Cantissimo Senior Living Blog

Cantissimo Senior Living blog - an educational resource for older adults in lifestyle, wellness, and more.

Posts about Lifestyle:

Teaching Your Grandchildren Life Skills: Lessons To Last a Lifetime

Teaching Your Grandchildren Life Skills: Lessons To Last a Lifetime

As grandparents, we often want to pass on our knowledge and experience to our grandchildren. Teaching our grandchildren life skills not only benefits them but also gives us the opportunity to spend quality time with them and pass down family traditions. 

In this blog post, we will explore some essential life skills we can teach our grandchildren. These skills will help our grandchildren become more self-sufficient and independent and instill in them a sense of confidence and resilience that will serve them well throughout their lives.

Traveling After 55: How To Get To (And Around) Your Next Destination

Traveling After 55: How To Get To (And Around) Your Next Destination

Now that you know why and where you want to travel, how will you get there and back? Also, how will you get around while you’re there?

Getting There and Back

Getting to and from your destination depends greatly on where you’re going. A trip within 200 miles of your home probably means driving a personal vehicle or taking a bus or train. Longer distances mean air travel dominates, or perhaps you’ll travel on the water

Soundtrack of Aging: 26 Songs that Embrace the Beauty of Getting Older

Soundtrack of Aging: 26 Songs that Embrace the Beauty of Getting Older

As the years pass and we journey through life, there is a unique beauty in the process of getting older. It is a time of reflection, growth, and embracing the wisdom that comes with experience. Aging gracefully is about finding a sense of contentment, maintaining a youthful spirit, and cherishing the moments that shape our lives. And what better way to celebrate this journey than through the power of music?

In this playlist, we have curated a collection of songs that speak to the theme of aging with grace and wisdom. From classics to contemporary hits, these songs offer poignant lyrics that capture the essence of getting older. Each song tells a story, offering insights into the complexities of life's transitions and reminding us to appreciate the present, embrace change, and cherish the memories that shape our existence. So, sit back, press play, and let the melodies and lyrics guide you on a journey of self-reflection, acceptance, and celebration of the beauty of aging gracefully.

Second Homes: What Is Fractional Ownership?

Second Homes: What Is Fractional Ownership?

Fractional Ownership is an emerging partial ownership model. The concept has gained popularity in the past two decades as companies have marketed vacation homes specifically to be sold as fractional ownership properties. Private parties can independently organize fractional ownership arrangements, but the latest marketplace buzz has arisen from commercial ventures.

How Does Fractional Ownership Work?

First, a company will purchase properties or develop them from scratch. Then, a limited liability company (LLC) is formed based on each property, and shares are marketed. Each share represents the number of days/weeks annually the share owner can use the property. For example, if there are ten shares, each owner is entitled to five weeks per year at the property. (This assumes maintenance consumes two weeks per year when the property is unoccupied.) Owners can typically buy more than one share if desired. In this case, an owner of two shares could have rights for ten weeks annually.

Traveling in Retirement: How to Decide Where to Go

Traveling in Retirement: How to Decide Where to Go

Once you clarify why you travel (as discussed in our recent post,Exploring the Reasons To Travel in Retirement), the question now becomes, “Where will I go?”

The following comparisons are in no particular order, but once you’ve decided on one versus the other, then the choice of where to go will come into focus.

Domestic/International

Deciding between a domestic or an international trip often pivots on cost and ease of travel. It’s just easier to travel in your own country where culture, language, currency, and many other attributes are the same as your hometown. Also, since you’re aware of more options for such things as transportation and overnight accommodations, domestic travel will probably cost less.

If the above is true for domestic travel, why would anyone want to take an international trip? For most people, the answer is “because it’s not home.” International travelers seek something different than what’s in their own backyard. There are sights, activities, and cultural attributes that just are not available on a domestic trip. For example, if you want to see the Eiffel Tower, you need to go to France. You also need to be willing to pay the cost of getting to France.

Uncovering the Past: Tips for Creating a Comprehensive Family Tree

Uncovering the Past: Tips for Creating a Comprehensive Family Tree

Tracing your family history and creating a family tree can be fascinating and rewarding. It helps you learn more about your ancestors, their lives, and their cultural heritage. Building a family tree can also help you connect with distant relatives and provide a sense of belonging and identity.

However, gathering the data necessary to create a comprehensive family tree can be daunting, especially if you're just getting started. Fortunately, there are many different methods and resources available to help you in your research.

Second Homes: Full vs. Partial Ownership

Second Homes: Full vs. Partial Ownership

It's common to think of acquiring a second home as a full owner. In its purest form, full ownership of a second home means only one person's name on the title and the mortgage. However, it is not unusual for couples to have both names on the home's legal documents and still consider it a full ownership situation.
 
Nevertheless, there are also types of partial ownership where more than one person has rights to the real estate asset.
 
"Partial" or "multiple" ownership means more than one person owns a home together. These people could be siblings, parents and their children, other family members, friends, business partners, and even people who have no relationship to each other except as co-owners.
 
Partial ownership arrangements often arise when individuals cannot afford a second home independently. While a co-ownership deal might help you achieve an otherwise unreachable goal, it is usually more complex than full ownership.
 
There are three primary ways second home partial ownership can be handled: