Contact us for a Free Initial Consultation 414-253-8500

Heritage Law Office Blog

Determine Where to Retire With a Crowdsourcing Site

Posted by Brad Sarkauskas | Aug 12, 2019 | 0 Comments

While aging in place is very popular among the baby boomer generation, about one-third of those retirees would choose to live elsewhere. The family remains the most significant factor when deciding where retirees live, followed by the general livability of an area and desirable weather conditions. The decision about where to live should be a high priority as you approach retirement age. According to www.AgeFriendly.com, two out of three retirees feel they did not do the necessary in-depth research when determining where to live out their retirement years. Three out of four of the same group of retirees indicated that an online tool such as Age Friendly Advisor (a section of www.AgeFriendly.com) would be handy to determine what a location is really like from its current residents. This online crowdsourcing site designed for those aged 50 or more allows the user to tap into advice about good cities to live in, get care, and even get a retirement job to improve and enhance the quality of life.  

Utilizing a User Review Approach

This user review approach is similar to other sites where consumers can give product reviews and read opinions about the product before purchasing. This approach provides an “upvote” function that allows easier navigation of the more popular and valuable topics addressed. Age Friendly Advisor answers questions for three distinct purposes: everyday living, working and volunteering, and caregiving. The living section helps older adults connect with available resources, engage with one another and communicate with their city or town. The working and volunteering section connects the user to a list of age-friendly employers and businesses including customer/employee reviews and job listings. The caregiving section is for those who opt to age in place while staying connected to their communities. The cities and towns support of the elderly community are assessed and rated by Age Friendly Advisor. As a location becomes responsive to their older citizens, the steps taken to improve their support is recognized.

Free Information for Seniors

This website is part of a larger corporate entity known as Age Friendly Ventures, and the use of and information from their websites are free. Age Friendly Ventures operates other retirement friendly sites such as RetirementJobs.com and MatureCaregivers.com. The sites are all geared toward persons age 50 or more and support the mission to fight ageism and provide resources for a successful aging experience. “When managed well, user-contributed reviews reveal an extraordinary wisdom of the crowd,” Age Friendly Ventures founder and CEO Tim Driver said in a statement. “Just as consumers read and give product reviews on Amazon and restaurant and hotel ratings on Yelp and TripAdvisor, Americans can now go to agefriendly.com to read and publish crowd sourced reviews tackling complicated topics around aging.”

Supported by Senior Living and Corporate Entities

Age Friendly Ventures and their subsidiary websites currently enjoy the support of at least one major senior living operator and other corporate entities. More will surely follow as these websites gain traction on influencing the process of and choices about aging. Sponsorship and brand exposure to the baby boomer (and older) community while providing them with a reliable and free set of information services is destined to become more popular as the corporate world chases retirees' purchasing power and retirement dollars. Finding trusted information about health and wellness, lifestyle and retirement options with the bonus of user reviews can help a senior successfully navigate the many options available to them and make an informed decision.  

Gathering trusted peer-reviewed information from sites like agefriendly.com is one of the first steps to take in your plan for successful aging. Your choice may lead you to a new state or a favorite new town. Wherever it takes you, Heritage Law can help review your plan and make any necessary adjustments. Contact our office at 414-253-8500 and schedule an appointment to discuss how we can help you with your planning.

About the Author

Brad Sarkauskas

As the founding member of the Heritage Law Office of Wisconsin, LLC, attorney Brad Sarkauskas is equipped with the tools--through his extensive background in finance--to effectively represent his clients legal economic interests. With over 20 years of experience in finance, insurance, and taxati...

Comments

There are no comments for this post. Be the first and Add your Comment below.

Leave a Comment

Contact Us Today

For a comprehensive plan that will meet your needs or the needs of a loved one, contact us today. Located in Downtown Milwaukee, we serve Milwaukee County, surrounding communities, and to clients across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and California.

Menu