Health Benefits of Volunteer Work During Retirement Years

With newfound time on your hands after retiring, you may find that there is only so much golf you can play, or so many trips you can take; and yet you still have time on your hands. As a result many active 55+ adults, who are retired from full time paying work, decide to start volunteering their time, efforts and skills to various organizations, charities and associations. In addition to being of service to others, or to championing a cause dear to your heart; studies have shown that volunteer work actually has health benefits for retirees.

The Corporation for National and Community Service's report: The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research has found a significant connection between volunteering and good health. Amongst other things, the report showed conclusively that volunteers have greater longevity, higher functional ability, lower rates of depression and less incidence of heart disease.

In particular, the research suggested that volunteering is especially beneficial to the health of older adults and those serving 100 hours annually. Here are some of the specific results of the research:

• Adults age 65 and older found that the positive effect of volunteering on physical and mental health was due to the personal sense of accomplishment and individual gains from volunteer activities.
  
• Another study reported that volunteering led to lower rates of depression in those aged 65 and older.
  
• A Duke study determined that adults who volunteered after experiencing heart attacks reported reductions in despair and depression. Both factors have been linked to mortality in post-coronary artery disease patients.
  
• An analysis of longitudinal data found that adults 70 years and older who volunteered approximately 100 hours had less of a decline in self-reported health and functioning levels, experienced lower levels of depression, and had more longevity.

Staying active during retirement years is easy, when you retire to one of our Tribute Home Communities in the Carolinas. If you're interested in learning more about our 55+ active adult communities, contact us directly by calling (800) 381-2984 or visit us on the web at www.tributehomesusa.com. For volunteer opportunities in your area, try visiting www.volunteermatch.org

Five Reasons to Retire To North Carolina

There's no doubt that North Carolina has a lot to offer people of all ages.  In fact, it is the 6th most frequently visited state in the U.S.  So it's not surprising that so many people choose to make North Carolina their home when they retire.  Here are five reasons that 55+ active adults love the lifestyle that North Carolina affords in retirement years.

1. Climate
   North Carolina's temperate climate is a huge draw for 55+ active adults.  With mild winters, warm summers and pleasant spring and fall seasons, active retirees relish the opportunity to spend time outdoors all year long.  For keeping busy and fit, the climate in North Carolina just can't be beat.
   
2. Natural Beauty In A Perfect Location
   When we think about retirement we often think about enjoying the little things more than when we were working.  North Carolina offers diverse natural beauty in spades.  With more than 300 miles of coastline, the Great Smoky Mountains' stunning vistas and plenty of lakes, rivers and forestry to enjoy; for outdoor enthusiastic it's hard to beat North Carolina.  Moreover, North Carolina's proximity to the entire east coast is a big attraction for 55+ active adults, who are looking to spend time traveling during retirement.
   
3. Golf & Other Outdoor Activities
   North Carolina is renowned for its more than 600 golf courses, which attracts many retirees looking to enjoy leisure time on the greens.  However, North Carolina isn't only known for its incredible golf courses.  With mountains and beaches galore, opportunities to explore new hobbies such as kayaking or hiking are abundant when you retire to North Carolina.  Or if you're just looking to spend more time taking it easy; fishing and boating is available year-round.
   
4. Premier Health Care Facilities
   It's no secret that as we get older, we spend more time in doctors' offices.  In North Carolina, there are 114 hospitals and medical centers, with four of them ranked nationally for providing exceptional health care. Duke University Medical Center is ranked the top hospital followed by the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem.  North Carolina's focus on cancer care is also well known and regarded as some of the best in the nation.
   
5. Cost of Living/Taxes
   North Carolina boasts a remarkably reasonable cost of living, with the price of housing, utilities, supplies, transportation and health care below the national average.  Various tax breaks are also offered to retirees in North Carolina including the Homestead Exemption which allows senior and disabled homeowners a reduction on property taxes. There is no inheritance tax in North Carolina, either.

