First of all I think resale should be the least of your concerns, especially if you live in a funadamentally desirable neighborhood. Being able to stay in your home safely is worth a LOT. But I would make your renovations keeping in mind how easy it would be for someone else to turn the space back into what it was. The biggest trick I would think is creating a first floor bathroom that is old-age friendly but not the only 1st floor bathroom. Is there a powder room on the 1st floor?

Also, have you considered renovating the upstairs for all your old-age needs and installing a lift or elevator?

Oh my gosh, i thought this was my girlfriend asking this as we literally are in the same situation.

We are going with first floor suite because it enables us to either sell the home and age out elsewhere, or have it be our forever home. For me there is peace of mind of having both options.

i think if we do sell, pitential buyers will have that same peace; that it can be kept or sold since it does have a first floor master suite. And the stats show kids are not moving out even after college now, making bedroom space a need over living space.

With all girls, people lament that i dont have a son, but i suspect they will come as son in laws and neber leave!! 😀😀😀

Talk to a RE agent to see what is most desirable in your area.

How big is your house? 5 bedrooms nowadays seems a bit excessive.

Who's going to be cleaning the upstairs. Is the upstairs on a separate heating/cooling zone?

5 bedrooms isn't excessive if people need home offices.

I'd stop talking to people who "lament" I don't have a son.

It could make sense for you to convert to a first floor primary bedroom. But maybe it makes sense when you can't easily do stairs to downsize to a smaller one floor house or condo.

Here are a lot of questions that go into the equation: How old are you now? If you are able to age in place, how many more years do you imagine staying in this home before selling it? How many people live in your home now and who uses the other three bedrooms at the moment? Is the entry to your home level? Do you have a basement that you use?

Kendrah said most of it. Plus the house needs to keep a downstairs powder room at least.

It’s not something I would do unless the house/ lot/ location is really dreamy and you think it’s still your target city. Which are things that change as kids leave home or you retire, as school zones and work commutes are priority any more, plus yard work looms larger— hence questions about overall “ aging in place” attributes of your home.

Because of being left with a large upstairs to maintain, though of course some families fill that up while visiting during holidays. And , in part the idea that the renovation will be a big investment and potentially you may have other parts of the house that could use attention or you’d enjoy a lot before your “ later years “. Re- sale would be all over the map, not predictable. A downstairs MBR or in- law / guest en suite can be a big selling point. But then families with several kids or multi- generation living often like having more than one “living room”-like a TV room and a parlor — and need dining space. So the configuration of the house matters a bit, but not as much as whether the renovation is what’s best for YOU. Including if, you’re already tired of being upstairs but don’t envision trying to find a different house now.

If this is a single family home how do you feel about yard work? Do you do it yourself? Can you afford to pay someone else to do it if or when you can't do it anymore? Chairlifts aren't very expensive (especially compared to a major remodeling project) and work well for people with mobility issues if you really don't want to move. Remodeling is expensive and disruptive.

Three years ago we moved from a large single family home to a townhouse with a first floor master. DH doesn't miss the yard work. Now we don't expect to have to move again unless we need assisted living at some point, and even then you can get home care if you want instead. Maybe you don't have opportunities in the area you live for alternatives to a single family home, but if you do, think about it. I loved the area we lived in - we lived there over 30 years, but we only moved 16 miles away and are so happy we did. Your mileage may vary. :-)

I think this needs some serious pro help and someone honest to give you advice. I love my TV not in my LR so it would not work for me. I guess the new idea is 2 master suites I have no idea why . I do agree if this is oyur "forever " home do it if the stairs are already an issue. I think a stair lift would be cheaper when the time comes but I have no idea of the market where you live .

Aging can be a really long process with a lot of different needs along the way. Many tasks can be made more simple between how you live now and assisted living or in-home help. Needing a chair lift doesn't begin to cover it.

My parents purchased a house in their 50s with a master on the first floor. They were really thinking ahead. In their early 70s they jumped at a chance to buy a great three bedroom apartment. What had changed? A lot.

Arthritis - they were and still are fully capable of walking up a flight of stairs. But they are glad to not do it daily. There is a huge grey area between being fit and needing a chair lift. They are glad to not have to walk stairs to their basement laundry or to a second floor, where they used an extra bedroom as an office.

They are thrilled to not worry about a lawn or shoveling a walkway or driveway. They are so glad to not have to maintain a large home.

