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Going Strong at 100

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

Recent projections on seniors living longer are certainly borne out at The Birches communities. Just last week members of the Residents Club for The Birches at Chambers and Chambers Court met to fete William McDonough on the occasion of his 100th birthday.

Bill was born November 23, 1911, and he considers himself “just an ordinary guy.” Bill didn’t know why people would make such a fuss. So he was surprised at the turnout that included residents, owners Steve and Judy Aaron, and staff of Birchez Associates and Rondout Properties. Or that we would want to interview him.

Earlier this year, Bill was honored as a centenarian by the Ulster County Office for the Aging. On the left, pictured before the luncheon began at the Hillside Manor, is Bill with his loyal helper Dorothea Schwenk, a resident of Chambers Court since 2004.

Since the County’s celebration, it’s been about six months of birthday acknowledgments. He brought one to the party this week, a birthday card from the President and First Lady (click on the photo so you can read it!). This was in addition to the number of declarations and proclamations from many local politicians and dignitaries including State Senator John Bonacic, Assemblymember Kevin Cahill, and Ulster County Executive Mike Hein.

Bill lived in the area for 25 years before moving to Chambers Court early in 2008. He values living in a safe senior community. Bill says he’s found a really nice place and values the new friends he’s made.

Bill served as a conductor for the New York Central Railroad for many years. His “route” was Grand Central to Buffalo on the 20th Century Limited. At the time it was the fastest train out there. Today Bill wonders why people want to go much faster. “When I think of some of these tiny cars speeding down the highway at 70 miles per hour, I don’t think it’s safe. Why is everyone in such a hurry?”

Bill is, at the moment, the only centenarian living at one of the Birches Communities but there are a number of residents close behind. Currently there are 43 residents aged 85 and over, with 14 of those 90 or over. In the picture to the right taken at the Residents’ celebration, Bill is pictured with Tess Glassman, a Birches at Chambers resident who turned 90 on November 20th. Between them is Steve Aaron, founder and managing member of Birchez Associates which developed and manages four senior communities in Ulster County.

Steve Aaron spoke about aging in place in independent living communities. “Bill’s a great example of why I believe so in the aging-in-place concept. It’s a better quality of life and much more economical for society than nursing homes or alternate level of care facilities.” Most units at The Birches Communities are handicapped ready if not fully ADA handicapped accessible. Home care and personal care aides from a number of local agencies can help provide assistance with daily living tasks which allows many seniors to spend their time “at home.”

Steve went on to say, “Annecdotally, we’re hearing that our residents, when they do have to be hospitalized or spend time in a rehab setting, are coming home sooner because the apartments’ features encourage that. They don’t have to wait for a ramp to be built or a bedroom created on the first floor or even the necessity to move from their home.”

– K.J. McIntyre, Director of Marketing, Birchez Associates

“We’re Not Ready”: More Bad News About Retirement

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

Source: DailyFinance.com by Eamon Murphy posted 12/5/11

The idea of retirement in America is becoming increasingly far removed from the idyllic notion of our “golden years.” For many, it’s now just another source of worry, despair and resignation.

Last month, Ameriprise Financial and Wells Fargo each separately released ominous retirement surveys. The first reported that respondents aged 40 to 75 in the nation’s largest cities were significantly less confident this year than last about their ability to retire; increased feelings of retirement-related anxiety and depression were also reported.

The second report, based on a poll of 1,500 middle-class Americans, declared that when it comes to retirement, “80 is the new 65,” with 74% of middle-class respondents expecting to work past the traditional retirement age, and a quarter expecting to work until at least 80 to achieve a comfortable retirement. There was one small ray of hope in those the numbers — 35% said they expect to work past 65 because they want to, not because they’ll need to.

These days, though, even relatively sunny retirement news comes tinged with dark qualifications. A study of retiree attitudes produced by the Society of Actuaries, LIMRA and the International Foundation for Retirement Education found that although confidence was on the rise, financial planning is fundamentally inadequate: Only 45% of respondents believed that their retirement assets would need to last 20 years, the figure given by experts as the smart target. “It’s clear that retirees are hoping for the best or even taking an autopilot approach,” said one of the study’s authors.
Now, USA Today is reporting that “more Americans are finding themselves in their 50s and 60s with practically no money saved for retirement.” The last decade saw no growth in the stock market and included two bear-markets that devastated portfolios. Unemployment has been a scourge, preventing many from getting back on their feet after financial adversity. And the torpid real estate market has sucked value from people’s homes, undermining their use as financial safety nets.

