Thoughts about Retirement Communities?

[Dtail]

I'm 68, DW 69. Still in our house from 35+ years ago. I enjoy the mix of our neighborhood. Heck, how 'bout the mix right next to me: 2 young families on either side of me, elderly single woman across the street, empty nesters (and our friends) across the street, etc.
I pay for a lawn service, hire out more and more heretofore-DIY jobs. I like my house's location: not close to a highway that cuts through our town, or the commuter railroad, so it's quiet. Nice neighbors. Only a mile to the County Park where I ride my bike and run. I see no emotional or physical benefit for us to move.

I used to live in your town in my 20's. Very enjoyable experience.

 

[Offgrid Organic Farmer]

My father lived in one when I was a teen, and when he was in his 70s. They just never appealed to me.

When I was forced to retire at 42, it never occurred to me to settle in one of those.

 

[RobbieB]

I plan to age in place right here where I've been for 30 years. No stairs and not too big and not too small. When I get feeble I'll hire a care giver and have groceries delivered.

After that I'll just go the the "home" (not the retirement home) and die.

 

[Yoheadden]

I started looking earlier this year and was a little overwhelmed by the shear number of communities as well as the types that are available. There were ones with neighbourhoods, built in town Centers, medical facilities. Some developments have retirees and working people. You really have to do some soul searching and think about what is is that you enjoy and how you would like to spend your time. A lot of the pros and cons have already been mentioned. One of the biggest challenges for us is living on a smaller lot and having your neighbours so close.

 

[Jerry1]

I plan to age in place right here where I've been for 30 years. No stairs and not too big and not too small. When I get feeble I'll hire a care giver and have groceries delivered.

After that I'll just go the the "home" (not the retirement home) and die.

That's pretty much our plan. We bought a house near our DD and grandkids. It's not universal design or wheel chair friendly, but it is a ranch on a slab and the previous owner lived here with a wife that was in a wheel chair. I didn't find that out until later by talking to the neighbors. We met his second wife and the two were quite active. Anyway, with no stairs, and a relatively small house (1700sqft), I think it's something we can age in place with quite well. I see comments about having things done like yard work but I just can't believe that I can't get those things taken care of for less than the cost of the HOA by hiring it out. Until then, thankfully, I'm still able to do all those things and don't have to hire out much.

Some day I might consider another option, but as long as family is nearby and I'm able to function, this place looks pretty appealing.

 

[rk911]

we're in no hurry to move. after decades of cash-flow remodeling we have a beautiful home in a quiet town with good neighbors. but we have looked at a few retirement communities and in general they are a turn off. we RV and i'm into ham radio. neither hobby seems particularly welcoming. too many rules and restrictions (which is why we avoid HOA's like the plague). we probably have one more move to go before the big sleep but i doubt it will be to a retirement community.

 

[Paracelsus]

I'm researching some local retirement communities in the co-op, condo, apartment, and CCRC type options. I'm 59 now and am looking at moving at around 65 after my 9 year old dog passes. A lot of these communities are 55+ and now the newer ones are 62+. As a single person, my current house situation will get harder to take care of - certainly noticed that when my hip went out (now fine with hip replacement). I don't have any family locally that could help me.

I'm looking at current facilities and there's some snags there as you have to inherit the payment option the unit is currently under (if the unit is 15% paid down and rest mortgaged, you inherit that; if the unit is 95% said down and rest mortgaged, you can get that also, just not switch depending on your financial needs). There's a lot of new developments coming up in the next several years, so I'm keeping an eye out for those also - nice to have options to decorate to your tastes instead of trying to redo an existing unit. I'm looking for some easier socialization amongst the retirement community doing some activities together - right now (especially with Covid) I'm very isolated in my house. I'd like to stay in an area I know well and close to some parks and stores. I know the type of unit I'm looking for (1 bedroom, den, balcony), which is on a moderate size pretty common in this area. I'm hoping this all works out in the next 6 years.

 

[Music Lover]

We live in a bungalow on 1.6 acres. I've built the decks and garage in such way that we have complete privacy when we are outside.

Right now I still shovel my 80 foot long double width driveway by hand but can see myself getting a snowblower in a few years. The GF loves the riding mower and will keep cutting the grass as long as she's able to sit upright on it. We're both still young...58 and 54 and plan on staying here as long as possible. We'll hire out snow clearing and yard work when it becomes too much and I can't see us moving until living in a house becomes unpractical or unsafe.

