This webpage was developed to support discussions about options for where we can/may/should live as we age.  These discussions, often with presentations, occurred via Zoom in January through June of 2021. This page is now being maintained as a resource for members of The Community Church of Chapel Hill and their friends and family.


Please note: The links given below are for information only
​and do not represent endorsements.
2021 Schedule for Discussion Topics
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January 13th: Aline Dawson gave us an overview of different types of Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) in the Triangle area.  Her presentation and some of her data slides are available at the following links.  
January 27th: Gayle Streifford spoke about 55+ communities and provided us with her written notes.
​February 10th: Maria Tadd, author of Happiness is Growing Old at Home, which she wrote after helping her mother live out her life at home, will talk about what she has learned since she published the book in 2009 and her own plans for aging in place.
February 24th: Susan Blanchard will talk about other types of retirement communities.  
March 10th: Nancy Mayer will talk about Medicaid and VA Benefits.  
March 24th: Mandy Summerson is a Life Care Manager/Gerontologist.  She will talk about the services offered by her organization, Nurse Care Carolina (now Arosa NC Triangle), for about 15 minutes and then will answer our questions.  Mandy is “Eden at Home” certified.  Eden at Home is a training that focuses on applying the power of the Ten Principles of the Eden Alternative to improving quality of life for Elder(s) and their care partners living at home.  Mandy helped one member of our group find appropriate facilities for her husband when he was ill with Alzheimer’s.
April  14th: Jennifer Albright will talk about family care homes, i.e. assisted living in a residential setting. Family Care Homes, often confused with the term, Group Homes, are state licensed residential homes with 2-6 beds. Like their cousin, the larger 7+ bed assisted living facilities, family care homes offer a very different option for their residents. Our discussion will include why, when, which, cost, as well as the pros and cons for selecting a family care home for a loved one or yourself. The presenter is the former owner and administrator of a family care home in Durham and has been working in the elder care world for over 10 years.  
April 28th: Lisa Gwyther, a social worker with the Duke Dementia Family Support Group, will present a talk entitled, "Alzheimer's and Other Dementias: What's Hard and What Helps?," which will look at these diseases from the partner's /caregiver's perspective. There will be time for questions after her talk.
May 12th: Lisa Cadigan and Shannon Horne from UNC Hospice will talk about hospice services.

May 26th: Elizabeth Hirsh from The Downsizers will speak to us. She will provide practical tips on how to get started on downsizing as well as talk about what NOT to get rid of when downsizing. She will also tell us about the services that her company offers in the Triangle area and answer our questions.​
June 9th: Several members of The Triangle Traditional Music and Dance Retirement Society (2T), a 501c3 organization, will talk about their journey in creating a unique, creative, affordable, and inclusive community in the Triangle area. 2T is an affinity group of musicians, dancers, artists, and others who are interested in the arts. They are committed to living gently with the earth, aging and cherishing life together to the "last waltz." They are actively seeking a location for this community and working with other creative thinkers and doers to move the project to fruition. They will send materials for your review before the meeting, present a summary of their progress to date, make time for Q&A, and provide an opportunity to become a 2T Founder.  Presenters will include Mareah Steketee and other Board members.
June 23rd: This will be the last meeting of this group.   Participants will have a chance to talk briefly about what they have learned and how the decisions they have made/are making might have changed/are changing as the result of our discussions.
Resource Links
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55+ Communities

Aging in Place

​Aging Life Care

Alzheimer's and Dementia​
Books

Concierge and Care Management Services

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs)  ​​​

​County Resources for Seniors

Downsizing and Moving

​Elder Abuse

​Elder Orphans

​Fall Prevention

Family Care Homes
Hospice
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​How Covid-19 Will Changing Aging and Retirement (WSJ article)
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Independent Living Communities
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In-Home Care Services

​Long-Term Care Insurance

TED Talks and Other Presentations

​Village-to-Village Network