Hurricane Sandy helps New York seniors move into retirement homes


Hurricane Sandy hit the northeast United States hard. The storm killed more than 250 people, and caused an estimated $65 billion dollars in damages.

More than two months later, the effects of Sandy are still being felt.

As reported by the Associated Press (AP) newswire, one of the groups most affected by the storm is the region’s seniors, but Sandy’s winds and destruction did offer many seniors a silver lining: it provided a much-needed sign that many seniors would be happier and better off living in a senior living community.

“When your home is leaking and flooding and you're sitting in the dark, you come to realize you no longer have the skills of survivorship,” Dr. Gisele Wolf-Klein of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System told AP.

One New York assisted living chain, Bristal Assisted Living, saw new residents move into their communities in the immediate aftermath of the storm. One of them was 80 year-old widow Marion Johnston, who lived alone in a Long Island condominium.

Luckily, she left her home before the storm hit and destroyed her building, and since then, she has made her new home in the town of Massapequa.

Have you ever lived through a hurricane or tornado? Did it cause you to re-evaluate your housing choices? Tell us about it in the comment section below.