Interesting Concept ~ Cruising vs. Assisted Living

[sail7seas]

Oh Heather......

 

 

I truly am sorry. It isn't usually like me to be the negative one. You're right.....I should not have opened the clouds to pour down on your fantasy!! :) And what a lovely dream it is.

 

Please forgive me? I'll find a way to make it up to the 'soon to be' birthday girl. :cool:

[HeatherInFlorida]

Sail ... you know I was only teasing, right?:p If forgiveness is necessary, which it is not, than it is done. Funny thing is, I love the rain. Strange, aren't I?

 

This birthday marks the 1st anniversary of my 1st SS check (sssshhhhh;) ).

 

Yikes:eek: !

[Grumpy1]

Will the ship's doctor accept Medicare assignment?:)

[sail7seas]

...and I hope you get a whole big pile more of them. Go ahead....bankrupt the system and there won't be any left for us 'young uns!!1 :D Geez....we're hoping we'll get at least a few puny checks!!

 

We have more than enough rain today in Boston to make even the ducks happy!!! We'll send it south!!! :) It has rained non-stop all day.

[sail7seas]

Will the ship's doctor accept Medicare assignment?:)

 

No, Grumpy....Sorry, but I think not.

[sail7seas]

I had to go out early today in the pouring rain for a few medical tests and I had planned to run by TA's on my way home to 'inquire' about Noordam. (I know I said I wouldn't even think about it until we returned from Veendam but it has been rolling around in my head. ) May as well get whatever facts/figures she may have and I can raise the subject with DH while we are on Veendam. ;)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Great, Sail! I'll be interested to hear if your TA has any info. I got a little more info from EKerr by email, but she decided not to post it because we don't know anythng for sure yet and why add to the pile of conjecture.

I took my SS early just so I would at least get back what I put in;) . As to you "youngun's", that will depend on where on the youth scale you fall:D . Hopefully there will be enough for you to get your fair share. As for me, it makes me feel like I'm contributing to the homefront. Without that, DH would be doing more than his fair share (well, he does anyway, but psychologically I feel better:) )

[sail7seas]

Good for you, Heather. You're smart. Who knows if we'll ever see a dime of all we put in???

 

We are not eligible yet and will not be for some years. DH is still very active in his practice and has no retirement thoughts whatsoever. I simply stopped working years ago and LOVE it. Wish I could say I feel guilty not contributing....but, alas....I don't. :o DH's motto is that if I am happy; then everyone is happy. If I am not-----he knows he will not be!!!

[HeatherInFlorida]

Absolutely! I love not working, too. Stopped only a year ago for good.

I gave a dear friend a plaque that said "When Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy".

DH is still working, too, but we're further down the path then you. Actually, just last night he told me he's thinking about retirement. But he's an architect, so if he does retire he could continue on a consultant basis (please dear heaven because I don't know what I'll do when he's around the house all the time;) )!!

[sail7seas]

:D I love my DH dearly but have always told him I married him for better or worse.....but NOT for LUNCH. I do not think we'd love it if he were around the house all day!!! ;) (except when it is lunch time on board an HAL ship....Love choosing from whatever yummies Lido is offering).

[Vicar]

This cruise ship assisted living arrangement sounds pretty good to me. Alas I am only 37 so I have a looooooooong ways to go, although some days I feel like I am ready right now *LOL*

 

S7S and Heather , its so funny to hear you talking about being home with DHs all day long after retirement. Just over Thanksgiving my aunt had us laughing how my uncle drives her crazy, " if I go to the bathroom, when I come back, he asks where did I go" *LOL* "I tell him I have been going to the bathroom for all these years and you just start noticeing now?" :)

[Lefty Bob]

Why not have 2 couples share. One at the home for 6 months and the other at sea. The ones at home could take care of medical, etc. while the other is at sea. Then switch. Just a thought.

[wander]

About 20 years ago a friend and I, during a bad day at work in a hospital, thought up the idea of a appropriately staffed nursing home cruise ship. While it was all in jest, we really liked the idea and thought it had some potential. Just think - would it not be nicer to be able to say "we sent mom on cruise" than "we put mom in a nursing home"?

[bepsf]

Gosh - i felt like I was the young one, then Vicar chimed in....

(Thanks, Sir)

 

I honestly don't expect anything from SS - I live and spend as quickly as it comes in...

 

I hope to be like my friend Hal. He sells women's shoes at Saks Fifth Avenue here in SF - he's in his 70's, has enough money to get by and uses his income from work to go out to dinners, do cocktails in the evenings and take 2-3 cruises/year. He's been on 28 cruises so far.....

