues. Try and invite the rest of the family to you instead of going to them. Whenever you can keep things as close to the same as possible, it will be better.

3. Know When to Ask for Help

You might be doing a lot of shopping, decorating, and holiday planning, which is keeping you out of the house. Ask for some respite care so you can get the help you need as it pertains to taking care of your loved one. You can ask for someone to come in to clean, cook, and even provide various levels of medical care.

Disruption happens all too easily. When you know this, you can plan more appropriately so that there will be less fall-out to deal with. Seniors need their routines and you can do a lot to make sure that they remain intact through the holidays.

At Caring Senior Service we are always ready to help seniors and their families by providing professional advice and services. As you consider ways to give support to your aging parents or relatives, consider including us in your plans. 

Contact Your Care Team Today! http://www.tucson.caringseniorservice.com 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Southern Arizona Family Services (SAFS)

We are pleased to announce our newest advertiser in the 

 SPOTLIGHT Senior Services & Living Options Resource Guide

Visit us online @ http://southernarizonafamilyservices.com/