Jogging headlong into this confluence of horrible economic conditions is the massive Baby Boom generation, setting up a potential nightmare scenario in which the ranks of the retired are swelled by fresh millions of Americans largely unable to pay their expenses.

That danger is real. According to a survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, 56% of workers say they have less than $25,000 in savings. This figure is deeply distressing, given how expensive retirement promises to be: Assuming 3% inflation and a 5% annual return from investments, a 65-year-old will need to have $1.1 million saved in order to net an income of $50,000 a year in inflation-adjusted dollars.
Those who simply have insufficient savings are hardly the worst off: 42% of those polled by the EBRI said that their current level of debt is a problem.

for Advice for the Far-From-Retirement Crowd see the full article

So what can younger people learn from the perilous state of those currently approaching retirement? America’s twentysomethings are clearly in need of advice: In a recent survey by the PNC Financial Services Group (PNC), only 23% rated themselves as totally independent, and just 18% expressed confidence that they’ll have enough money to live comfortably when it comes time to retire.

Doing 90

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

November 29, 2011: The Report 90+ in the United States: 2006-2008 was issued this month by the American Consumer Survey (ACS), which is sponsored by the US Census Bureau. The ACS gathers data for the Census Bureau on an annual basis; this data is utilized by communities in allocating investments and services. Unfortunately, crunching the data and reformatting it into readable, intelligible reports takes time. Hence the appearance of three-year lag; in reality the 2010 census is cited in some instances.

Significant in the findings is that 90+ is the new 85+. Many demographic reports analyze age groupings such as 55 to 64, 65 to 74, and then 85+. This assumes a commonality in the group and/or smaller numbers that may not be reliable statistically. Yet the reality shown in this report is that there are some sharp distinctions, even in the five year segment breakdowns of 85 to 89, 90 to 94, and 95+. Certainly as our seniors of today age healthier than their predecessors this will morph expectations for these segments.

This segment is growing both in size and proportion of the older population. Between 1980 and 2010, the people aged 90 and over almost tripled to 1.9 million. Projections are that the 90+ segment will more than quadruple by 2050, in comparison to a doubling of the population 65 to 89.

New York currently ranks third (after California and Florida) in the sheer number of 90+ residents, but it’s not even in the top ten when comparing the percentage of 90+ versus the 65+ populations by state.

The report details racial and educational statistics, and considering the report covers those born in 1918, this is an educated group. Perhaps not a surprise that women aged 90+ outnumber 90+ men nearly 3 to 1.

The economic numbers are certainly of interest in the affordable housing field:

Social Security represents almost half of total personal income for the 90+ (47.9%)
The poverty rate for the 90+ is higher than that for those aged 65-89
16.5% of women and 9.6% of men aged 90 and older were in poverty 2006-2008

When one considers this in the perspective that many baby boomers are ill prepared for retirement, and certainly for living some 20 years longer than expected, the economic forecast for this segment is of concern. Further compounding this is that the report addresses the 2006-2008 period, during which the source of 29.8% of 90+ income was ”other” (which would include directly held investments), and 18.3% came from retirement accounts. Given the financial upheaval from the end of that period to the present would indicate that the 2011-2012 period would mean the 90+ segment might well be relying on Social Security for more than half of their income.

Difficulty doing errands alone and mobility-related limitations are the two most common types of disability for the 90+ (disability in this context is defined as a substantial limitation in a major life activity). Appropriate transportation modalities, proximity of services and handicapped accessibility will be key features of senior housing to come.

Aging in place will play an important role for the 90+ segment. While the percent of people with disabilities increases sharply with aging (see below), the nature of the disability(ies) may determine whether the individual needs an institutionalized setting or not. Certainly advances in senior housing facilities and services offer alternatives to more expensive nursing homes or even alternative level of care facilities.

Ages 85-89 80.4% report one or more disabilities
Ages 90-94 82.7%
Ages 95+ 91.2

To see the full American Community Survey Report, 90+ in the United States: 2006-2008, authored by Wan He and Mark N. Munchrath, click here.

- K.J. McIntyre

Stylin’ Seniors

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

November 28, 2011 – As Baby Boomers take center stage, much is written on their spending patterns, use of technology, travel ideas, and more. But one of the most encouraging and inspiring takes comes from stylist Ari Seth Cohen in his blog Advanced Style, which proffers “Proof from the wise and silver haired set that personal style advances with age”. Ari’s subjects, male and female, are over 50 — and fabulous! He certainly demonstrates that age is no barrier to style.

To the right, meet Rose, age 100, as she poses for Ari’s blog.

