Your Next Move: Are You Ready for a Retirement Community?
The kids are gone, your career is winding down, and you can
think of better things to do with your time than maintaining a
house that's too big for you. Maybe it's time to think about a
retirement community.
Adult planned communities, aimed at people 55 and older, are
taking the needs of today's baby boomer generation into account.
This group of future retirees is largely healthy, active, and
involved in the world. While they're interested in
maintenance-free living and the security and safety of a planned
community, they're also attracted by amenities such as
on-premises fitness centers, tennis courts, theaters, and
walking trails. Many are located in peaceful country settings,
yet with easy access to shopping and restaurants.
Some planned communities offer detached single-occupancy homes,
while others focus on condos and others offer a mix of housing
arrangements. All offer a range of services, from maintenance
assistance for your home to the opportunity to sign up for a
meal plan. One retirement community in New Hampshire, for
instance, offers a hot meal every afternoon for dinner, either
to be picked up by the resident or delivered to the home.
Of course a major advantage of living in a planned community is
the opportunity for social interaction. People who've spent the
last two decades caught up in child rearing and career
objectives are finding time to reconnect with interests and
ideas of their youth, making friends with the same social
history as themselves. The activism of the sixties often
resurfaces, and retirees find themselves getting re-involved
with old causes or seeking out new ones. Having a collection of
individuals with the time for friendship and an interest in
exploring new pastimes can present opportunities for a vital new
phase of your life.
So how do you choose a retirement community? First, do you want
to live in your own private home or in a condo with easy access
to neighbors? What type of maintenance contract does each
community offer? Do the amenities - gym, pool, exercise classes
- match your interests? Is the retirement community located for
easy access to neighboring towns and major highways? If you're
at a point where you don't want to drive anymore, will you have
access to public transportation?
As important as the home and amenities is the atmosphere. Each
community tends to develop its own character, which seems to
endure even as residents come and go. Some communities can be
very dynamic, full of active adults who interact on a daily
basis and maintain a lively social life. Others are very quiet,
with residents who mainly keep to themselves and are looking for
a peaceful environment.
Before you choose a retirement community, make sure you visit a number
of times, and connect with some residents. Ask questions about
the community, the social interaction, any special events
offered, and try to gauge just what kind of milieu it offers.
Also be sure to ask how satisfied residents are with the
administration, how willing the owners are to do repairs and
meet other needs of residents - an unwillingness on the part of
administrators to perform quick repairs and to answer questions
from residents can result in a kind of grumbling, unpleasant
environment.
It's important to take an honest assessment of the future life
you see for yourself, and then look for a retirement community
which meets your expectations. With your own personal goals
clearly in mind, you'll likely find the community which matches
your goals.