When Sheila encountered old age her interior design career’s unique experiences became a guide to embrace change and shape an entirely new lifestyle; the adventure of being a resident with 800+ elders all heading to the backstretch.
Her initial campaign has advanced them to the Threshold.
She’s striding, he’s tiptoeing….
The Arrival! The Known & The Unknown! A New Horizon?
It was not my first visit to this Retirement Wonderland and from my short visits, it was definitely to my liking. BUT, I was only one-half of the whole. The other half was a HE and a HUSBAND.
Would HE — or would He not be interested, tempted, intrigued >>>>? Would SHE still be interested?
Join her and see what you think they should do!
Upon overhearing the password for a treasure cave blocked by a colossal stone; Ali Baba, an impoverished woodcutter began a quest! Find that cave — AND recite the mystical password;
Would a colossal stone fall away to reveal retirement treasures to our new “cave”?
The Retirement Home?
No stone, but we arrived to an entrance driveway proffering exuberant bird-of-paradise marching down a center divide. We said the magical password, the kiosk guard hit “Open Sesame” — swoosh — gates opened to a virtual suburb of buildings and small houses which I later discovered were “villas.” Our sales lady met us in the lobby. My interior design background hoped for a light, bright ambience, such as…. this! (below image)*
But, No!
We entered an Old World setting — mucho brown tonalities — (apparently the designer envisioned “old” residents ensconced amid traditional interiors.) Not bad-looking, just heavy. Favorably, the people we encountered looked bright-eyed and bushy tailed! A fleet of gardeners gardened, residents rambled and there was an over-all aura of engagement.
Our stylish sales rep exuded warmth, knowledge and a presentation that was not flamboyantly “sell”. A golf cart drive revealed large clubhouses, workout spaces, indoor and outdoor swimming pools—skilled nursing and assisted living areas, etc. We left armed with a bag of brochures, apartment floor plans, financial expenditures and whirling elevator emotions.
Wrong!
Smitten? — yes and no!
Upon returning home to open our gates to an enclosed courtyard, we stopped — looked at each other, at our hot tub, our pool and at our large pool gates of antique wrought-iron. Harmonious.
We loved discovering old treasures (at least to us) and those gates that still worked perfectly had opened and closed old hotel elevator doors in bygone days. We added them upon buying our house because our daughters, aged one and four, had not yet developed their mermaid skills, the gates would keep them safe and they did.
Kismet…….?
Fate — or not fate! Because, the next day the phone rang! Surprise!
A Happening Happened — our saleslady called to tell us there was an apartment that could be our “Open Sesame” opening!
It seemed to make sense. When seriously ill; skilled nursing offered care; upon healing — back to our own digs.** At this point, the bases seemed covered. There was nothing —not to like, but ——there was this itty-bitty —actual —gigantic quandary————
Venerable villages can cost astronomical amounts of money!
And Einstein’s help was not on the horizon nor was postponing a decision realistic or smart. Our property demands were demanding — declining health hovered.
Wow —This was happening at breakneck speeds.
We cared about our daughters’ feelings and they seemed to be supportive. Sooo,
our potential apartment had two bedrooms, two baths and a small porch/patio offering a view of a sizable and pleasant hillside of greenery. Full disclosure — California droughts bewitch greenery into brownery.
Happily, — the porch could accommodate a mini-patio garden.
If further health fragility was in the cards, a positive for us would be that our future first floor dwelling was near exits, two dining rooms, plus the mail/reception area.
Was this accessible, achievable, advantageous?
Had a colossal stone in our future rolled away?
What could/would it open?
Was this our Shangri-La?
SALIENT POINTS:
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Find a location which pays attention to our basic needs.
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A CCRC offers a variety of solutions when/if our bodies diminish.
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Ascertain if our retirement budgeting is realistic for future cost-of-living expenses in this community.
*Interior Design Magazine: Sun City – Kobe, Japan (February 2018)
**Skilled nursing facilities: “Continuing Care Retirement Communities are licensed by the State of CA. They are regulated by the Department of Social Services & include Skilled Nursing Facilities operated by the CA. Department of Pubic Health. They are regularly inspected by state officials, sometimes during scheduled visits and at other times that are unscheduled” Union Tribune 2-9-18
Happy St. Patrick’s Day & Women’s History Month, Blaire