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A Place to Retire - What to Consider 11/19/2007 - By 55CommunityGuide.com Staff
Making the decision to move after retirement can be a difficult one to make.
Where to Retire?
Now that you are no longer tied down to one location because of your job, you are free to move to anyplace that is within your budget. While the ability to move may be liberating and exciting on one hand, it can also be overwhelming and a bit frightening. After all, this will likely be the last time that you move. As such, you want to make sure that the place you move to will be the ideal location for retirement. In order to accomplish this, there are several questions you need to ask yourself, such as:
- Where do I want to live?
- What type of community will best suit my needs?
- What kind of local services are offered?
- How safe is the location?
- How friendly is the community staff and the neighborhood?
By asking these questions and being honest with yourself about your needs and wants, you will have a much better chance of finding a place to retire that will be perfect for you for the rest of your life.
Where Do I Want to Live?
Determining where you want to live should be based on a number of factors. For example, if you have children, you might wish to choose a location that is near to them. That way, you can enjoy frequent visits with them and with your grandchildren.
If you have special medical issues that retire regular care, you might also want to consider an area that is near to a specialist or to reputable facilities that can assist you with your medical needs. Similarly, if were hoping to take advantage of your free time in order to learn a new hobby or skill, you might want to consider moving to an area that is near to a university or other learning facility.
Of course, you will also want to live in an area that has a climate that is suitable to your likes. If you enjoy experiencing all four seasons, you might want to move to a Midwestern state. If you prefer warmth year-round,
Western States or coastal states might be a better option. In addition, take the scenery into consideration. Do you prefer mountains or beaches? Perhaps rolling hills or prairies are more your style. Remember, you will probably be here for the rest of your life, so you want to move somewhere that you will enjoy waking up and looking at every day.
Many folks want to move within 100 miles of where they live now, so they can keep relationships with their friends.
What Kind of Community Will Best Suit My Needs?
When selecting a community, you need to consider the future as well as the present. While you want a retirement community that will allow you to live life to the fullest today, you also want one that can meet your needs in the future.
There are several different types of communities to select from. These include:
- Active retirement communities
- Independent living retirement communities
- Assisted living retirement communities
- Continuing care retirement communities
The basic set up and the amount of medical care and assistance you receive will vary depending on the type of community you select. An active retirement community attempts to provide its resident’s with opportunities to interact with other adults and to participate in recreational activities. An independent living retirement community, on the other hand, does not focus as much on providing activities. Rather, it is more concerned with helping its residents live a convenient and secure lifestyle within a maintenance-free environment.
At an assisted living retirement community, you will receive assistance with your non-medical needs, such as bathing, housekeeping, transportation, and preparing meal. With a continuing care retirement community, you will also receive assistance, though the level of assistance you receive will change as your needs change. In this way, you will not need to be concerned about moving elsewhere if your needs increase.
What Kind of Local Services are Offered?
Whether you are looking for an active retirement community or will need a bit more assistance, you should still consider the extra services provided by the community and the conveniences they offer. For example, if you are interested in pursuing an active lifestyle, you should watch for services such as golf courses, swimming pools, and tennis courts. If you have difficulty moving around, on the other hand, wheelchair accessibility, wide hallways, and elevators may be of particular concern to you. In either case, you might be interested in a community that offers transportation services. That way, you will not have to concern yourself with maintaining a vehicle.
How Safe is the Location?
Safety is of great concern when searching for a place to retire. Not only should you consider the safety of the actual community, but you should also consider the safety of the city in which it is located. Before even considering moving into the location, look into the crime rates for the area. Then, find out more about the specific security measures that are put in place by the retirement community.
For the ultimate in security, the retirement community should have a security team in place during the night. In addition, the community should be gated and some sort of pass should be required to get into the community, whether that be getting approval from a human guard or gaining access through an electronic gate with the help of a card. You can also gauge the security of the town and the retirement community by asking around. Visit the area at different times of the day and talk to people both in and out of the community, such as gas station attendants and members of the local police department.
How Friendly is the Community Staff and the Neighborhood?
If you are going to spend the rest of your life in the community and in the neighborhood, you certainly want to surround yourself with friendly people. Therefore, before making the big move, talk to the staff members and community members in order to get an idea of how welcome you feel. Also, pay attention to how the staff members and community members appear to interact with one another when you visit the community. That way, you can be certain this is the perfect place for you.