Their lives also changed. Their house was in the suburbs and they got tired of driving so much. They moved back into the city where they can take transit, but most importantly any where they drive is a much shorter drive than when they lived in the burbs. Their doctors are half a mile away now. They have so many more friends in the city. Their whole social life takes place in a two mile radius. They can take a bus.

If you get too old to do housework it won't matter if you are living in a condo or in your downstairs former living room. You will still need someone to come clean the house. Condos don't maintain the grounds for free. They charge you fees. Also, it is not cost free to move. Not only is there the financial expense you also have to do all the other mechanics of a move, involving paperwork, de-furnishing and re-furnishing -- which can be incredibly time consuming and not cheap.

I already pay someone else to shovel my snow, break up the ice and mow the lawn in nice weather. I don't like taking the bus -- especially not during a pandemic.

I plan to stay in my house even if I can no longer walk up the stairs, knock wood. If it makes sense for me to actually sleep on the first floor rather than have a lift up the stairs, I'm not going to worry too much how it looks as long as it functions. I'll be too old to care! I'll close off the room with doors. Nobody comes into our upstairs bedroom now and they wouldn't be coming into a downstairs one.

The small full bath downstairs in my house is also the guest powder room but the tub is completely behind a pleasant curtain so it's not too personal feeling, and there is closed cabinetry. This bathroom can also be reached from the hallway without intruding into private space.

I can start an entire list of things that can go wrong with the plan to age "in place"....but I'd need a ton of ink.

Everyone wants to get carried out on a slab, feet first. It rarely happens. I've downsized my own parents, client's, parents of clients, helped clients help THEIR parent/s who refused to heed the warning signs - helped them when they're a decade older than me, and are now nearly dead from the exhaustion of helping a parent !

OHHHHHHHH That won't be me!! That's all those other old people! No, of course it won't. Right O!.

I know far far too many folks, for whom the burden of aging in place is far MORE than stairs or a nearby bath.

But again..it's a list.

If you believe you can manage care coming and going in your home in your elderly years? You are watching WAY WAY too much tv , already. Get out and take a brisk walk while you can, and before you need that adoring woman snapping your nightie shut, or walking you out to the mailbox.: ) Please, just trust me.

Next week I will have dinner with a snappy , sharp, ninety five year old lady, who became a gal pal cross between mom and girlfriend. I moved her to independent senior living five years ago, from a 3500 sq foot house to about 1600 sq feet

"I'm one of the inmates now" lol......except she is NOT.

She's sharp as a tack, plays bridge, loves sports, is free as a bird to cook, not cook. She has a ride to church. Mini bus to the grocery store . If it rains she has "her" meal or their restaurant meals, ( delicious btw, (yes booze of choice) They brush her car free of snow, every sidewalk is always snow/ice free. All maintenance is a split nano second and her apartment?! I could move in tomorrow. I have to book in advance with her, or find her datebook filled with cronie dinners or some event in the "community"..... or post pool aerobics or Tai Chi and she's kicking back : )

Most important part of this? She is not isolated. Isolation is deadly, and as far as I am concerned will kill you faster than any disease you can imagine.

There is no end of assisted living for people who want that. Don't let other people scare your into it if you don't want that. Here's something scary: The biggest chunk of people who have died during the pandemic have been in congregate care. Even without a pandemic I wouldn't want to be in assisted living.

Don't trust Jan. Seriously. Click on her name and read her other posts and her sensitivies. She just likes pushing people around -- now into nursing homes!

Condo fees are exorbitant, at least in my area. I just saw a condo in my town on-line (I always look). It is $900,000. and the condo fee is $3500.00 a month (and there is not a guarantee that it will not go up). All that would do is give us outside maintenance and outside insurance. Everything inside the condo is on us...same electric bill (high), same inside insurance bill (only on personal effects), same Comcast/Infinity bill and then there is property tax.

Multiply that by 12 months. We could stay in our home with landscaping help, and housekeeping for a fraction of that yearly tab and still have money for all the rest.

Important for all of you in your 50's, 60's...look into long term care. This is the time to get it when you are still healthy. Premiums will be lower.

My suggestion is to go ahead with the master on the first floor. You have a family room, so, you still have a living room...no matter what you call it.

As for the five bedrooms, so what? Perfect area for your live in caregiver and spouse. Maybe spouse can do the yard work.

Just make sure you design the new bathroom so it meets handicapped requirements.