 

[Badger]

I plan to age in place right here where I've been for 30 years. No stairs and not too big and not too small. When I get feeble I'll hire a care giver and have groceries delivered.

After that I'll just go the the "home" (not the retirement home) and die.

+1
If I survive my wife then maybe I will find a live-in French maid with benefits.



Cheers!

 

[Scrapr]

I just moved to an all ages community. Small lots right up against each other. LOL...I had a contractor in today & we were discussing venting & running central vac. We looked out the window over at the neighbors house & answered our question. Easy peasy I love this new community. People are very friendly. Lots of dog walkers. An example a little girl posted a dog walking poster on the mail box. She drew a picture of herself with pony tail & freckles...and lots of red hearts. I'm going to throw her a $50 and haver her tell me when it's used up

I looked at 2 55+ communities. One very close to a home we owned for a long time. I have a friend there & she loves it. She remodeled her home nicely. Many would require a remodel. One thing stuck out to me from a long time ago. We were using the golf course cart path as a cut through in the early evening dog walk. A couple of residents came out & yelled at us. Not very friendly. I was afraid of that attitude.

The other 55+ community I toured 1 home & 1 condo. It was nice enough but just not that much activity. Plus very few sidewalks. Had to take a car everywhere. I did not care for that. I heard some rumors that the golfers ran everything at the HOA. That concerned me a bit. Seemed a bit insular & if you aren't a golfer you are one of "them"

I'm happy where I am...(it's been 4 days)

 

[Amethyst]

Like all such rules, it was likely prompted by "a few people spoil it for everybody, and then people sue, and we can't have that."

Maybe an undisciplined Fido did knock a Granny off her walker. But whatever 'twas, you can bet the ensuing litigation is what prompted the rule.

I also struck by the "no pets" policy of one of the communities mentioned. That would be a deal-breaker for me. What sort of crazy-ass community doesn't allow pets? That's barbaric. Are they afraid Fido is going to knock granny off her walker or something? Meh.

.

 

[Beststash]

Geriatric ward, one step away from a nursing home.

 

[Amethyst]

This is typical of golf communities, even if they are all-ages. We have visited several, including relatives' homes and one community where we were considering buying (not age -restricted).

In each case, we ventured out for a stroll on the golf course path (nobody playing at the time, or we would have stayed off) and in every case, male residents, with the righteous dispositions of watchdogs, came roaring out in golf carts to chase us off. They pay fees to maintain that path, and they're darned if interlopers are going to leave footprints, set precedents, etc.

We were using the golf course cart path as a cut through in the early evening dog walk. A couple of residents came out & yelled at us.

 

[jollystomper]

A retirement community is appealing from the "no more yard work and not having to drive everywhere" point of view. However, one of our concerns is the proximity to others as we both have hobbies that make a lot of noise. Living on in a solid house on 1+ acres we do not bother our neighbors.

This year we were planning to visit a few that mail us flyers get a better handle on things, but the pandemic shut that down. We will try early in 2021. We are not in a rush to move, but just want to attempt to plan for the future (as best as one can).

 

[Masquernom]

We are starting to look at 55+ places to move to. I'm 63, DW is 54. We visited Del Webb Sun City outside Charlotte, NC. Community is actually located in South Carolina. We drove around one morning, and visited two houses that were for sale. We plan to visit more 55+ places in the Spring.
We were very impressed by what we saw. Unfortunately, both club houses were shut down due to Covid. The largest one was being remodeled. People we met were, for the most part, very friendly. Everything was very well maintained. The place almost has a "Disney" appearance, with all the lawns and landscaping well maintained. We really like that look. The people we talked to all had nothing but good things to say about the community.
I want to get away from lawn care. I look at the houses as a better alternative to apartments/condos. So the small lots aren't a problem for us. But, I think you'd need to be careful about the house you buy. One place was great, the other house backed up to another back yard. Very close. You could hear the neighbors talking on their back porch. We would want a house with a private back yard.
Our interest in the community is the availability of things to do as we get older. Clubs, sports, exercise, etc.. We plan to wait till the Covid passes, and visit again. Our concern is that things are too crowded. Can you actually get into a yoga class or Tai Chi class? Can you actually get a time to lap swim?
I read an interesting comment on a Google review site for the community. A couple that moved there mentioned how many time they had been invited to have meals in neighbors homes since moving there. They said they had eaten with neighbors more in the past year, than the 55 years prior.