[HeatherInFlorida]

.........S7S and Heather , its so funny to hear you talking about being home with DHs all day long after retirement. Just over Thanksgiving my aunt had us laughing how my uncle drives her crazy, " if I go to the bathroom, when I come back, he asks where did I go" *LOL* "I tell him I have been going to the bathroom for all these years and you just start noticeing now?" :)

Vicar:D ... the fear of DH home all the time puts fear in the hearts of women everywhere ... your aunt being no exception. I already started "training" DH about no lunches on weekends. I used to make lunch ... no more;) .

Lefty, great idea! Sounds like a great plan to me ... instead of a "jobshare", it would be a "liveshare".

wander, couldn't agree more. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Heather and sails

We retired 7 years ago - wow - it doesn't seem like that long ago.

DH is home for lunch - although we sometimes go out for lunch. And I don't mind it at all.

[Vicar]

Heather,

 

I know what you mean in a way.

 

Fiancee and I have only actually lived together for a little over two years and as crazy as we are about eachother, every now and again, if we are alone too long in the house together, we will grate on eachothers nerves *LOL*

 

I think it was Bette Davis, who once said the key to a successful marriage is separate bedrooms, separate bathrooms, and separate vacations .

 

Well I don't know about the bedroom and vacation thing. But the bathroom thing is right on the mark, and a separate place for her to do her work, and separate TVs is a must in our house *LOL*

[mango14217]

sounds like a good plan to me.

[AmyinVail]

DH and I are only 33, but what a concept! Time to start up a separate investment to fund our never-ending retirement cruise. Now, how do I word that to my advisor.....hmmm..... What a fabulous idea!

[HeatherInFlorida]

Heather, .......... I think it was Bette Davis, who once said the key to a successful marriage is separate bedrooms, separate bathrooms, and separate vacations .

 

Well I don't know about the bedroom and vacation thing. But the bathroom thing is right on the mark, and a separate place for her to do her work, and separate TVs is a must in our house *LOL*

Absolutely!!! Agree 100%. Follow that rule and you'll live happily ever after:D

[Vicar]

Heather,

 

Well the separate TVs are definately a must.

 

Why??????

 

One Word

 

LIFETIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

*LOL*

[Toots]

Here's another version of the "live on board" story that we got a big kick out of.

 

Subject: NO NURSING HOME IN MY FUTURE!!!

 

There will be no nursing home in my future.........

When I get old and feeble, I am going to get on a Cruise Ship. The

average cost for a nursing home is $200 per day. I have checked on

reservations on the Silver Sea with a long term discount and senior

discount price of $200 per day.

 

1. Gratuities are paid for as part of the plan.

 

2. I will have as many as 10 meals a day if I can waddle to the

restaurant, or I can have room service ( which means I can have breakfast in

bed every day of the week). Drinks are the bar are also free.

 

3. There is the heated swimming pool, two hot tubs, a workout room, free

washers and dryers, and shows every night.

 

4. They have free toothpaste and razors, and free soap and shampoo.

 

5. They will even treat you like a customer, not a patient.

 

6. I will get to meet new people every 7or 14 days.

 

7. T.V. broken? Light bulb need changing? Need to have the mattress

replaced? No Problem! They will fix everything and apologize for your

inconvenience.

 

8. Clean sheets and towels every day, and you don't even have to ask for

them.

 

9. If you fall in the nursing home and break a hip you are on Medicare.

 

If you fall and break a hip on the Princess ship they will upgrade you to a

suite for the rest of your life.

 

Now hold on for the best! Do you want to see South America, the Panama

Canal, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, or name where you want to go?

Princess will have a ship ready to go. So don't look for me in a nursing

home, just call shore to ship.

 

P.S. And don't forget, when you die, they just dump you over the side of

the ship at no extra charge.

[Vicar]

Toots,

 

You have certainly sold me on the idea :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Toots, I love it!!!!

 

Vicar, :D LOL ... you never disappoint;) .

[Golfgrl1911]

It is with great interest that I've been following this thread. Being the corporate executive chef for a company that owns 17 nursing homes, 2 assisted living facilities and 1 retirement village, I want to make the dining experience for our customers as wonderful as possible (better than living at home). Prior to my first HAL cruise I implemented a "fine dining" program in our facilities. We have linen & lace table coverings, linen napkins, tasteful centerpieces, a menu for our residents to choose their meal from (all of our meals are made from scratch recipes), soft music, a dessert cart to choose from and a server to wait on them (no tipping please!). For the first time in the history of our company we actually have weight gain issues! After having cruised with HAL I came up with several other ideas to implement as well. Appetizers & soups to choose from prior to the entree, a display cart so the resident can actually see what the meal will be presented like, a hostess to seat the resident and a more extensive menu for the resident to choose from. For the person who is not physically able to live on a cruise ship during their twilight years (an idea I'm actually keen on) I am striving to make their experience as "cruise like" as possible in the dining aspect. If anyone has any further ideas please feel free to let me know keeping in mind that most nursing homes are on a strict budget. Thanks, Chef Nancy:)