BTW, you will never "be too old to care". How insensitive to make a remark about a very important life decision.

"Assisted LIVING?"

Does what I just described sound like "assisted" living? Assisted living these days, courtesy of demographics is generally loaded with folks who at one time might have been in a nursing home. the point of no return. Many can't dress unassisted, tie a shoe, remember pills, may even have dementia or a host of other woes.

Senior independent!!! living is literally the care free version of home or condo or apartment living.

I don't mind If you hate my guts, but kindly DO sound off on something you know well. This is not one of those things.

I'd invite you to abandon the screen name, come on over and put your "two cents" right to the face - an actual person you do not even know , but enough with the school girl or boy bully B.S. You are a coward. Use your NAME. Whatever it is.

As to using both living and dining for a primary suite?

You'd lose a dining room, certainly. - leaving just a breakfast nook? It may also be a surprise to find the space doesn't fit adequate anything, including closet space.

A floor plan, the house itself, the neighborhood....all come into play. Resale? If you die in the house, it doesn't matter. But the route to the end could be quite crowded: ) or a lot more crowded than you now imagine.

I think the focus would be on the pros& cons list of the OP, some ideas for same were suggested. More about, is this the house you’d like to be in when you can’t do stairs, or even perhaps your current MBR layout not great & you could get something more luxurious ( convenient, fun, whatever) in your custom remodel. What are estimated costs compared to buying a smaller house ( not sure why condo took over as only option). Age matters somewhat insofar as that question was aimed at, how far into the future do you remodel TODAY ( this year or 2). Which loops back to whether the remodel offers a lot of current advantages that will be enjoyed even if you sell before really “ needing it”. But also, you have to do the remodel before you need it. So some people look at it not just for “ aging” and frailty but, some security for unexpected illness or injury at any time, without moving from a house and property you’re still enjoying.

These are just food for thought things to help OP look at different angles— which sometimes also sparks new design ideas for said remodel. It’s not about, you must do it/ you must move.

The other thing I do feel is helpful is to look at some homes in the area that are one level ( likely smaller). Not just “ senior homes” ! The thing that’s hard is that many “ regular “ houses do not have the full barrier- free shower or maneuverable rooms, halls, doors, even if the bathrooms have been beautifully remodeled . So one can find themselves moving, but still facing some degree of reno. However the new property might have other desirable features for the future , might be a house that’s more worth renovating, more amenable to modifications. No one here knows enough details to even take a stab at that.

Kendrah asked important questions:

How old are you now? If you are able to age in place, how many more years do you imagine staying in this home before selling it? How many people live in your home now and who uses the other three bedrooms at the moment? Is the entry to your home level?

I'll add,

How long do you plan on working?

Is the home paid off?

If you're not using the four upstairs rooms, what will become of those? storage?

Do you have current knee or back problems?

do you or your other have health concerns now, or concerns that may worsen as you age?

Will you have children that will live w/you as you get older? what about grandchildren?

What about yard work? Are you on a large lot?

Why so worried about resale? If you make those changes and you live in the home until you pass, what does resale have to do w/any of it? (besides, rooms can be changed back. not a big deal in the big scheme of things) Are you thinking of passing on the home to a relative? (Do a living trust so that the home isn't tied up in probate)

Downstairs master suites are becoming popular, so I wouldn't even worry about it.

I would think that selling your current home and moving into a 1-story home with a small yard and smaller sq footage would be better. If you have large equity in your current home, that will also give you a financial cushion as you get on in years.

My parents sold their home for a very nice profit and moved closer to me so I could help. they were both pretty healthy although my dad had lost a lot of his vision. He was in great health other than the eyes and some arthritis. They moved into a slighly larger home w/a larger yard. My husband and I would help them w/regular house things and some remodels. There were no issues. Until my mom died.

that's another issue that needs addressing. what if one spouse goes before the other. Will that last spouse be able to handle the home? The yard? Is there enough money to hire people to take up the slack? Kids that can come and help?

As you can see, there are a myriad of questions and answers that need to be addressed, impact of resale shouldn't even matter.

My parents have been gone nearly 18 years -passed a mere seven weeks apart.

They lived in the second of the only two homes they owned for 45 years.......until they didn't.

Thirty three of those years? Fantastic! A handy "can do" dad, a mom who loved yard work so much, nobody else was allowed to touch her walk behind Honda. Girls with enough work ethic to pitch in for weekend window/ screen washing, followed by just hanging around for dinner and laughing at the "old days" .

