55 + community living, Is it everything you thought it would be based on the brochures?

Answer 1

i checked it out a week ago, im 62 and im not ready for morning coffee kluchs, bingo, shuffle board and gossip allday long. im from the baby boomer generation. i have a life still left in me.so if that,s what you want by all means check it out

Answer 2

Well, let me put it this way - most people, including 55+ themselves, think they would be happy in a 55+ community, and some are.

However, I will tell you a little secret - 'old' people don't like to be around other 'old' people the whole of the time, the whole of the day, all day long, all week long, etc. They have nothing against other 'old' people, but just like any person, even kids and young adults, they too don't want to be around everyone else the same age the *whole* time.

However, most 'old' people themselves don't realise this, unfortunately.

So, whetther based on brochures or not, I personally don't think it is healthy for most 'old' people to live with 'old' people all the time anyway. It must said though, different strokes for different folks, so it may work for some - I have no objections to that - to each his/her own.

Answer 3

I've lived in a 55+ community for over 5 years now. It is the most wonderful place I've ever been (in my price range). I wish I had found it earlier. If I had, I would have retired years sooner. ( To be fair, I've had visitors from time to time; some love it and are ready to move here with hours of their arrival; others find it nice but not really for them.)

My advice is to plan ahead. It took me several years and many trips before I found the right place for me. I don't list it here because what is right for me may not be right for you.

Search for retirement places on yahoo. Analyze all the information you can get about each place or area. You should be able to quickly rule out many places because they are too (close / far) from the beach, too expensive, residents too old (or too young), etc. Group the ones that look the best by area. Next call each place, ask the salesperson for the story about why their place is so great and why theirs is better than the other places. The reasons they give could be very important to you or they might not. Take very good notes!

Many have a preview trip offer. Stay a day or two and they will pickup the tab (or discount) for the hotel, meals, even the flight. Ignore those that offer to return your money if you decide not to buy or apply it to the down payment. (Too much pressure on salesperson to sell you something.)

Next plan a trip to check each area out. Try to arrange things such that you can visit several nearby places on each trip. At some point you'll ether find the ideal place for you or decide that 55+ community living is not really what you want to do.

I really like being with people that have grownup & lived through the same times as me. If you want to discuss an interesting book, movie or play, most have read (seen, or been in a production of) it and can participate in an indepth discussion about it. It is so much better than being around youngsters that don't seem to know which way is up. Or middle agers that are so wrapped up in their work or children that they can't enjoy life.


Likely the most critical feature is that the 55+ community has its own activities and not depend on some outside enity (e.g. city park department) that severs all ages. Outside entities tend to have most activities in the evenings and weekends. (What are you going to do during the day Monday thru Friday?) A good 55+ community should have a wide range of activities everyday. (There are so many activities in my community that I have to keep a day planner and select which ones I'll partipate in and which I'll pass on, mainly because there is just not enough hours in the day to do it all.)

Answer 4

Yes, when we were living in the 55 and over restricted community it was just like the pictures. What we didn't like was that in order to maintain the illusion of a "perfect" community, no one is allowed to do 'anything'.

As the answer above, we were sent a notice when there were a couple of weeds growing in the yard (way over in the corner), and security drove by when the grandkids were playing ping pong in the garage with the garage door open, and the car sitting out in the driveway (NOT ALLOWED).

The pool had "visitor" hours between 1 and 3 only, when the grandkids were allowed. They were not allowed inside the craft rooms, where I did most of my work. We also received a notice after our anniversary party, that people were laughing too loud. We didn't even have any music playing.

We left as soon as our lease was up.

Answer 5

a lot of it depends upon personal attitude and the ability to adjust. I retired at 62 and came to a retirement community with full health care provided because I was forced to because of serious medical problems. I am among the youngest here and truthfully am not that happy. when I was told by the staff " this is your home, " I responded " no, this is not my home, but a place I'll reside until I die. "

yes, I get full care which is wonderful, however, there are drawbacks and I suggest you look around for various options before deciding on what you want to do.

Answer 6

im not 55+
my mother lives in a 55+ community, and, there sure is alot of bickering over there. they didnt sweep the drive way, they let the grandkids in the pool after hours, whos on the shuffleboard court.
what a nightmare.
well, sometimes when they have "happyhour" on the lenai, they get crazy too, worse then kids sometimes.

Answer 7

No it isnt. Depending on wether you want to live in a community for seniors or apartments for seniors, its never home, the neighborhood is gone, and new contacts are not always as easy to make. Furthermore, if you become sick what happens? Either you pay through your nose for inadequate nurses aids or you get yourself a full time caregiver, and whith that you can stay at home too.

Answer 8

I'm 53 and have no intention of being restrained in a "community". I still work overseas...sometimes in combat areas of operations and enjoy the excitement and the mission. I still SCUBA dive, do some mountain climbing and travel in the US, Europe and the Middle-east. No I am not some crazy rich guy....I just take on assignments that are challenging. No gated community for me.

Answer 9

I wouldn't want to live in a 55+ community. I've seen them and they are not very diverse.