 

[JRon]

We built a no-step-entry house and hire the snow removal done. Will hire the lawn and landscaping done when I'm tired of that. We like the age mix of homeowners in the neighborhood which is mostly young with kids. We fit right in when our grandkids come over.

 

[Amethyst]

One thing that I really dislike about where we live now (not a retirement community, although many owners are retired) is the relentless drone of gas leaf blowers and other heavy yard machinery that groundskeeping companies use. No electric mowers here.

We are used to very large lots, and not used to being so close to everyone else. Every.single.day. there is lawn equipment snarling somewhere, often very close. Even inside a CBS home with the windows shut it is distracting.

I imagine it would be no different in a retirement place, even though it's probably the same company doing all the yards (as opposed to everyone hiring their own as is done here).

 

[ShokWaveRider]

One thing that I really dislike about where we live now (not a retirement community, although many owners are retired) is the relentless drone of gas leaf blowers and other heavy yard machinery that groundskeeping companies use. No electric mowers here.

We are used to very large lots, and not used to being so close to everyone else. Every.single.day. there is lawn equipment snarling somewhere, often very close. Even inside a CBS home with the windows shut it is distracting.

I imagine it would be no different in a retirement place, even though it's probably the same company doing all the yards (as opposed to everyone hiring their own as is done here).

HOA=1 No HOA=0

Our HOA looks after our landscaping, gardening, Irrigation & Lawn Mowing. THey only do it on a Thursday Morning. It is Not a 55+ community.

 

[ChrisC]

I'm 68, DW 69. Still in our house from 35+ years ago. I enjoy the mix of our neighborhood. Heck, how 'bout the mix right next to me: 2 young families on either side of me, elderly single woman across the street, empty nesters (and our friends) across the street, etc.
I pay for a lawn service, hire out more and more heretofore-DIY jobs. I like my house's location: not close to a highway that cuts through our town, or the commuter railroad, so it's quiet. Nice neighbors. Only a mile to the County Park where I ride my bike and run. I see no emotional or physical benefit for us to move.

Well, it's working well for you and I hope it continues that way for a long time. We relocated to our home 7 years ago and love our neighborhood and community. Our current home is our Plan A and it's a home we can age in place quite easily -- the home was custom built by the former owner to accomodate a disabled child so it's actually a perfect fit for seniors who might be physically challenged in later years -- everything we need is on one floor, but it's a 2 story home with soft landing stairs to go up and down stairs, along with an elevator if we have mobility challenged guests. Everything in our house can be easily accessible by wheel chair occupants or guests. As for our neighborhood, we love the mix of folks here -- perhaps 15% are retirees and the rest are young couples with children. We have one grandchild 15 minutes away from us (our daughter and her family moved to our area, a few years ago) and we're active in our grandchild's development, pitching in to help especially with providing relief help to our daughter as a stay-at-home professional coping with total online learning for a 5 year old.

Nonetheless, our Plan B is to navigate over to a CCRC, and we're on the waitlist for one not too far from where we currently live -- and it would be very close to an assisted living facility where my BIL currently resides. We don't anticipate moving into this CCRC for another 4-6 years, but the waitlist is 4 years deep and we want to preserve our options if a suitable unit becomes available. One of the major features I would miss from our current place is the ability to see the growth in young children in our neighborhood: Halloween (even in this pandemic afflicted time) provides us with so much joy to see our neighboor children come by us for treats; we love seeing the elementary school children ride their bikes on our safe streets, and it's been a joy having our grandchildren ride bikes or walk trails with us here when they visit. (We can do some of that in the CCRC we've waitlisted but our grandkids will be much older, though there are other amenities at the CCRC which older children will certainly like.)

I do see an emotional, wellness, and physical benefit for us moving to a CCRC at some point in our future.

 

[rk911]

CBS home??

 

[aja8888]

We had a two story house in a nice mixed age neighborhood. When DW couldn't negotiate the stairs anymore due to he COPD, we found a nice 2,000 sq. ft. single level home in a 55+ community of 437 homes. (no golf course)

We bought it and moved in when she was 70 and I was 72. It's perfect for us and I am very active playing golf (lots of other courses nearby) , walking, etc. She's not very active but participates with ladies activity groups here.

HOA fees are $180/month and cover a ton of stuff, including painting the outside of the house every 10 years. These homes are 20 year old brick and Hardiplank.

We are 1 mile from three major hospitals and an MD Anderson Cancer Center is nearby along with tons of other medical facilities and offices.

