When Sheila encountered old age her design career’s unique experiences became a guide to embrace change and shape an entire new lifestyle; the adventure of being a resident with 800+ elders all heading to the backstretch.
Progress! A kiosk aide pushed a magic button to a gateway of possibilities, But, could we live in a much smaller space even if it offered cutting edge tools to sustain health & wellbeing.
It was my initiative. Would it be ours? Were we moving forward or were we in a revolving doorway?
Tag along in Post 4 to our next encounter.
NO!
I did not want to push my husband to love my idea.
Doesn’t it always take….
“Two To Tango”?
During our second visit to Retirement Land to look again at the apartment that was available, we remembered that it looked fairly spacious. But that was without furniture.
Question: Could our furniture fit? And, if so, what furniture?
I’m an interior designer. So, draw a floor plan with our furniture. Duh!
Then…and always…The Nitty-Gritty
Doesn’t reality always move to center stage?
We met the financial guru who revealed the price of a move into that 1,160 sq. ft. apartment. Hey,*
it was down-right expensive!
On the other hand, there was a tiny trade-off…incentives offering a better price…they really liked us? (Really, Really!)
Did I mention we were still flummoxed?
In our case, according to my design research, we would be heading to desirable longevity.**
So far So good.
And….
My husband was pleasantly surprised at the handsome landscapes, delicious menus and amenities experienced, but still marginal about leaving what we had forged together.
When I was completing my design for a retirement home, I used my stay-over visits to learn the mantras of a remarkably aging population. They were not a bunch of “old dearies” bleakly accepting body ailments. Nope, they were realistic, whether aged 70, 80 or 90+ and maybe not seeing, hearing or walking well, but during my visits, my new friends kept trying and 97% had a zippy sense of humor.
So I felt less ambivalent about new pastures. Not having these experiences, my husband was still evaluating his pro and cons.
No doubt, we had cohabited for fifty years, but now we would be cohabiting with other residents in 642 apartments and villas — over 800+ chums.
Hmm! I understood his dilemma.
It would be necessary to build new kinships and interact socially — to some extent —
each and every time we opened our door.
Nor was it perfect timing. Mid-November and the December season of celebrating religious traditions, family gatherings, and camaraderie, to me, it was forever a time of renewal.
l aways hoped to breathe new life into our small clan celebrations.
Who would even want to think about buying our home during this holiday time!
Truly, we loved the forty plus years we had spent knocking out walls with unrestraint. We added five sets of French doors that offered rooms filled with natural light, added decks, more rooms, altered landscapes, etc. It gave us a sense of pride and joy.
The positives:
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a great spectrum for older bodies and minds,
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walking paths with flowering landscapes,
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engaging conversations and activities,
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excellent food choices and in my book, no more “what in the *#*% should I cook tonight,
The negatives:
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a substantial heave-ho to our money.
Again, we opened our French doors, stepped onto our deck and climbed down a circular staircase to the sweet nook my husband had designed and created — the perfect place for pondering.
We pondered….Again, the benefits of living in a habitat enhancing health, well-being and longevity was pragmatic.
Their Financial Guru told us to expect a yearly increase in living expenses that would raise our monthly payments about 3%.
That sounded doable.
We weren’t looking through rose-colored glasses, but practical thinking needed to reign for being comfortable for however long we existed on Planet Earth.
Forever And EVER???
SALIENT POINTS:
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Speaking to current residents offers an amazing experience; as a designer of a senior facility, senior apartments and often a guest, I asked questions?
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High-end senior facilities focus on resort-style amenities.
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“Close Encounters…” may be a science-fiction movie, but aging populations flourish by staying connected with social and outdoor amenities and friendships.
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Be savvy about fees and possible financial headwinds. Facilities do have down payment/entrance fees of up to or over $1 million that is partially returnable on a variable scale. (Not all continuing-care communities charge an entrance fee.)
*Life Care Type A Contracts: “unlimited use of health care services…fee increases based solely on an increased level of need…typically a higher entrance fee because some of the cost of future health care is prepaid at today’s dollars. Due to this prepayment, a portion of the entrance fee is tax-deductible for those who qualify to itemize medical deductions.”
2019 Acts Retirement-Life Communities, Inc.
**”People live longer, healthier lives when their living environments encourage being active and interactive with others, no matter age or level of physical activity…it is part of the solution for an aging world” — — Clinton Foundation Health Matters Summit.
Happy Easter Blaire & Happy Birthday To Your Daddy