The last 10 years began the slide and the final year ? I'll call that n.i.g.h.t.m.a.r.e for all concerned. When one parent starts to fail, it's an issue, but when one has dementia, and the other fails physically? You have opened the gates of hell.

You can't leave the demented alone in the house, the other is in a hospital, out, back in. Repeat. Pneumonia, to heart failing to kidney failure to dialysis in this case. But the only dialysis chair available is 8:00 pm/ out of the chair at midnight. Three times every week. Who is the ride? Me. One sister.

You'll get "help" .....................................right O.

Let's just say it became so completely untenable, so unimaginably unmanageable, that the move to ASSISTED living saved all. Did dad go willingly? No. I wish. The mayor of their lovely hood did not. Who pushed them out? Me. It was them OR me at that point.

But- it is worth mentioning his health rebounded for 18 months to thrive despite that dialysis chair. The dialysis was on site with a limo ride to the door and lunch brought to their unit after Dad missed lunch while in the chair. It absolved me and the sister of "the watchover" ?.......no. We remained a daily presence. But the "he fell, he's fine" call came at six am, not two am. Mom found an equally fragile minded friend - one not terrified of her dementia: ) Far too much ink required for more, other than this:

If Dad were alive today? Here's what he'd say.

I WISH we'd gone four years earlier. We missed/skipped right over the independent option. The beautiful, manageable, 2 bedroom units with the lovely patio. Honestly? The house was a total pain in the ass - our winters in Florida no longer possible with mom as she was. There's a lot more, but I was a stubborn, obstinate, mule . I just wish we'd gone a whole lot earlier. The end.

I sense you don't really want to resort to sacrificing your living room and dining room. With five bedrooms already, plus a family room and a living room, at least check out the option of installing an elevator somewhere. An architect could be really helpful. The price range can be enormous for architects. You might find a manageable path is to find a really good local contractor capable of doing just about any job and having subcontractors, including some architects. That's how I met who I call my architect. They can help you fully understand what is possible for your home. They also are well connected with other contractors, so when my first contractor got sloppy, I was able to get one much better.

For those of us who want to age at home, It is very easy to say ”I will have home health care” but try sourcing and paying for that type of care - we have many family and friends dealing with this, it is brutal

this week: a friend’s home health worker said, “just grabbing something from my car” then got in and drove off - they still can’t source a replacement and they pay well above market prices

we should all be cautious about assuming that care will be available when we need/want it

I agree @la_la Girl that could happen to anyone. As it could to any "solution". Even my idea of hoping my child and spouse and grandkids could help PLUS a service I pay will fall through at some points. We each just have to plan for the worst, hope for the best, and take what comes. There's no right or wrong here except failing to try... something.

Yes......B.R.U.T.A.L

Right now, I have an older friend and client whose DH is awaiting hip surgery, and in constant pain. Unsteady and stubbornly resisting his walker most days. Add to that a total hearing loss, ( needs daily help with his hearing aids ) and has some cognitive issues following a stroke a few years back.. Some incontinence - every night.

Solution: The night nurse.......and she IS wonderful, a gem, a real find. She is also 300.00 smackeroos per night. They're in week four now, surgery is a week away, and she will be needed post surgery, for a another two weeks minimum. Do the math.

I get 14,700. Assuming all goes well following surgery.

@Jan Moyer or anyone else with experience, what are the pitfalls of long-term care insurance? I got in really early and kept up but am wondering if it was all a rip-off.

I have no experience with LTC. The health care industry has changed SO much, and not for the better.

I'd review that policy, check Medicare etc. The when, the where, the how long. Who dictates the facility, etc..

I only know one thing: We should all have a baby sitting job at age ten, keep working and saving until you can not. .............: )

Thanks @Jan Moyer you have just bolstered my desire to NOT retire! 😁

@KL I have a lot of experience with long term care plans. I have 3 family members who have used their LTC plans, all described as the Cadillac, gold plated plans, therefore I only know the pit falls of what the very top level plans include. Even with the pitfalls, they were worth it. I imagine if you cannot afford a top tier plan, it might not be worth it. My FIL didn't have LTC but had a lot of money. Seeing how much we paid for really good care without LTC, there is no way you can do it if you do not have significant wealth.

