A Guide to Estate Planning

Having a plan is essential to many different parts of life. You usually have a plan for what you want to do, where you want to live, whether or not you want to start a family, and more. This is also the case for what you want after you are gone. This is known as estate planning. In this article, we’ll share a guide to estate planning to help you further understand what it is, why it’s important, and how to create an estate plan for yourself.

What Is Estate Planning?

Estate planning involves deciding what happens with your estate after you are gone. Your estate is everything that you own—homes, cars, real estate, personal possessions, furniture, art, life insurance, checking and savings accounts, investments, and more. Anything that you own, no matter how big or small, is considered to be part of your estate. While some things may seem small and insignificant, you’ll need a plan for everything you possess since you will be unable to take it with you.

Making a will and testament is one of the central parts of estate planning, as it allows you to specify how you want your assets to be distributed after you are gone. But estate planning also involves things like naming an executor and beneficiaries, preparing funeral arrangements, setting up trusts, and making charitable donations in order to limit estate taxes.

All of these different aspects of estate planning are incredibly important to make sure that your family, friends, and other loved ones get what you want them to have when you are gone. If you don’t have a will or an estate plan when you die—also known as being intestate—the state will become the executor of your estate. This means that your family, friends, and loved ones will have no say over how your assets are distributed, and the process will involve court intervention and determination.

Surprisingly, over 60% of adults in the United States don’t have an estate plan. These individuals have cited reasons like not getting around to it, not having enough to leave to loved ones, thinking the estate-planning process is too expensive, and not understanding how to go about creating a will. That’s why we’ll provide an estate plan checklist full of estate planning tips to help you through the process.

Estate Planning Checklist

1. Inventory Your Possessions

The first step when you are creating an estate plan is to inventory all of your possessions. This will give you a detailed list of all the assets you own and what you’ll have to designate to beneficiaries. This includes both tangible and intangible possessions. Here are some examples:

Tangible Possessions

• Cars and other vehicles, like boats

• Homes and other property or real estate

• Televisions, computers, and any other electronics

• Furniture

• Pieces of art, coins, antiques, and any other type of collectible

• Other personal possessions
  

Intangible Possessions

• Stocks, bonds, and mutual funds

• Checking and savings accounts

• Life insurance policies

• Business ownership

• Retirement plans

• Health savings accounts

You’ll have to estimate the value of each of these assets in order to equitably split them between your beneficiaries. With possessions like houses and cars, you can use an outside valuation to help you, but for other items that you aren’t certain about, you’ll have to estimate the value it will hold for a particular beneficiary.

2. Create a Will and Testament

The next step on your estate plan checklist is to create a last will and testament. This will involve many steps that will also be useful in the rest of your estate planning. Here’s how to create a will: 

• Name an Executor - This individual will be the person fulfilling all of the wishes you include in your will.

• Identify Beneficiaries - Identify the individuals or organizations who you want to give parts of your estate to, and the specific parts of the estate you want to give to each of them. You are able to divide your assets amongst them in whichever way you like. These can be family members, friends, loved ones, and even your favorite charities.

• Choose a Guardian - If you have children under 18 or are someone’s legal guardian, you’ll also have to choose a guardian for those dependents to care for them if you are no longer able to. 

• Other Wishes - Include any other wishes that you want to be fulfilled after you are gone. This includes any specific instructions for your funeral, identifying who you want to care for your pets if you have any, and any other desires not related to your financial assets.

• Sign It - You must sign and date your will in order for it to be valid.

• Have Witnesses - You also need two witnesses to sign your will. These individuals cannot be anyone who is included in the will.

• Get It Notarized - Get your will notarized to ensure its validity and that it will hold up in court if there are any disagreements or other issues that come up.

3. Establish Directives and Protect Your Assets

Establishing directives and protecting your assets are two essential elements of creating your estate plan. This will help to ensure all of your wishes are acknowledged and that you are able to pass on valuable possessions to your loved ones without them deteriorating or being drastically reduced due to taxes. Here are some tips to help you:

• Know estate tax laws in your state. This will help you plan for how much tax your estate will be required to pay, and allow you to seek other, more tax-friendly options if needed.

