Senior Caregivers Will Benefit From These Tips During the Pandemic
The pandemic has affected everyone in different ways. For many seniors who are disabled or need daily care, it’s been a major challenge just to stay healthy, let alone make major decisions. When it’s time to think about long-term care or other big tasks, you’ll need to help with the planning and execution, and it’s important to be prepared. Talk to your loved one about their health and life insurance policies, find out where they keep important paperwork and get in touch with family members about things like downsizing, which can require moving, selling, or donating some of your loved one’s belongings and can be stressful for seniors.
You can also think about what it will take to get their house in shape to sell, and American Kitchens & Stones can help you make much-needed updates or renovations in order to get the best price. Here are a few tips on how to help your senior loved one make big decisions during a particularly difficult time.
Consider selling carefully
Many seniors need financial assistance when it comes to paying for long-term care. While Medicaid can help, your loved one may need more to cover living expenses, and that’s where a home sale can come in handy. If they’re agreeable to selling, however, keep in mind that the pandemic has created shifts in the housing market that may make it difficult to sell depending on where you live. Consult a professional realtor who can help you make decisions and will have access to resources you may not. In Port St. Lucie, the average sale price for a home is about $273,000, but properties in the area may stay on the market for up to 50 days.
Prepare for a move
There are many things to consider when it comes to moving a loved one to assisted living, from finding the perfect home for them to taking care of their belongings and orchestrating the big day. Before you put the house on the market, talk to your loved one about what they’d like to take with them, and check with the facility to find out what’s allowed — some facilities have special rules during the pandemic about the types of belongings that can be brought in.
Many seniors go through the downsizing process with their caregivers and make decisions about what to give to family members, what to donate, and what to sell. But if your loved one isn’t capable of making those decisions, you may need to arrange those tasks yourself or put things into storage.
Give options
Your loved one may have mood changes as plans are made for their long-term care, such as depression or anxiety, especially if they are unable to take a major role in the decision-making. Give them some options for staying in touch with friends and loved ones, such as a video chat app or device. Give them ways to stay connected with their interests and hobbies — such as music, gardening, or word games — as these will help with cognitive health, as well as relieve stress and anxiety.
Look for alternative funding
If selling the home isn’t an option at the moment, look for alternative funding for your senior loved one. There are several government programs that help older adults pay for care, necessities, and housing which are largely based on income and vary from state to state. There are also private loans and long-term care insurance — although your loved one would already need to have the policy to benefit from it.
Making decisions for a senior loved one takes a lot of patience and research, but with a good plan, you can ensure that they’re well taken care of during the pandemic. Get help from the pros when you’re ready to think about a major task, such as selling a home. Read up on the latest safety guidelines for assisted living facilities so you’ll have peace of mind about the move.
The article is courtesy of June Duncan and Rise up For Caregivers.
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Granite or Quartz
Quartz samples.
Where to begin?
When remodeling your kitchen choosing the countertop is one of the toughest parts. With so many options out there, which one should be the centerpiece of your kitchen? The main contenders nowadays are granite and quartz. Granite is a natural stone, and Quartz is an engineered stone. Here are some things to consider when choosing between granite or quartz: maintenance, durability, cost, and design.
Maintenance
In light of crazy times, we live in, being able to maintain a clean and sanitized home is vital. Regardless of whether you pick Granite or Quartz, how you would keep them is the same. Warm soapy water, with mild detergent. This will help maintain the seal on the granite. With the quartz doing this is a good way to keep it clean, without risk of staining the stone.
Quartz is a harder stone to stain than granite but it is possible. Something else that is great thing about quartz, it's less susceptible to harboring bacteria. Since it is an engineered stone it is denser which means there is less space for germs and bacteria to make it home. This means less work for you.
Durability
It is tough to know which one, granite or quartz, which is more durable. I will say, granite has been around much longer. Coming right out of mountains from all over the globe. Granite was used throughout monuments, throughout history a lot of them are still standing. When putting together the monument that is your kitchen, quartz is still a great option. Since granite is a natural stone it is prone to having air pockets that can break and leave little dimples on your countertops. We call these little things beauty marks because they are beautiful and natural. They happen regards to how often you seal it or how often you clean it, it happens.
Cost
Now we are at the meat of the matter. Cost of each. The general rule here is, Man-made is more expensive. How much more expensive, it depends on your kitchen and your imagination. The price of quartz has come down dramatically in the last few years. Because it is more popular now, but it is still a premium product and will be priced accordingly.
If you are thinking or doing some investing, and want to know which one is best as an investment. Go with granite. It is more popular, people are already familiar with the product will be more inclined to spend a little extra to not have to update their kitchen. Be advised we are not realtors, we are kitchen and bathroom remodelers. The best thing to do is check with a local realtor and get their opinion on it, ask them what your market is like, is it a granite market or a quartz market.
Kitchen with Granite countertop and metallic backsplash.
Design
What is the point of all this if your kitchen isn't the most beautiful it can be? When deciding between granite or quartz, the question to ask is, what do I want? Unique patterns throughout, or uniform look? Quartz has always been a sweetheart for interior designers because of how uniform the slabs can be. With minor variations between each slab, it is no wonder designers use it so often to achieve the look they want.
With granite, the thing to remember is that each slab is unique and there will never be one like it again. There can be some that are similar but it will not be the same. Granite has various variations and when you find the one slab you like, go with it. Because if you lose that slab there will never be one like it again. On the bright side, no one can copy your kitchen, it is yours alone.
Final Thoughts
It all comes down to what you are looking to do. If you want a very specific look for your kitchen, quartz is a good option. If you want more natural movements in the stone, with more earthy colors than granite is what you want. I would say, follow what you want, and what your wallet allows.
If you would like a free estimate contact us at 772-335-2558. Here at American Kitchen and Stones, we offer free estimates. Give us a call and ask us what we think, granite or quartz?
A Clean Home is a Safe Home
With everything that is going on, there is no reason why we should sacrifice cleanliness or the beautiful. When it comes to Granite countertops it's no different, a clean countertop is a beautiful countertop. But how do you clean that which comes from the ground and was forged in the earth? Warm water and mild dish soap, if you want to keep it simple.
If you want a "WOW" factor, use isopropyl alcohol. One part water, and one part IA. Using this little mixture will give your tops a beautiful shine and help keep everything safe. This is what my family use since I was a young boy in Brazil. This is the best and most cost-effective way to keep our countertops clean, and safe. With everything that is going on it doesn't hurt to keep your beloved countertops clean.
You might be asking, "isn't there anything a little stronger, and that will make everything cleaner?" Honestly, no. If you use an abrasive substance, you will damage the seal on your stone and remove the beautiful shine it has. Without a seal, the stone is open susceptible to staining. Abrasive substances are bleach, ammonia, Windex, even vinegar will be rough on the seal and weaken it.
In review, there are two preferred ways of beautifying and sanitizing your kitchen. One is warm water with a mild detergent and; the other is one part isopropyl alcohol and one part water. Place the IA and water mix in a spray bottle and spray away the nastiness, and leave behind a beautiful shine.