Life Care?

We are in our late 70's and on a long wait list for moving into a lovely condo complex, Grandview Terrace, here in Sun City West, Az. Some of our friends, mostly young friends, wonder if we have lost our minds. "You have a beautiful home, a citrus orchard in your yard, walled-in back yard for privacy and freedom for your dogs. What more could you want?"

Well, that's a point. But we are aware of, and believe in, the window. That is to say, there is a small window that opens somewhere between old middle age and early old age. During this time one has most of the physical, mental and emotional faculties that one has had throughout those wonderful early retirement years. And yet... cracks begin to appear.I won't go into that.

Suffice it to say that several of our friends held tight when the cracks began to appear and suddenly, when all hell began to break loose, found it almost impossible to make the decisions, break up housekeeping, sell the house and make the move. This is not a pretty thing.

Others, mostly family, have to do the hard parts. The window somehow suddenly closed. We don't want that.

Though you give up a lot, you also gain a lot, assuming that the right life care facility has been chosen. The environment includes several stress reducing factors, not unimportant for the aging.

Paying bills. So many of them are included in the monthly service package. Most of them, in fact.

Doing chores. No more lawn care, tree pruning, house cleaning, taking out the trash, taking care of the pool. Etc, etc. Cooking is no longer necessary, unless you want to.

Friends. Older people can get lonely. If you can avoid a condo that is insufferably ingrown there are many good people just waiting to have you as a friend. When death claims one of you, there is a huge built-in support group of people who have tasted that agony as well. That helps.

Health and fitness. Grandview has all kinds of physical fitness and recreational facilities. The health care, hospital and hospice care are within a block. These are excellent quality services.

So, you see, its all about the window. Geezers like us have to be watchful and proactive if they want to time the future to work in their favor.

Comments

[Chancy]

Hi

I found your blog via Ronni Bennett and Time Goes By. I like your thoughts about the "window" when we are still able to make positive decisions and follow through on them. We sold our house 3 years ago and moved to a townhouse community and it makes living so much simplier. This is not a continuing care community;most of those in the nearby Atlanta area are high rise rather than condo.

Chancy

[citrus]

Only problem we have is the "wait list". The place is popular and we have to wait for folks to die! The plus is that we love the place we live and are in no hurry.

Roger