The Foreign Service Journal, April 2006

A P R I L 2 0 0 6 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 71 before that as ambassador to Bosnia- Herzegovina. I had not done a resumé in 30 years, and didn’t have a clue on how to go about looking for post–Foreign Service employment. Through a series of fortunate cir- cumstances and a lot of luck, I ended up taking a job as chief executive offi- cer of Plan International, a $500 mil- lion NGO that focuses on the needs of poor children in Asia, Africa and Latin America. We concentrate on the longer-term development needs of children and their families, including education, health, livelihood, shelter, children’s rights and building relation- ships. We have 7,000 full-time and over 60,000 part-time and volunteer staff working in 62 countries. The job is fantastic. I’m on the road 75 percent of the time in all the countries I avoid- ed during my Foreign Service career. I write to reassure my colleagues that I am one more example that there is, indeed, life after the Foreign Service. I also would be glad to pro- vide whatever meager advice I can to colleagues contemplating careers in the international NGO sector. Tom Miller Surrey, U.K. utu SENIOR LIVING FACILITIES: ONE THING MISSING… The article by Bill Harrop in the January issue, “Moving to a Senior Living Facility,” was very well re- searched and highly informative. One thing missing, however, was mention of facilities that are associated with universities: they offer a great many benefits over and above those des- cribed in the article. For example, Oak Hammock, where my wife and I retired, is affiliat- ed with the University of Florida. Among other things, we can avail our- selves of the bookstore, the libraries and many of the university’s recre- ational facilities. We also have compli- mentary door-to-door transportation to world-class performing arts and sports events and an active Institute for Learning in Retirement program. And, space permitting, we can audit classes at the university at no charge. In addition, we have access (if we so choose) to the College of Medicine for state-of-the art medical, dental and hospital services. There are a number of retirement communities that are affiliated to some extent with universities. Affilia- tions range from merely being located near a university to a more integrated affiliation such as at Oak Hammock. Bottom line: in addition to the questions suggested in the Harrop article, ask about affiliation with local educational institutions. Such affilia- tion can offer great benefits in addi- tion to those mentioned in the article, and — judging from the cost figures given in the article — at no greater and perhaps even less cost. Frank Bates Gainesville, Fla. utu RETIREMENT HOMES: ATTEND TO THE FINE PRINT Congratulations on a most useful issue for retirees. On the basis of my experience, I would add some infor- mation to Bill Harrop’s fine summary of the factors involved in considering a retirement home. Although some of the retirement complexes are condominiums or coop- eratives, admission to some of the prin- cipal ones is on the basis of a substan- tial entrance fee that ranges between $100,000 and $500,000, depending on the number of persons, the space and the choice of refund options. This entrance fee (in addition to the monthly fees) provides assured life-care, but no equity in the space. Refund options include: (1) full refund (less 4 percent per month for 25 months); (2) partial refund (less 2 per- cent per month for 25 month); and a full refund. In at least one case that I am aware of, the refund is not paid until a new resident signs a contract for the space. It might also be added that no guarantee exists that the monthly fee will remain at the level it was at the time of admission; experience shows that it is likely to rise annually. For a Foreign Service retiree, a full understanding of the financial terms before signing the contract is highly recommended. David Newsom Charlottesville, Va. utu ACCURATE, EXCELLENT INFORMATION I commend Ambassador William Harrop on his informative article on moving to a senior living facility. As a retired social worker with experience at the State Department and as a for- mer consultant to the Senior Living Foundation of the American Foreign Service, I can testify to the accurate and excellent information he has given to retired Foreign Service per- sonnel. It is traumatic to leave one’s home of many years, with the attendant sift- ing-through of treasured possessions and leaving familiar surroundings. However, arming oneself with an understanding of what each facility can provide, what levels of care are offered and what the fees and expens- es are can mitigate somewhat the pain of leaving and ease the transition to another home. Mr. Harrop has done a fine job of explaining what retirement facilities can offer and has provided a practical guide to approaching this important decision. Jill Funk Chobanian Bethesda, Md. n