Benefits of Moving into a Planned Retirement Community

You have made many decisions during your life, from where to go to school and what career path to pursue to where to live and who to marry. You have also decided to work hard, to save your money, to invest well and finally to retire.

Now there is just one big decision left, and the choice you make now could have a profound impact on your life and how you live out your second act. Now that you are happily retired, you may be thinking about trading out of the home you know and love and trading into a planned retirement community.

So should you make the leap to a planned retirement living community, or should you stay where you are as you live out your golden years? As with so many previous decisions, there are a number of factors to consider, and here are some things you will want to think about carefully.

Do You Want to Be Surrounded by Your Peers?

If you long to be surrounded by your similarly retired peers, moving into a planned retirement living community could be just the thing. When you make the move you will gain access to dozens of potential new friends, contemporaries who grew up in the same time periods and understand the unique challenges that help make life so special.

On the other hand, not all retirees are anxious to restrict their social circles in this way. Some elderly men and women would rather surround themselves with people from all generations, reveling in their youthful energy while hopefully imparting some of their wisdom and life experience along the way.

In the end only you can make that decision. You will need to think carefully about what you want to do in retirement, how you plan to spend your days and what will await you when you either move to a retirement community or stay in your own home.

Have Maintenance Chores Become Too Taxing?

One of the most oft-touted benefits of living in a planned retirement living community is freedom from the maintenance that can make life in the suburbs so difficult. Many retirees would rather spend their days on a perfectly manicured golf course than caring for their own lawn. They would rather spend their winters at a ski resort, rather than digging out their driveway after yet another snowstorm.

On the other hand some retirees find that they do not mind those household chores, especially now that they have so much extra time on their hands. Instead of avoiding the lawnmower, they may actually spend more time in the yard, planting a garden or creating amazing displays of wildflowers in an underutilized portion of the lawn.

Once again only you can make this decision. Before you move into a planned retirement living community, you might want to spend some time maintaining your property to see if it is indeed too taxing. If so, the choice will become clearer. If not, you might choose to stay right where you are.

Are You Comfortable with the Restrictions?

Last but certainly not least it is important to understand the restrictions you may face if you decide to move into a planned retirement community. While every community is different, some senior housing developments impose restrictions on what residents can do with their properties and even who is allowed to stay in their homes.

You may, for instance, not be allowed to have the grandkids stay all summer, especially if the development is designed exclusively for senior citizens. If you are comfortable with these kinds of restrictions, moving into a planned retirement living community could be perfect for your lifestyle. If not, you might want to consider your other options.

Deciding where you want to live in retirement is not always an easy thing to do, but it is nothing compared to the hard work you have put in to make it here. With decades of hard work and dedication behind you, now is the time to kick back and relax, and you can do just that once you have made this next critical life decision.