• Set up a trust. Doing so can let you designate certain parts of your estate to be distributed while you are still alive. Once you die, the assets included in your trust also get disbursed to your beneficiaries immediately, bypassing probate—a court process for distributing assets.

• Include a medical care directive. This is also known as a living will, and it specifies your wishes for your medical care if you are no longer to make those decisions for yourself.

• Give power of attorney. Give someone you trust the power of attorney so they can make decisions—whether medical, financial, or anything else—for you if you are no longer able to.

• If you are looking to leave assets to your favorite charities, consider donating stocks so that the charity receives the full value and your estate avoids paying capital gains taxes.

4. Reassess Your Plan

Even if things don’t change with your situation and your relationships with your beneficiaries, you should still reassess your estate plan every few years. This will ensure that your wishes are up to date and you are able to make any additions or changes that you think of. Maybe the circumstances have changed with some of your beneficiaries and they no longer need the support or protection you included as a directive in your estate plan. That’s why it’s best to revisit your plan frequently to make sure it isn’t outdated.

5. Get ProfessionAL Help

While it is possible to create your own estate plan, it can be more difficult for those with larger estates and many different assets to worry about. You should seek professional help from an attorney or estate tax professional if you are confused or having a tough time building your estate plan. It may cost more than you were planning, but it will ensure that you have everything in order and there won’t be any mistakes, which is the most important part of creating an estate plan.

Pines Village Retirement Communities, Inc. is a nonprofit senior living community in Valparaiso, Indiana, with two campuses: Pines Village and Meridian Woods. The Pines Village campus offers pet-friendly independent living apartments with the option to add assistive services à la carte or in packages. The Meridian Woods campus consists of maintenance-free paired homes and Campbell St. Cafe, which, in addition to being a restaurant open to the public, hosts events and acts as a meeting space for residents and local nonprofits. 

At Pines Village, we celebrate life by enriching the lives of older adults. We pride ourselves on our culture, which is driven by a passion for serving the residents, visitors, and staff of Pines Village as well as the greater Valparaiso community. Explore our senior apartment availability, learn more about our assisted living options, or contact us with any questions today!

The Importance of Socialization for Seniors

Socialization is an essential part of life for people of all ages. Socializing is how we communicate with others, update people about our lives, share stories, and bond with one another. While socialization is integral in the lives of everyone, it is especially important for seniors. In this article, we’ll look at the connection between socialization and seniors, and ways for seniors to get more social.

Residents enjoy a social hour together with appetizers and beverages.

Why Is Socialization Important for Seniors

Socialization is important for seniors because it helps to prevent feelings of loneliness and isolation. While feeling lonely is difficult on its own, it can also lead to other health issues and impact your overall well-being. A University of California San Francisco research study found that over 40% of older adults report feelings of loneliness, even when they don’t live alone. These feelings can be even more prevalent during holidays and other special occasions.

Other research found that social isolation is a major risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality, especially among older adults. This means that not socializing enough doesn't only affect your mood, but it can also increase your risk of developing other diseases and illnesses. Let’s look at some of the specific benefits of socializing:

Mental Health and Emotional Benefits

Socializing with others frequently has mental and emotional benefits, like improving self-esteem and confidence. When seniors get social and have meaningful interactions with others, they feel good and their mood improves. They also have the opportunity to receive support from the individuals they socialize with, which allows them to feel seen and heard. This helps them to avoid feeling anxious and lonely, and even helps to prevent depression.

Cognitive Benefits

Social seniors can also enjoy cognitive benefits from their time spent with others. A study from Penn State found that individuals who had social interactions on one day had better cognitive performance in the following days. This is even more important because feeling lonely and isolated can increase the risk of developing diseases that impact cognitive ability—like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Routine socialization reduces this risk, and can actually enhance cognitive performance.

