Free Burlington Sessions Explain Senior Housing Options

Three free sessions this August walk older adults and their families through the housing choices ahead of them: staying in the current home with the right supports, rightsizing, retirement living and long-term care.

The Empowered Seniors Speaker Series is hosted by Marion Goard, a real estate broker and seniors real estate specialist who runs the monthly series. "When it comes to aging well, where you live can be just as important as how you live," Goard says.

The August 12 session covers the full range of options along with the myths and fears attached to each one, and the practical side of getting ready emotionally and financially for a decision that may still be years off. Garth Brown of Mary's Ark and Andy Hagen of Tango Financial join to explain two things homeowners ask about constantly: additional residential units and reverse mortgages.

The two later sessions go deeper on each. On August 17, Hagen covers reverse mortgages and other financing options for homeowners later in life, including how families can support aging parents. On August 24, Brown walks through additional residential units, meaning secondary suites, garden suites, basement apartments and garage conversions, and how they fit multigenerational living or a plan to age in place.

All three sessions are free, and the organizers describe them as balanced information in a no-pressure setting rather than a sales pitch.