Find a Dream Lifestyle In Today’s Newest Retirement Communities
By David Savageau
Only a few decades ago, retirement communities typically consisted of large groups of inexpensive houses in sunny climates, and there were few of them. Today, there are many more retirement communities to choose from—smaller, usually more expensive and often designed for the specific lifestyle of the residents.
If you like golf or boating, for example, dozens of retirement communities can now provide these activities. If you want to combine retirement with continuing education, you might choose one of several communities associated with a university. Other new communities provide services based on religion or a luxury lifestyle. And if you or a loved one is experiencing memory problems, there are communities that offer special services for people with these difficulties.
Examples: The Richfield Retirement Community in Salem, Virginia, has special facilities for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory problems. Bella Vista Village in northwest Arkansas provides residents with eight golf courses, and retirees at the Oak Hammock community in Gainesville have access to courses at the nearby University of Florida.
To find a planned retirement community that caters to your needs and desires, check out…
Groups associated with your special interest. These groups, such as golf or tennis clubs, are often well-informed because members frequently retire to communities where they can pursue their interests. Houses of worship are usually knowledgeable about retirement communities associated with their faith, and associations that represent people with particular medical conditions can often recommend communities that cater to those afflicted with them.
Web-based retirement directories, such as www.retirementliving.com or www.retirenet.com. Or enter into a search engine “planned retirement community” and a location and/or your special interest, such as “California,” “tennis” or “university.”
Senior centers in the area where you’re looking for a retirement community. These centers—which offer services and activities for seniors—can be found by contacting the city or county department on aging where the community is located.
DON’T RUSH
Before buying or renting at a retirement community, envision what a typical month of activities will entail—recreation, entertainment, shopping, trips to the doctor, etc.
Then visit the community to see whether it can accommodate each activity that you plan to engage in. Until a few years ago, many communities let prospective residents stay free of charge for several days while they inspected the facilities. Today, lodging is usually low cost but not free. Typical price: Less than $100 a day.
Use that time to check on necessary amenities, and also to talk with as many residents as you can. Ask what problems they have encountered with the facility and how those problems have been solved. Ask also about unexpected expenses that the developer might not have mentioned, such as local taxes or utility fees.
To check out a developer, contact the Better Business Bureau and/or the attorney general’s office in the state where it operates. If a community is still under construction, check out the developer in the area where one of its previous communities is located. If possible, visit one of the builder’s other communities, and ask residents if it has lived up to expectations.
MORE AND MORE CHOICES
Today’s retirement communities cater to many lifestyles…
City living. American House offers a wide variety of retirement communities and senior residences in many urban areas of Michigan. One of the newer ones—in Southfield—includes condominiums for both independent and assisted living. Among the amenities are a heated swimming pool, an activity room and exercise facility, as well as a library and computer facilities. Downtown Detroit is less than 20 miles away. Prices: $99,900 to $159,000.
Contact information: 866-517-0416 , www.americanhouse.com.
Continuing education. Oak Hammock in Gainesville, Florida, features single-family residences priced from $166,000 to $480,000. There are also assisted-living suites and accommodations with skilled nursing services. Established in 2004 and affiliated with the University of Florida, Oak Hammock offers courses in such subjects as genealogy, art and music appreciation, history, philosophy, computer training, gardening, financial planning and politics.
Contact information: 352-548-1000 and 888-311-6483, www. oakhammock.org.
Freshwater fishing. Great Island at Plymouth, Massachusetts, is near the 77-acre Great Island Pond. The four-year-old community has one- and two-story houses priced at $382,700 to $486,900. The pond—actually a lake—is located within a conservation area and is a great place to catch bass, red perch, white perch, catfish, eels and shiners. The lake is also a popular venue for sailing, canoeing and swimming.
Contact information: 800-741-9322, http://delwebb.pulte.com/HomeFinder/Community.aspx?ID=100460.
Golf. Bella Vista, in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas, was started in 1965, but continues to be a trendsetter for the new-style retirement communities. With eight golf courses, three country clubs and five recreation areas, few other retirement communities—if any—offer more for the avid golfer. Prices: $125,000 to $350,000.
Contact information: 479-855-3036, www.cooperhomes.com/village_bellavista.asp.
Gay and lesbian. Rainbow Vision in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a community of independent and assisted-living apartments close to Santa Fe’s famous art galleries, museums and performance centers. There’s also nearby skiing, golfing, hiking and river rafting. The community, established in 2005, has apartments with rents that range from $2,743 to $4,244 a month, depending on assisted-living services. Condominium prices range from $220,000 to $258,000.
Contact information: 877-795-7555, www.rainbowvisionprop.com.
Memory problems. The Richfield Retirement Community in Salem, Virginia, is one of many establishments that now have services especially for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory problems. Richfield is located in the rolling hills of the western Virginia. The Richfield Memory Care and Enrichment Center, which opened in 1998, provides services that include nurses on call 24 hours a day, around-the-clock personal assistance, activities designed for cognitive stimulation, and social and recreational programs. Prices: $3,444 to $4,153 a month.
Contact information: 888-745-8008, www.richfieldretirement.com.
Luxury up north. Woodland Pond is located on 83 wooded acres in the Hudson River valley village of New Paltz, New York. Scheduled to open in 2007, Woodland Pond will have 24 cottages, 177 independent-living apartments, 60 assisted-living units and 40 beds for residents requiring skilled nursing. Amenities will include an upscale restaurant, a bistro for casual dining, cocktail lounge, library, day spa, as well as an indoor swimming pool, a computer lab, theater center, game rooms and woodworking shop. Woodland Pond is about 90 miles north of New York City.
Contact information: 877-505-9800, www.woodlandpondatnewpaltz.com.
Multigenerational. Villages of Riverwood near Hermitage, Tennessee, is unusual in that, although it is targeted at those at or near retirement age, no age restrictions are imposed. Multigenerational communities can be an advantage to retirees who enjoy socializing with younger people. Scheduled to open in 2007, Riverwood will offer houses that range from 1,200 to 3,300 square feet. Prices: $130,000 to $300,000.
Contact information: 615-846-4663, www.beazer.com/findHome/community.asp?MetroID=28&CommunityID=2816.
Southern lifestyle. The Seasons at Peachtree City in Georgia is scheduled to open in 2007. Among other facilities, the 700-home community on Atlanta’s south side will include 100 acres of green space, fitness center, indoor swimming pool and gourmet teaching kitchen. Houses, with one to three bedrooms, are expected to be priced at $200,000 to $450,000.
Contact information: 770-642-3966, www.levittandsons.com/2006.
Suburban environment. Monarch Landing in Naperville, Illinois, opened in summer 2006. Located 35 miles west of Chicago, the apartment community includes a personal gardening area, fitness center, computer lab, billiards room, library, music room and hobby shop. Prices: Initial fees of $193,000 to $494,000 plus a monthly service charge of about $2,500 per couple. The initial fee is refunded when a resident leaves or is paid to the estate in the case of death.
Contact information: 800-721-0102, www.ericksoncommunities.com/mln.
Bottom Line/Retirement interviewed David Savageau, author of Retirement Places Rated: What You Need to Know to Plan the Retirement You Deserve (Frommers). Mr. Savageau has researched retirement locales since 1982 and is a consultant on the subject to many organizations, including the US State Department. He lives in Washington, DC.
(Article originally published September 2006)
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