Ari’s book, Advanced Style, is on pre-order with Amazon with an April 2012 publication date (that’s a shame because I would have loved to gift it this holiday season). As with his blog, the book promises insights from his subjects, an interview with a 91 year old subject, and delicious photos (many apparently candid, on-the-streets of New York photos).

Meanwhile, Ari’s blog also offers videos and enchanting tidbits on matching vintage items, and playing with different costumes and styles. Hats are plentiful and I predict an influx of designer canes!

I’ve seen many of our senior residents at the Birches communities, where the average age is in the 70s, styled and ready for their close up. Whether they are dressed for the fitness studio, the movie theater, or on their way out the door, many show great flair.

The old perception that the elderly dressed in dusters and wasted away their waning years in front of the TV just doesn’t play with today’s seniors. Fair warning, we’ll be featuring some of our own Stylin’ Seniors in future blogs.

Another of Ari’s elegant subjects is Ruth, shown to the left, who is also 100 years old.

-- K.J. McIntyre

80 is the New 65 for Retiring Americans

Thursday, November 17th, 2011

Source: AOL by David Schepp posted 11/16/11

The idea of retiring at age 65 is no longer a reality to many Americans, with many anticipating that they will have to work another 15 years – to age 80 — before they can afford to quit work, a new survey shows. Further, the poll of 1,500 middle-class Americans showed that 76 percent of respondents felt it was more important to save a specific amount for retirement, compared to 20 percent who said it was more important to plan to retire at a specific age, regardless of savings. The survey, conducted in August and September by Wells Fargo & Co., defined “middle class” as households having income or assets of $25,000 to $100,000.

“The fact that the vast majority of middle-class Americans expect to work well past the traditional retirement age has significant societal and economic implications,” says Joe Ready, director of Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement and Trust, in a statement released with the study. Among the questions raised, Ready says, are whether people will be physically and mentally able to work later in life and the way in which postponed retirements will affect employment opportunities for youth. (For accompanying video, click here. )

Working Out Of Necessity

Results from the survey showed that three-fourths of respondents said they expect to work in the retirement years. Of those, 39 percent said they will do so out of necessity, while 35 percent said they will work because they want to. Among respondents aged 40 to 59, more than half (54 percent) said they will need to work past retirement age, compared to 34 percent of those 25 to 39. Likewise, just 25 percent of those aged 40 and 59 say they will work past 65 because they “want to,” compared to 45 percent of 25- to 39-year-olds. The poll further showed that of those Americans who plan to work in the retirement period, nearly half (47 percent) expect to do similar work, while 42 percent expect to be employed in a position that requires less responsibility.

Factors contributing to workers’ belief they will need to delay retirement, Wells Fargo says, include the reduction of the number of private employers offering traditional pension plans. In recent decades, many companies abandoned so-called defined-benefit plans in favor of 401(k) and other types of defined-contribution plans, which are tied to the performance of the stock market. But the volatility of stock prices in recent years has left many Americans feeling the stock market is no place to put hard-earned retirement funds. The poll showed that 68 percent of those aged 25 to 75 have little confidence in the stock market as a good place to invest for retirement.

When asked how they would invest $5,000 for retirement, half of respondents said they would invest in a mutual fund or stocks, while 45 percent said they would purchase a certificate of deposit from a bank. The survey also showed that anticipated cutbacks in Social Security and Medicare benefits have many U.S. workers rethinking how much help they can expect in support from government programs.

Scaled-Down Expectations

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the survey showed that younger Americans are more willing to accept cuts to Social Security and Medicare programs to help reduce the ballooning U.S. debt. About half of those polled who were aged 25 to 49 are willing to accept future cuts, compared to 28 percent of 50- to 59-year-olds, and 19 percent of those aged 60 to 75.

Along with changing attitudes toward work in retirement, Americans are also revisiting their expectations for support from social-welfare programs, says Laurie Nordquist, director of Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement and Trust, in a statement. “As as we look for solutions to strengthen the country and address the debt load of our nation,” she says, “there is a willingness among younger Americans to put traditional support systems on the table for reform.”

The poll also showed that middle-class Americans are underestimating the amount of out-of-pocket health-care costs they are likely to incur in retirement, with respondents planning to spend a median $60,000. But, notes Wells Fargo, a 2010 study from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College estimated the total cost of uninsured health-care costs for a typical married couple aged 65 is nearly $200,000.

The Birches at Chambers receives LEED Platinum certification

Tuesday, July 12th, 2011

KINGSTON, N.Y. 07/11/2011– An affordable housing complex for seniors has received a big award for its leadership in energy. The Birches at Chambers has received the LEED platinum certification.

