Redmond-based Emerald Communities is planning a new retirement community in Gig Harbor. According to the nonprofit organization, the “life care” retirement facility will be unique and feature “the most innovative concepts, designs and approaches in senior living.” It will be Gig Harbor’s first CCRC (type A continuing care retirement community).
Heron’s Key is planned for a 17-acre site in the Harbor Hill area that will reportedly include 170 independent-living apartments, along with duplex cottages, assisted-living suites and 45 private rooms offering skilled nursing. The anticipated completion date is in 2017. Rice Fergus Miller of Bremerton is developing the master plan and the project is undergoing design review process through the city of Gig Harbor. read more »
Kathy DeLosReyes discovered the Kindle e-reader by necessity several years ago while undergoing chemotherapy. A voracious reader who reads more than one book at a time, she realized the convenience of taking the device with her to treatment instead of carrying several books.
Since then, she has accumulated a collection of about 9,000 e-books, most of them free. And not only has DeLosReyes upgraded her Kindle a couple of times, she has added to her collection of e-readers and tablets — she currently owns a Kindle, a Nook, an iPad and an Android tablet.
“I like my toys,” she says. “When the iPad came out, it was perfect for me because I wanted a toy that I could take with me to watch movies, listen to music and play games. You have a home entertainment center all wrapped into a 7- or 8-inch device,” she says. read more »
A senior center for Belfair has been in the dream stage for a few years, but a loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture could bring the funding total to the stage of groundbreaking. Faith in Action of West Sound, a local nonprofit spearheading the project, has applied for a $1 million loan that would close the gap in the $3.7 million funding needed for the first phase.
Faith in Action, based in Belfair, helps low-income seniors and the disabled from the West Sound area with services that range from transportation to emergency cash. The organization anticipates that the senior center would serve a total of 7,000 people ages 55 and up in North Mason and as many as 20,000 more in South Kitsap.
The idea behind the proposed facility, nicknamed the Hub, is to also be a center for the community, providing space for other nonprofits and hosting classes and events for all ages. read more »
When it’s time to travel, Mike and Billie Henry don’t make flight reservations, book hotel rooms or download a road map and driving directions from Google.
The retired Bremerton couple just load their supplies on the Peachy Keen and go north to Alaska on the comfortable 49-foot boat they’ve had for a quarter-century. read more »
When Danna Webster moved from Colorado to the Key Peninsula more than 10 years ago after retiring from a 27-year elementary teaching career, she knew she wanted to meet new people. The best way, she thought, was by finding interesting groups and going to their meetings. She found such a group that was working on restoring Rocky Creek Conservation area, not far from her new home.
Then she found another group, and another.
In the 12 years since she’s moved to the community, Webster has been involved with at least a dozen local organizations, many of which were in formative stages. Currently the president of the Key Peninsula Community Council, she volunteers nearly full time, including weekends. read more »
For some people retirement means they’ve left a career, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they no longer need or want to be employed, even at an age when many peers have left the world of work behind.
Labor Department statistics from 2012 show that nearly 3 in 10 civilian workers in the U.S. were age 60 or older, and according to U.S. News & World Report, nearly a third of men and women age 65 to 69 are still in the workforce. In a recent national survey of Americans between the ages of 45 and 60, almost two-thirds of respondents said they planned to delay retirement.
One possibility in such circumstances is becoming an entrepreneur.
Randy Kuckuck, for example, was a corporate executive who found himself out of a job a few years ago after he oversaw a merger of two companies that operated online sources for media and entertainment information. read more »
Richard Tizzano has practiced law for 20 years, including more than a decade in Poulsbo (www.legalpeaceofmind.com). He limits his practice to estate planning and elder law, as well as guardianships and adoptions. Tizzano, who was also a minister for 10 years, was the co-founder of Kitsap Alliance of Resources for Elders (KARE) and served as president for three years. As part of KARE, he has been educating the community about different aspects related to elder law and awareness of senior issues.
The Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal talked with Tizzano about legal topics related to aging. read more »
Edward Jones Financial Advisor Donald Logan of Silverdale is hosting a free 60-minute educational seminar titled “Retirement has changed. What’s your next move?” at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20 at Edward Jones, 2416 NW Myhre Road, Suite 102 in Silverdale.
These days, when people “retire,” they have many decisions to make. Work part time? Volunteer? Go back to school? Whatever the decision, they need to be financially prepared. read more »
You won’t be able to withdraw an unlimited amount of money in retirement. So a retirement budget is a necessity. Some retirees forego one, only to regret it later.
Run the numbers before you retire. Often people need about 70-80 percent of their end salaries in retirement, but this can vary. So years before you leave work, sit down for an hour or so (perhaps with the financial professional you know and trust) and take a look at your probable monthly expenses. Online calculators can help. read more »