If you're considering purchasing a retirement home but have yet to explore all of your options, we invite you to learn more about Tribute Homes. With multiple active adult communities in North Carolina and South Carolina, we offer homes in settings that match any lifestyle. To speak with our sales associates about your options, you can contact us directly by calling (800) 381-2984 or visit us on the web at www.tributehomesusa.com.

Five Creative Ways to Save Energy in Your Home

An energy efficient home is a by-product of several key ingredients, which starts with green home design and ranges from high performance windows to tight home construction and ducts. Every Tribute Home is more than 40% more efficient than a typical existing home giving each customer significant savings on their monthly utility bills. However, if you're looking for even more energy saving ideas as the temperatures rise this spring, here are five other ideas which are both Eco-friendly and creative.

1. Plant A Tree
   A strategically placed shade tree can reduce your cooling bill by 25%.
   
2. Grill Outside Or Use Smaller Kitchen Appliances
   Toasters, slow cookers, microwaves or other small appliances use up to 75% less energy than an electric oven, and won't heat up your home as much either.
   
3. Keep Your Walkways Lit-But With Low Voltage
   You need to be able to see outside if you'll be entertaining at night in nice weather. However, to save money on your electric bill, use low-voltage lighting kits to light your deck, patio and walkways. An added benefit of using low voltage lighting outside is that the softer light will attract fewer insects.
   
4. Only Run The Dishwasher When Full, At Night.
   Running a half full dishwasher is wasteful. Running it during the day can also heat up your home, triggering you to turn on the air conditioning. To save money, only run full loads at night while you're sleeping. Use the air-dry cycle for additional energy savings.
   
5. Wash & Dry Loads of Laundry Back To Back, At Night
   When you have to do laundry, consider doing multiple loads, so that you can dry one load after the first. This prevents the dryer from losing heat, and reduces warm up and drying times. By doing laundry in the evening, you also prevent the heat from warming the house during hot summer days.

If you're considering purchasing a retirement home but have yet to explore all of your options, we invite you to learn more about Tribute Homes. Tribute Homes builds energy efficient homes for 55+ active adults. With multiple lakeside and golf communities in North Carolina and South Carolina, we offer homes in settings that match any lifestyle. To speak with our sales associates about your options, you can contact us directly by calling (800) 381-2984 or visit us on the web at www.tributehomesusa.com.

Benefits of Living in a Lakeside Community

By design, many Tribute Homes are located in lakeside communities in North Carolina and South Carolina. We know that just because you're retiring, doesn't mean that you plan to spend your time lying around. Our 55+ active adult lakeside communities provide the perfect opportunity for you to stay busy.

Here are five benefits to retiring to a lakeside community.

1. Perfect for Hosting & Entertaining Family and Friends
   Living in a lakeside community means never worrying that your house guests will be bored when they come to visit. Lakes provide recreational opportunities galore for all of your guests. Whether it's merely a walk around the lake, or the pretty backdrop to your summer cook-out; living near a lake provides benefits for all of your friends and family.
2. Affords Free Exercise Opportunities
   Living within a lakeside community is like living near a gym without the monthly fee. From walking around the lake, to swimming, rowing, fishing, waterskiing and more; lakeside living provides opportunities for active 55+ residents to get their daily exercise without ever having to leave the neighbourhood
3. Keeps Things Quiet
   Lakes serve as natural noise-reducers. Although sound carries well over lakes when the lakes are calm; when lakes in your community are active; with fishers or boaters for example, the lake acts as a bit of a sponge absorbing the noise, so that the environment around the lake is typically quiet.
4. Reduces Stress
   Water is a calming influence for many people. The soft sounds of water lapping against the shore can help erase the stresses of the day.
5. Helps Your Home Hold Its Value
   It's no secret that homes near the water tend to hold their value, even during economic swings, because people always want to live near the water. Moreover, there are only so many lakes to go around, which drives up the demand for homes near lakes.

If you're considering purchasing a retirement home but have yet to explore all of your options, we invite you to learn more about Tribute Homes. With several active adult lakeside communities in North Carolina and South Carolina, we offer homes in settings that match any lifestyle. To speak with our sales associates about your options, you can contact us directly by calling (800) 381-2984 or visit us on the web at www.tributehomesusa.com.