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally-recognized green building certification system. The founder and managing partner of Birchez and Associates says he wants to make people aware of what the LEED program is all about.

“To celebrate LEED, but also give the important people that attended the event an opportunity to talk about the environment, health, health for seniors. How a healthy building is important for seniors, especially those aging in place,” said Steven Aaron, founder and managing partner of Birchez Associates.

The Birches at Chambers is just one of only two places of its kind on the East Coast.

To view the YNN broadcast, click here.

Birchez Associates featured on Senior Services panel

Friday, June 10th, 2011

At the recent annual conference for the New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH), a panel on senior housing featured Birchez Associates. Speaking for Birchez were Founder & Managing Member Steven L. Aaron and Director of Marketing, K.J. McIntyre. Known to provide market rate plus services and amenities at affordable rents for seniors, Birchez Associates has built and manages four affordable senior communities in the Hudson Valley, as well as one workforce affordable community.

Entitled Serving Seniors: Innovative Ideas and Opportunities, the panel was chaired by Peter Florey of D&F Development. In addition to the Birchez representatives, the panel included Ken Harris of the NY Association of Housing & Services for the Aging, Evelyn Wolff of Selfhelp Community Services, Julie Behrens of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development, and Stuart Zalka representing NYS Homes & Community Renewal.

Among services and amenities provided for residents, Birchez Associates employs a Senior Advocate, Alice Tipp, who had served for 30 years in the Ulster County Legislature and chaired the Health Services Committee. Ms. Tipp provides a knowledgable bridge to resources and services in the greater community. At residents’ meetings, she frequently invites service providers to meet with the residents. Augmenting the advocacy team is the Director of Community Services, Paul Watzka.

Working with agencies such as the Ulster County Office for the Aging and Jewish Family Services, Birchez has brought services to the doorstep. Both physical and mental health issues are attended to at the Birchez Communities. This spring a mental health social worker was on hand to meet with seniors dealing with issues such as bereavement and depression and to recommend longer term services available often at no cost to the senior. One result of this has been the formation of a weekly group at The Birches at Chambers.

Physical health is improved at the Fitness Studios available at both The Birches at Chambers and The Birches at Esopus (although open to all Birchez residents). Here a specially trained senior fitness coach is available at no cost to work out at the residents ability and speed.

Augmenting amenities include Media Centers with state of the art projection and sound for the latest Indie or Classic film. Community rooms encourage gatherings, the library/game room to meet with friends, and a computer lab for instruction and free use.

The crafts room allows seniors to show off crafting ability and to learn new ones. A team of knitters created nearly 100 caps for young children this past winter at both the local neighborhood center and Sloan Kettering Cancer Hospital. Among the participants were three male seniors, two of whom were in wheelchairs. None of them had ever knitted before but they took to the project with zeal.

Steven L. Aaron, Founder & Managing Member of Birchez Associates LLC, is a board member of NYSAFAH. Birchez Associates was a Gold Sponsor for the annual conference held in New York City each spring. Birchez Associates LLC, founded in 2002, has built five affordable housing communities in the Hudson Valley.

The New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH), formed in 1998, the New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH) is the trade association for New York’s affordable housing industry statewide. Our 300 members include for-profit and nonprofit developers, lenders, investors, syndicators, attorneys, architects and others active in the financing, construction, and operation of affordable housing. Together, NYSAFAH’s members are responsible for virtually all of the housing built in New York State with federal, state, or local subsidies. is the trade association for New York’s affordable housing industry statewide. Our 300 members include for-profit and nonprofit developers, lenders, investors, syndicators, attorneys, architects and others active in the financing, construction, and operation of affordable housing. Together, NYSAFAH’s members are responsible for virtually all of the housing built in New York State with federal, state, or local subsidies.

Case Study in Excellence: The Birches at Esopus

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

New York, NY: The New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH) honored Birchez Associates’ affordable senior community, The Birches at Esopus, as Case Study in Excellence at a reception and presentation held in New York City at the REBNY (Real Estate Board of New York) headquarters.

Already recognized by NYSAFAH as Project of the Year — Upstate for 2010, The Birches at Esopus served as a case study in successful public and private partnership, innovative financing, and green energy efficiencies. At its ribbon cutting, the community was also acknowledged as an Energy $mart Building by NYSERDA, in part because 70% of domestic hot water and 30% of the heat comes from solar thermal panels. Further, The Birches at Esopus was one of four national finalists for Senior Project of the Year in Affordable Housing Magazine.