Physical Benefits

Social interactions also provide physical benefits for older adults because how we feel mentally and emotionally directly impacts how we feel physically. Social interactions are so important that our bodies actually need them—like we need food and water—for healthy cellular function. So, when we socialize with others, our body functions better and improves our overall well-being. Socialization also can limit the risk of developing health conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity.

Social Benefits

It shouldn’t be any surprise that socialization also has social benefits. When older adults socialize, they are more likely to have fewer negative feelings, higher levels of physical activity, and greater positive moods. This means they are likely to socialize more and continue to receive the many benefits of socialization, as well as meeting new people and making friends in the process.

If you’ve never stopped to think about it, you might not have realized just how crucial socialization is to living a long, healthy life. Now that we know why socializing is so important for seniors, let’s look at some ways that older adults can increase their socialization.

Ways To Increase Socialization for Older Adults

Use Technology

Technology has made interacting with others easier than it’s ever been. With only a phone, tablet, or computer, older adults can socialize with others using text messages, applications like Zoom and FaceTime, and many other methods—all in an instant. There are many great technological devices that older adults can use to keep in touch with their loved ones, as well as expanding their social circle by meeting new people. 

However, it’s important for older adults to practice internet safety, and be aware of online scams that target older individuals. This means never giving out personal information, deleting emails and messages from individuals you don’t recognize, and keeping your accounts safe with secure, unique passwords.

Join a Social Club

While technology allows for easy and instant socialization, there’s simply no replacing in-person interactions. One of the ways for older adults to increase their socialization is to find social clubs for seniors. These clubs usually involve a shared interest—like playing games, reading books, knitting, getting outdoors, and more—and are a great way for seniors to interact with other people.

Volunteer

Volunteering is another great way for older adults to socialize. When volunteering, seniors get to talk to, interact, and bond with others—both the people they are helping and other volunteers. Another benefit of volunteering is that older adults are able to support the causes near to their hearts, and help to make the world a better place. There are many opportunities to volunteer, many of which may even be in their own neighborhoods or communities!

Move to a Senior Living Community

Perhaps the best way for older adults to increase socialization is to move to a senior living community. These communities allow seniors to live close to other people their age, many of whom often share the same interests. Senior living communities also include many opportunities to socialize through planned activities, outings, exercise classes, volunteer opportunities, and many others!

Pines Village Retirement Communities, Inc. is a nonprofit senior living community in Valparaiso, Indiana, with two campuses: Pines Village and Meridian Woods. The Pines Village campus offers pet-friendly independent living apartments with the option to add assistive services à la carte or in packages. The Meridian Woods campus consists of maintenance-free paired homes and Campbell St. Cafe, which, in addition to being a restaurant open to the public, hosts events and acts as a meeting space for residents and local nonprofits. 

At Pines Village, we celebrate life by enriching the lives of older adults. We pride ourselves on our culture, which is driven by a passion for serving the residents, visitors, and staff of Pines Village as well as the greater Valparaiso community. Explore our senior apartment availability, learn more about our assisted living options, or contact us with any questions today!

A Guide for Transitioning to Senior Living

If you or a loved one has made the decision to transition to senior living, you’ve already taken an important step in improving safety, simplicity, and overall health in your life. There are several steps to complete before and during this transition, so taking them one at a time and doing your research can considerably reduce the stress of the process. There are plenty of helpful online resources on this subject, but this brief guide to transitioning to senior living can help you get started on understanding the main steps involved.

Downsizing

Whether you currently live in a condo or house, it’s likely that you’ll need to downsize somewhat so that your possessions will fit into your new home. Begin sorting through your belongings as early as possible and allow adequate time to do so. Although this process can be emotionally challenging, it can also be a liberating way to simplify your life. Consider offering items of sentimental value to loved ones. Keep comforting things you use and treasure on a daily basis, such as a favorite chair or teapot. You can find more downsizing tips here.