1. Not you nor your doctor determine how much care is needed, the LTC company does. They send someone to evaluate and make a determination based on need. It may not match what you actually know your loved one needs. (Not an issue for two family members but was for one.)

2. The care is only for the patient, not to help with household support for their partner who may be in varying levels of decline but not yet qualify for LTC, or for a partner or kid who is busy refilling Rx's, scheduling appointments, arguing with health insurance, and is emotionally exhausted and could use extra household support. (You could always hire for extra hours above what you are reimbursed for and pay for those hours yourself.)

3. Some LTC plans will only cover caregivers from an agency, some will cover private caregivers. Most have regulations about caregivers having specific training. This was our biggest problem. We fought tooth and nail to get reimbursed for my Uncle's caregiver who was not from an agency nor a CNA, but was the most skilled caregiver I have ever met. (She still comes to family gatherings even though my uncle died 4 years ago.)

The vast majority of caregivers from agencies are terrible. Those who excel at this job can charge $30 - $40/hour as private pay, get jobs word of mouth, and are never without a job. Agency caregivers earn half that amount and jump from job to job.

You can ask about all of these limitations when you are purchasing a plan. And, ask if the terms are allowed to change over time or if what is promised when you buy-in is what you are owed in 20 years. And, what will happen to the plan if the insurance company is bought and sold.

"Condo fees are exorbitant, at least in my area. I just saw a condo in my town on-line (I always look). It is $900,000. and the condo fee is $3500.00 a month (and there is not a guarantee that it will not go up). All that would do is give us outside maintenance and outside insurance."

Holy smokes. That is outrageous. Does that fee not also cover property taxes, any utilities or amenities? Is it for a high floor unit?

I'm actually much more familiar with coop fees than condo. My parents live in a mid-sized incredibly affordable city, pay $1700/month in coop monthly fee for a 3 bedroom in a very well maintained 1960s building, and it pays for: all property taxes, building maintenance, maintenance of plumbing issues within their unit, all utilities, cable, internet, trash collection, two indoor valet parking spaces, two storage lockers - one in the basement and one on their floor, a 24 hour door attendant, fitness club, beautiful roof deck, building activities. They have a good stable reserve, for example the whole building just got all new, good quality windows and there was no extra charge. I think it is a quite a deal! I don't know any home owners who live in a city, within a blocks of major hospitals and cultural institutions, and can pay $20k a year and get all of that.

I live in a coop in Manhattan. My apartment cost 7 times what my parents paid. I pay $2800 in monthly fees for a large two bedroom, 12th floor, top notch views, and it pays for all property taxes, building maintenance, maintenance of plumbing issues within our unit, live-in super, all utilities, 18 hour a day doorman plus 24 hour a day security guards, trash collection, roof deck, very nice private children's playground, many acres of stunning grounds and gardens on the Hudson. We have access to but have to pay extra for parking, fitness club, rental of community room, and cheapest internet in the world - $10/month! This also covers capital improvements, new windows, new gas lines, new brick pointing, new roof. However, we have had some additional assessments because our reserve was not well managed for many years in the early 2000s.

I will be 77 next month I did retire from my job in Calgary but still work here in Creston both doing catering and design work. We bought this house for the sole reason that in a pinch we can live on the main floor and the walkout can be changed to a suite if needed. I am very healty )knock on wood) but hubby not as good. I am so aginast condo living I do not want to be told what I can and can't do in my home . We are selling our house only becuase the work to keep it up is now pretty much my job and I just want a yard that is flat to work in. I probably will not ever really stop working . I have arthritis I take CBD oil , bestter than any other medication and I go to the gym 5 days a week. I am hoping my health stys and my mind is sharp for a long time yet. I do agree aging in place is more than a cahir lift but eliminating spaces I use for entertaining would be a huge nono for me.

Jan is absolutely correct ! I dealt with many of the same issues with my parents. Trust me, relying on home health care is a nightmare, it it’s very expensive and difficult to find someone competent & trustworthy.. One of the hardest decisions we’ve ever made was to sell our beautiful two story home by the ocean here in a wonderful beach city here in So Cal, we loved our neighborhood & the house. The floorplan made installing an elevator not an option & we both nixed the idea of a chair lift , too ”nursing home” for us. But reality hit us in the face when our elderly neighbor fell down his stairs & unfortunately , died as a result. Same thing happened to a heathy, 61 year old friend about the same time. We started searching for a single level, with NO steps or levels inside for more than two years. Thankfully, we found a beautiful single level near the beach ,nice neighborhood, Best decision ever & hopefully, when the time comes, we’ll have enough sense to move to a nice ( there are many here ) independent assisted living community.

