Picture this - you have a packed schedule for the day. You plan to attend a workshop in the art studio and you will be traveling to the city to do some shopping. Then, you plan to hit the gym with your personal trainer or attend a yoga class. You finish your day off with meeting your friends in the dining hall for dinner and good conversation.
No, this isn’t a day in the life of a college student. It’s what you can expect living in a life plan community. Young boomers are adventurous and energetic, so they are naturally attracted to this type of retirement community.
However, there are still some hesitations when it comes to moving to a retirement community at an earlier age. Some believe since they are still healthy, there is no reason to move from their home. They are comfortable in the environment they have lived in for many years. It’s a big decision and most feel it’s just easier to age in place.
However, there are many advantages of moving to a life plan community sooner rather than later.
Move While You’re Healthy
Moving and downsizing are challenging no matter your age. But, it is especially difficult if your health starts to falter. Getting rid of clutter will be the first challenge. It’s a good idea to start going through your belongings and getting rid of things that you don’t need anymore, because the earlier you do it, the easier it will be. This could be a great activity to do with your adult children as they can assist you and go through old mementos together.
Moving will be the next challenge. It is a stressful process, from choosing which retirement community suits you to the actual moving day. Once you find your perfect retirement community, you can enlist the help of family and friends to help you move in. Again, it’s easier to do this the younger you are.
If you plan to move into a life plan community, it is best practice to move into independent living sooner rather than later. Life plan communities offer all levels of care in one community so you don’t have to move from place to place to get higher levels of care. To take advantage of the higher levels of care, life plan communities require you to move in while you are still in good health. Planning to move when your health declines or you require higher levels of care does not work at life plan communities as they typically only offer their higher level care to those already living in independent living homes.
Give Your Children and Family Peace of Mind
Some boomers feel that moving into a life plan community is like giving a gift to not only themselves, but to their children as well. Once you move into a community, you have a guarantee that your healthcare needs will be met. By moving into a life plan community sooner, your children and family know that you can receive a higher level of care if you need it and that you will receive it immediately, taking the worry and burden off their shoulders.
No More Home Maintenance Worries
Even though some boomers would rather stay home, it can become difficult to meet the demands of maintenance on their home. Normal chores such as cleaning, mowing the lawn, shoveling the sidewalk and repairs start to become a hassle.
A life plan community will have services available to help you keep up with care and maintenance so that you no longer have to worry about it.
You Will Never Be Lonely
There’s no shortage of new friends when you move into a life plan community! If you like to socialize, there are many activities and fun to be had. Some communities even have resident committees that put together ideas and plans for fun things to do.
Workshops and classes are also offered to learn new things and also provide an opportunity to meet new people that share your interests.
Kendal on Hudson is a Life Plan Community
Once you move into independent living at Kendal on Hudson, you get full access to three levels of care should you ever need them: assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care. This vibrant community also offers many services such as security, maintenance, housekeeping and transportation to name a few.
The resident-driven lifestyle at Kendal on Hudson provides an environment where each resident may experience life at his or her full potential. Kendal believes that retirement and growing older can bring new opportunities for growth! Located just 35 miles north of New York City, there are plenty of things see and do.
Please check our website to find out more about our vibrant community, or schedule a tour and find out why moving sooner rather than later is worth it. Contact us online or by calling 866-358-5802.