Selling Your Home

Selling homes was a laborious task before the arrival of the internet, but the process is now more streamlined. Start by researching realtors near you online; schedule interviews with likely matches before choosing one. Your realtor will post photos of your home on multiple real estate websites, reaching more prospective buyers. Important documents can be signed electronically from the comfort of your home. Create a start-to-finish timeline for this process and others, breaking each moving-related project into smaller ones so you can focus on one step at a time. 

Moving

If your loved ones are unable to assist you with moving, consider hiring professional movers from companies that specialize in senior moves. The National Association of Senior and Specialty Move Managers (NASMM) is the leading membership organization for Move Managers. Be sure to do your own research as well: check the company’s Better Business Bureau (BBB) score as well as customer reviews on apps like Angi and Yelp. Legitimate movers will have a Department of Transportation (DOT) number, a website, and a physical address listed on the website. They should also be licensed, bonded, and insured, and employees should be background-checked.

Choose the moving company and services that best fit your budget and needs. Ask logistical questions upfront, such as how staff will communicate with you and how the process will work. If you purchase additional insurance, clarify which items are covered and the dollar amount of coverage for each. To minimize the cost and risk of professional packing services, consider packing as many small, breakable, or irreplaceable items yourself as you can.

If possible, ask a loved one to accompany you on moving day to make sure that everything goes smoothly. If you’ll be coordinating the moving day on your own, be sure that movers have an itemized list of your possessions, which should have corresponding numbered stickers. Communicate with the movers as much as possible the day of the move while still allowing them to get to work. Check that they have the correct new address before they begin making trips.

Getting Acclimated

Your first few days and weeks in your new senior living home and community can seem overwhelming at first, but you can take steps to make this process easier and more comfortable. One thing to consider is to ask friends, family, or a move management company to completely set up your apartment so it’s ready to live in the day you move in. This can make things a lot less overwhelming. Know what will help you the most, whether that’s joining communal activities right away or taking time to recover from the move. It can help to put your favorite wall art and other decor out first, have a celebratory meal with family or friends, or have a loved one help you unpack. Then, start exploring community amenities and joining offered activities.

Enjoying The Benefits Of Senior Living

Congratulations! The most difficult aspects of transitioning to senior living are over, and it’s time to start enjoying your new community. Many older adults don’t realize that there are actually many significant benefits to this lifestyle. These include:

• Eliminating difficult or unpleasant chores. Maintenance and other staff will now take care of many strenuous or mundane tasks for you, such as landscaping, building and appliance maintenance, cleaning, cooking, and waste disposal.
  

• New opportunities to socialize. Senior living communities typically offer a variety of regularly scheduled group activities. This provides an opportunity to find out what you and your neighbors may have in common and to make new friends. You may find that you actually feel more socially connected after the move than you did before it.
  

• Increased safety. Spaces and surfaces in senior living campuses are designed with senior needs in mind. Many feature wider hallways, convenient handrails, bathroom modifications, and other details that will make you less likely to get injured. Some communities also offer a range of medical services depending on your needs, from simple alert devices for accidents to assisted living services for basic daily functions. These can provide considerable peace of mind to you and your loved ones.
  

• Transportation services. With this amenity offered by most senior living communities, you won’t have to rely on a loved one for a ride or worry about driving yourself around safely on a daily basis. 
  

• Healthier lifestyle. Having meals prepared for you can make it easier to eat a more nutritious diet, and exercise facilities will help keep you moving if you use them regularly. The activities your community offers will help maintain both physical and mental health and provide plenty of stimulation.
  

If you’re near Valparaiso, Indiana and ready to make the move to a senior living community, consider choosing Pines Village Retirement Communities. At Pines Village, we celebrate life by enriching the lives of older adults. We pride ourselves on our culture, which is driven by a passion for serving the residents, visitors, and staff of Pines Village as well as the greater Valparaiso community. Explore our senior apartment availability, learn more about our assisted living options, or contact us with any questions today!

How to Cope With Bereavement Overload

As you get older, it’s natural to experience the loss of your loved ones. It’s a natural part of life. However, when you experience multiple losses in quick succession, it can be overwhelming. Processing multiple losses at once isn’t easy and can lead to bereavement overload.