So much of this comes down to money, how big is your retirement savings, how much equity do you have in your home, and do you have family with times and ability to help.

But also in play are the norms around you. My family and I have always lived in East Coast cities for generations. Apartment living is second nature, and houses are three stories. A single floor home is utterly rare to find.

@Kendrah… actually none in our former neighborhood, all 2 or 3 stories , as a consequence we expanded our search , it took more than two years to find something.

And to those talking about family members with the time & ability to “help “. Don’t count on that ! I always considered our family to be close knit, however, when it came down to it ! I was the only one who stepped up to the plate. I don’t regret doing it one minute , I know it was my obligation to do what needed to be done both financially and otherwise. Other family members were MIA with a myriad of excuses when it came down to it. I was okay with that, I know my parents needed my help & I was more than willing to help. It wasn’t fun, but as I stated, I don’t regret doing it.

@K Laurence - I'm 100% with you on family. We were always supposedly close knit too. My mom has been the caregiver for my aunts and uncles on both sides because their adult children never stepped up to the plate. Unlike you, I resent the hell out of my cousins for putting my mom through all of that.

I helped care for my FIL who had frontal temporal dementia. Horrible and hard, even though we had lots of money for him and access to caregivers. It was one of the most meaningful things I have ever done. I loved that man. My parents know how dedicated I will be to them when they need my help and are already grateful in advance.

All of this hits home for those of us with very old parents and are senior citizens ourselves. My 96 year old mother lives alone in her single level retirement home. Luckily, she has long term care, but she has an aide only 3 days a week. She uses a walker to get around her mostly tiled FL house, but I always worry when she’s alone. She wears a LifeAlert and thinks she’s fine.

She brought up assisted living once, so I did the research. Next time I visited she yelled at me she’s not leaving her home. The family is scattered around the country and none of us are nearby.

First floor master suites are desirable for a large sector of house buyers. I think you should make your house whatever YOU want and worry about resale value when it’s actually going to be sold. You want a downstairs bedroom and bath? Do it. Make it wonderful and enjoy it.

Poor OP... we totally hijacked this post. 😞

I hope the OP comes back and lets us know if they put in an elevator, a chair lift, or a first-floor master suite.

I don’t think we hijacked the discussion at all. Every comment directly relates to the original dilemma.

Whew! I hope not. You never know. Thanks for the reassurance, Diana.

.

I have enjoyed hearing about everyone’s experience with aging or aging relatives and appreciate the openness and sharing.
I have one point to make about modifications to support “aging in place”…don’t think of it as living in your house until the end of life. Instead think of it only as protecting yourself from unfortunate accidents that would be just an annoyance for a younger person but perhaps catastrophic when old. Put in the grab bars and handrails. Put away your throw rugs and put in hardware that is easy for everyone to use. Enjoy your house and neighborhood but know when it is time to move because short of a fatal heart attack, you will need to move out someday.

@Missy Bee - unless you’re a stubborn, independent 90+ year old with long term care and a walker. I challenge you to phone my mother.

" Mom? I love ya but you're KILLING ME!!!!"...........(OH....GOOD LUCK. )

@Jan Moyer - Tried that. But she was yelling louder than me.

Missy bee had some really wise words up there.

Good to remember that along with any and all conveniences to make life safer? Come a host of tasks that are a whole lot less appealing as you age. It doesn't matter how fit you are now, but for nearly everyone comes the sheet change day, the grocery lug day, the weed the fridge of mysteries that might kill you....and a bunch of others that just become a PITA. Yup..... even lugging in your favorite vino feels heavier than it once did: )

Hi all, I work in rehab acute/ sub acute, memory care…. These are such good points and real concerns. The best tactics that I have seen and witnessed ~ getting a REALLY good elder estate planner, organize finances to “pay down” your hard earned money before a look back period… don’t take advantage of your health be proactive, plan for the worst case scenario, be prepared to pay for Homecare out of pocket if you stay in your home (then it becomes employer and employee relationship). My 2 cents ~ the healthcare insurance in USA just is crazy confusing for all of us. Invest in your home and future now and age in place (make sure the bathroom can accommodate a walker or wheel chair!😊).