The panel (shown to the right) was introduced by Jay Seiden, Seiden & Schein, PC, and comprised Birchez Associates Founder & Managing Member, Steven L. Aaron, The Honorable John Coutant, Supervisor of the Town of Esopus, John Kelly, Esq. of Nixon Peabody, Marian Zucker of New York State Homes & Community Renewal, Peter King representing the Federal Home Loan Bank – NY, and Rita Wyatt Esq., principal of Wyatt & Co. Judy Wells Aaron and K.J. McIntyre both of Birchez Associates also participated in the presentation. Available for the Q&A were the Town of Esopus clerk, Diane L. McCord, town council member Gloria VanVliet and chair of the planning board Roxanne Pecora (shown in the lower left photo from right to left).

Key topics introduced both by panel participants and the audience included:

Finding financing for affordable housing projects and how that has changed in today’s economic market

Creating market rate amenities to both attract residents and to fulfill aging in place goals

Structuring a public – private partnership and the political courage it takes to succeed in bringing quality affordable housing to a community

Changing environment in the now combined DHCR and nyhomes, now New York State Homes and Community Renewal

Attendees included developers, financiers, architects, attorneys and other members of NYSAFAH.

Spring Expo shows off Birchez Associates

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

This year’s Lions’ Club Expo at the Hudson Valley Mall featured a new participant: Birchez Associates. Shown to the left with our booth are Teri Sola, Property Management Compliance, and Cheryl Meehan, Property Manager at both The Birches at Esopus and The Birches at Saugerties. Throughout the two day event we were also represented by Judy Fitzpatrick, Senior Property Manager, Paul Watzka, Director of Community Affairs, and K.J. McIntyre, Director of Marketing.

Last but certainly not least, the one and only Alice Tipp, Senior Advocate for The Birches Communities, held court for several hours on Sunday. After her 30 years in the legislature and over five years with us, Alice is known far and wide. One couple who stopped by, married for over 50 years seemed to take almost more pride in their voting record for Alice from the beginning of her career in public service.

One unexpected treat for the staff was the number of residents who stopped by, frequently showing off photos or stopping to point out parts of the videos being shown to their friends and family. We hope that many of our visitors will in fact submit applications so that we might add them to the wait lists. Sooner you are on the list, the sooner a spot might open with your name on it! If you didn’t make it to the mall, stop by one of our communities (call first to assure a tour and application will be ready for you). Just click on the communities tab or one of the community photos on the home page for contact information.

K.J. McIntyre, Director of Marketing, Birchez Associates, kjmcintyre@birchez.com

When Medication Leads to the ER

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

Maybe it was having one of our residents checked out at the ER today that tweaked my interest when I saw a posting picked up by msnbc.com – Health. As reported by My Health News Daily, older Americans face a greater risk of harmful reactions to medications than younger individuals, a new study suggests. The study, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), found adults ages 50 and older comprised 51.5 percent of all emergency department visits in 2008 that were due to reactions to medications. That’s about 1.1 million visits. And of those visits, about 61 percent were made by people aged 65 or older, and 60.9 percent were made by women.

Older people may be more likely to react badly to their medications because of physiological changes that occur with age, or because they’re taking multiple medications, the researchers said. These reactions may pose an increasing public health challenge as the number of older Americans continues to grow in decades to come.

“Individuals taking medications need to take personal responsibility, and not assume that just because the medications are legally prescribed that they are without risk,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. “People should monitor how they feel when on medication, ask their doctor about what signs to look out for, and not hesitate to contact a doctor if they feel the medication is having adverse effects on their health.”

Birchez Editor’s Note: I’d go one step further. Ask your doc for a review of medications when a new med is prescribed. Sometimes the prescribing physician is only looking at the top page or so of the chart and may not be aware of other meds that may interfere with or magnify the effects of the new med. Also, keeping all your prescriptions at one pharmacy may catch some harmful drug interactions and reactions BEFORE they happen.

Most of the emergency visits involved reactions to just one medication. Reactions to pain relievers accounted for the largest share of these visits (24.3 percent). Other cases involved cardiovascular system medications, metabolic disorder treatments and psychotherapeutic drugs. Nearly 33 percent of emergency room visits by older adults resulted in hospitalizations for further treatment, the study showed.

The study was based on data from SAMHSA’s 2008 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). DAWN is a public health surveillance system that monitors drug-related hospital emergency department visits reported throughout the nation.

Pass it on: Older Americans make up the majority of those who visit the emergency room for adverse reactions to medication.

Article passed along by K.J. McIntyre, Director of Marketing, Birchez Associates.