To help you understand the symptoms of bereavement overload and learn healthy coping strategies to help you live with your loss, we’ve outlined a full guide on the subject below.

What Are The Effects of Bereavement Overload?

When you experience bereavement overload, it could result in a number of clear symptoms. For example, you might find that you feel numb, and are unable to express your emotions. This can cause frustration and make you feel all the more overwhelmed.

Additionally, you might find yourself avoiding places and people that remind you of your loss. When it feels like your old memories trigger too much emotion to handle, you might isolate yourself from them, which could then prolong your grief.

It’s also very common to experience guilt after experiencing the loss of your loved ones. You might think about what you could have done differently to prevent the loss or think about how you took your lost loved ones for granted. 

If you’re experiencing any number of these symptoms following a loss, it’s important to learn to cope in healthy ways. For example, you may want to make a point to socialize with others instead of isolating yourself.

Helpful Coping Strategies

While grief can be daunting, healthy coping mechanisms can help you live through it. It isn’t always going to be easy to prioritize your mental health, but it’s necessary to do. Some strategies that will help you live with your loss include:

Talking to a loved one: It’s important to have people you can trust and talk to about your experience. Sometimes, just realizing that you aren’t alone is enough to help you live with your grief. 

Journaling: Similarly, a journal is a great outlet where you can articulate how you feel about your loss. Maybe you record old memories that you keep playing in your head. Maybe you write about how unfair it feels that you lost your loved ones. Once you record your feelings onto paper, it helps you accept the reality of what has happened.

Practice routines: In the beginning of experiencing an overwhelming loss, you might experience a huge loss of motivation. This is why routines are so important. Just having a routine of showering, eating and sleeping at the right times will help you stay grounded and healthy. In contrast, if you let your routines fall apart, it could cause you to feel even more overwhelmed.
As you cope with your loss, make sure to take care of your health in general. Sometimes simply feeding yourself the right meals and taking care of your body can go a long way toward keeping you grounded emotionally.

Final Thoughts

Even with the above strategies, your grieving process isn’t guaranteed to be easy. Losing a loved one never is. 

The truth is, your entire life changes when you experience the loss of someone important to you. You might experience grief for years down the road. But healthy self-care strategies can help you continue to move on with your life.

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Pines Village Retirement Communities, Inc. is a nonprofit senior living community in Valparaiso, Indiana, with two campuses: Pines Village and Meridian Woods. The Pines Village campus offers pet-friendly independent living apartments with the option to add assistive services à la carte or in packages. The Meridian Woods campus consists of maintenance-free paired homes and Campbell St. Cafe, which, in addition to being a restaurant open to the public, hosts events and acts as a meeting space for residents and local nonprofits. 

At Pines Village, we celebrate life by enriching the lives of older adults. We pride ourselves on our culture, which is driven by a passion for serving the residents, visitors, and staff of Pines Village as well as the greater Valparaiso community. Explore our senior apartment availability, learn more about our assisted living options, or contact us with any questions today.

Important Mental Health Tips for Seniors

Aging in place comes with so many changes as you transition into your senior years. It’s important to remember to take care of yourself and ensure that you are prioritizing your health through any journey you are on. Working on your physical health to mental health gives seniors the opportunity to continue to improve how they live a healthy lifestyle. Practicing routine mental health techniques contributes to better overall mental well-being. This is important for you as a senior as you go through major life changes as you age. Continue reading to discover some important mental health tips for seniors to follow and implement in their lives.

Healthy Mental Well-Being Tips

Mental health plays an essential role in our overall health. Taking care of your mental health and recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental health disorders will allow you to take the next step in your mental health journey. Starting your mental health journey will allow you to improve your quality of life. 

