In Florida, Seniors Are Safe From Winter’s Seasonal Hazards

The idea of Florida as a great place to spend your golden years is not a new one.  Before South Beach was full of ostentatious partygoers, it was full of retirees.  If you watch old episodes of Miami Vice, you will see that a disproportionate number of the extras are elderly; these were the actual residents of the area where the show was filmed.  There are emotional ones to retire to Florida as well as practical ones.  Yes, the seashell-hued sunsets and graceful wading birds are a sight for sore eyes behind thick glasses.  It’s nice to be able to go for a walk in your neighborhood 365 days per year.  From a practical standpoint, living in Florida is very affordable unless you are trying to buy a Star Island mansion or a snazzy condo overlooking Key Biscayne.  When you are above the age of 65, year-round warm weather isn’t just pleasant, but it also helps you actively avoid many of the dangers that seniors in colder climates face.  If you are thinking of making Florida your legal domicile, even if you still plan to spend the summer months up north where the rest of your family lives, contact an Orlando estate planning lawyer.

Winter Weather Is a Bummer for Seniors

Elderly people have an elevated risk of falling down and getting injured, no matter the weather.  Many times, the beginning of the end of a senior’s active lifestyle is an injury resulting from an accidental fall.  The risk of falling is higher on hilly terrain and on snow and ice.  You will not find these things in Central Florida.  You can maximize your chances of being able to keep up your exercise regimen for years to come simply by spending the winter in a place where you do not have to climb up an icy hill to get home from your daily walk.

Social isolation is terrible for the physical and mental health of seniors, and winter weather makes it worse.  Seniors who live alone are wise not to take the risk of shoveling the snow off of the walkway in front of their house.  If you have to wait until tomorrow afternoon until your nephew can shovel the snow from your walkway, that is a day and a half where you are stuck home alone.  Being alone in the winter makes the usual lonely senior problems worse.  Especially if your mobility is impaired, it’s hard to get to the thermostat or the supermarket; your risk of malnutrition and hypothermia increases.  It is possible to be lonely at home in Florida, but it is not possible to be lonely at home in the freezing cold.

Contact Gierach and Gierach About Settling in Sunny Florida

An estate planning lawyer can help you take the steps to making Florida your legal domicile for a happy, healthy retirement, even if you continue to live the snowbird life.  Contact Gierach and Gierach, P.A. in Orlando, Florida to discuss your case.

Source:

co.delaware.ny.us/departments/shrf/docs/wintersafety_tips.pdf