This is a good fit for us and I am still close enough to my old friends to do things with them since most live within 5 miles of us.

 

[jfn111]

CBS home??

concrete block structure?

 

[YakGrl]

Concrete block and steel.

 

[W2R]

What do you think of retirement communities? Are you living in one now? Did you consider it, then decide against it? Why?

I am 72 years old and right now I'm living in an older inner suburb of New Orleans. This is a normal neighborhood with no age restrictions. The homes in this neighborhood were built around 1965, and many of them are still occupied by the original owners (who are around 75-85 years old by now), or by other older people such as me. There aren't any kids here AFAIK although there are no rules against people of any age moving in. I think this community is perfect for me, since I am the type who would probably resent HOA restrictions and since I have no desire for any to be put in place.

We are tentatively planning to age in place. If, heaven forbid, he goes first and if it turns out that I need care, then I guess I will have to go to some sort of facility. Before the pandemic I was thinking that at some point I might move to a CCRC. However, seeing the impact the virus had on local CCRC's I am no longer enthused about living in one of them. I am still uncertain as to what the best plan is for me in that situation.

I'm just curious. I'm exploring my options for relocation, and a retirement community is one of them. I don't have any specific location in mind, just exploring ideas.

My initial pro/con list, based on my limited knowledge would be...

Pros:

• A settled community of retired older adults, people I'd probably have more in common with than working families or college students.
  I already have that. That said, I am kind of an introvert and don't really socialize with my neighbors at all. I do appreciate that they keep up their homes and don't throw wild parties too often.
  .
• Activity programs that can help to build social ties -- hopefully something more than yoga, bridge, and Wii bowling.
  That would be nice! I need to get back to the gym.
  .
• Maybe they would have some sort of healthcare provisions, given that they're serving an older population. I don't need that yet, but I may someday.
  My doctors, labs, and the best hospital in the region are only 2 miles away and I have great insurance, so I probably won't need that. Maybe some day I will have to quit driving and take a cab for those 2 miles.

Cons:

• I'm 59, so I don't feel quite ready for something like that. I suspect that most people in a retirement community would be 65+, older than me.
  You can always check out any community you are interested in, go there and find out for yourself whether the residents are as young and active as you might like.
  .
• The variety of social interaction gets restricted when you're only dealing with people of a certain age. There might also be an echo chamber effect.
  True. But then it's hard to communicate when you don't have much in common. For example when your main concerns are dealing with arthritis and similar physical effects of aging, and your neighbors' main concerns are the parent-teacher organization at their kids' school, you may long for that echo chamber.
  .
• What about the mental effect of being surrounded by aging people, some of whom have serious health problems? Would it just reinforce a sense of myself as old and on the decline? I don't know, but it's a concern.
  Believe me, you'll know it when you are getting old. No reinforcement needed! At least for me, my joints give me somewhat of a clue as to where my limitations lie. Or at least they did after a few bad injuries, before I started listening to my body. Personally I like interacting with people who are older than me; their memories of what this city was like way back then, is fascinating. It's like living history. Also many have a certain wisdom that comes with age. Conversing with them doesn't make me feel older; it makes me feel younger, actually, because to them I'm a kid. Hopefully you will find a community where some people are a little younger than you, and others are a little older than you.
  .
• No doubt there will be a company overseeing the place, and it will have its particular rules and regulations. I'm not a big fan of all that. There will probably be some fees attached as well.
  I agree. To me that would be the biggest negative aspect of living in such a community, but YMMV.

Overall, I'm leaning away from it, at least at this point in my life. But still, I thought I'd get people's opinions.

 

[Sunset]

One thing that I really dislike about where we live now (not a retirement community, although many owners are retired) is the relentless drone of gas leaf blowers and other heavy yard machinery that groundskeeping companies use. No electric mowers here.

We are used to very large lots, and not used to being so close to everyone else. Every.single.day. there is lawn equipment snarling somewhere, often very close. Even inside a CBS home with the windows shut it is distracting.

I imagine it would be no different in a retirement place, even though it's probably the same company doing all the yards (as opposed to everyone hiring their own as is done here).

The difference in a retirement community, or condo townhouse would that they come only 1 maybe 2 days of the week.

In my regular neighborhood, every day some neighbor has a lawn service company come, add in the normal people cutting their own lawns and it's basically every day.

The good thing about the lawn service , is they are done in 15->20 minutes and drive away. It's the neighbor who walks slow pushing her gas mower, that I hear for over an hour !!