Stick to a Healthy Lifestyle

It has most likely been emphasized to you the importance of having a healthy and balanced diet. Getting enough fruits and vegetables, protein, dairy, and healthy fats in each meal you have is the goal. However, sometimes our diet can really lack some of the important nutrients we need. If you find yourself eating more junk food instead of reaching for a bowl of fruit or incorporating protein into every meal you have, it’s time to change that habit. Eating right contributes to having healthy mental well-being. Fueling your brain with good food is an easy step you can take to keep your mental health sharp.

Not only does having a good diet contribute to better mental health but so does getting exercise. It’s important for us to keep moving as we age to keep our bones and muscles strong. Taking a walk around your community with some close friends is an easy way to get in some movement and stay active. You can also switch it up and try some tai chi to help better your balance.  

You will also want to keep track of your sleep schedule. Getting enough sleep is essential for good brain function. When you have the proper amount of sleep, you will be able to easily focus the next day and have enough energy to be able to do any fun activities you have planned. And just like everything else, sleep is impacted as we age. If you feel like something isn’t right when you sleep, consider seeing your doctor.

On top of all this, the most important thing you want to stay on top of is making sure you are taking your medication. Ensure that you are taking your medication at the right times each day. If you see you are running low on a certain prescription, give your primary care physician a call to get it filled. Be sure to jot down any side effects you feel if you’ve started a new medication, as well.

Talk to Someone You Trust

Whether you are going through a period of grief or are experiencing depression or anxiety, it’s important to have a circle of people you trust to confide in. Having an outlet to release these feelings prevents you from being overwhelmed or stressed. Maybe getting together with a few of your neighbors and having conversations about what is going on in each other's lives is something that brings you relief. If this helps you feel relaxed and eases your feelings of anxiety, be sure to make this practice a priority for you. This will lead you to better emotional wellness.

Additionally, if you believe the emotions you are experiencing are more serious, find a mental health professional to talk to. Mental health can be a tough subject for some to come to terms with. It’s not uncommon for people to not want to ask for help; however, there is help available for you to take advantage of. Make an appointment with an online psychiatrist to discuss your mental health state and start your journey of mental growth. You a friend or family member can also research local mental health providers at Psychology Today.

Keep Busy

If you enjoy playing brain games or doing challenging puzzles, then you are keeping your brain function sharp. By doing mind games like crossword puzzles, you are stimulating your brain, which is needed more often as we age. Try blocking out 30 minutes a day to challenge yourself. If crosswords or sudoku puzzles aren’t your forte, try mastering a skill like knitting or baking.  

Another way to keep busy as you age is to socialize with others. Socializing will help you come out of or avoid feelings of isolation and loneliness. Spend time with your friends and family by trying new things, getting together for a meal, or enjoying some time outdoors. You can also join any clubs or attend any events your community might be hosting. Getting involved and making new connections will contribute to your overall happiness and mental health.

Trying out these techniques will uncover ways you can greatly improve your mental well-being. Whether you're going through a period of grief, isolation, or anxiety, there are resources available for you to utilize. Exploring these different coping mechanisms will help to manage any stress or anxiety you are experiencing. Switch your mindset today by treating your mental wellness just as important as your physical wellness. Having a healthy body and mind will leave you with great satisfaction.


At Pines Villages, we promote the importance of keeping healthy and establishing a lifestyle that leads to wellness and happiness. Keeping your health a top priority allows you to fully enjoy all that life has to offer.

Pines Village Retirement Communities, Inc. is a nonprofit senior living community in Valparaiso, Indiana, with two campuses: Pines Village and Meridian Woods. The Pines Village campus offers pet-friendly independent living apartments with the option to add assistive services à la carte or in packages. The Meridian Woods campus consists of maintenance-free paired homes and Campbell St. Cafe, which, in addition to being a restaurant open to the public, hosts events and acts as a meeting space for residents and local nonprofits. 

At Pines Village, we celebrate life by enriching the lives of older adults. We pride ourselves on our culture, which is driven by a passion for serving the residents, visitors, and staff of Pines Village as well as the greater Valparaiso community. Explore our senior apartment availability, learn more about our assisted living options, or contact us with any questions today.