Why You Shouldn’t Keep Making Excuses to Put Off a Retirement Community Lifestyle
Whether you’re a retiree, spouse, friend, or relative of a future retiree, you’ve likely heard the million reasons why folks say that now isn’t the “right” time to move to a life plan community (formerly known as a continuing care retirement community or CCRC). Perhaps you’ve discussed it over lunch with friends, during a round of golf, or during a family get-together at the holidays.
We’d like to show you why it’s a great time to stop saying “not yet” and discover why moving to a life plan community has big benefits for your happiness and overall quality of life.
Retirement comes with many lifestyle changes. After all, you may be transitioning from a long career into part time work. If you have children, they may be getting married or becoming established on their own. If you don’t have children, you may be considering ways to be proactive about future planning for yourself. There are many scenarios, but at the end of the day, most people want to ensure that they’re going to be in an environment where they can live happily, give of themselves to a greater cause, and have peace of mind about the future.
If you’re considering a move to a life plan community such as Homestead Village, you’re already on the right track. Being part of a life plan community will help you focus on the aspects of your life that matter most: wellness, growth, security, and peace of mind.
However, many individuals—even those well within their retirement years—have still not even remotely come close to considering a move to a life plan community. So while you might have a lot of excuses in mind as to why it isn’t the “right” time, let us break down the three most common reasons that you believe are stopping you from living the best life possible in a life plan community.
#1: I’m Too Young to Retire: How Old Should I Be When I Retire?
Currently, the average age individuals retire from the workforce in the United States is 63 years old. While it’s true that 63 is considered young by Social Security and Medicare, 63 years of age is not too young to start planning for the next phase of your life. In fact, the minimum age to move to a life plan community like Homestead Village is only 62! Many communities have wait lists, so planning ahead can not be overemphasized.
The mindset of the boomer generation is to be proactive about laying a pathway for a successful future. The antiquated mindset of waiting as long as possible before “going to the home” is long-gone, and now, forward-thinking individuals embrace the concept of engaged community living and access to healthcare support if necessary. Boomers have supported their own aging parents through their healthcare journeys and feel strongly about not wanting their own children to have to support them if care needs increase.
Getting a Jumpstart on Retirement Planning
So, where do you stand on this debate? It is true that more people in their mid-60s and beyond are still in the workforce than ever before, often because they enjoy being productive and don’t see the point of leaving a vocation they love just because they’ve celebrated a specific birthday.
As you know, modern retirement doesn’t mean having to give up work entirely. Retirement today is all about doing what you want to do because you want to do it, and this includes working part-time jobs, volunteering, and filling your days with arts, leisure, education, and other life enrichment activities. Or, if you choose to continue working full time, that’s great too! Being retired from one’s career is not a prerequisite of moving to a life plan community.
Knowing when you can retire and what benefits are available to you is important for planning your financial future—and budgeting for a life plan community can be a big part of that decision. Doing research on entrance fees and ongoing monthly fees is a great first step towards finding the perfect community for you. Discussing your plans with a financial advisor is also a great practice.
With Homestead Village, we’re all about the bigger picture. As a casually elegant, mid-sized continuing care retirement community in central Pennsylvania, we’re not just here to support your independence—we want to help you find a purpose beyond yourself, too. Our community opportunities include a wide range of life-enriching activities and events that help our residents connect to each other both in- and outside our community. Our residents are empowered to explore new interests or share their own hobbies with others.
#2: I’m Not Ready to Sell My House: When Should I Put My Home on the Market?
While you may feel strong emotional ties to your house, you must admit that caring for it can be demanding in terms of maintenance, cleaning, and repair tasks, which always seem to be calling your name! Many times, people say they’re not ready to sell their house, but, is it possible they simply aren’t feeling up to the challenge of preparing the property for sale and actually making a move?
Putting your house on the market can seem daunting, as you may feel the need to renovate multiple rooms or make expensive upgrades to lure buyers. However, selling your home in today’s market may mean that you can skip much of the work required to get it ready for sale. It’s a seller’s market, and demand is high for quality family homes like yours, even if they need a little TLC. Sale prices are also hovering around a decade high, which means you could walk away from your home with a nice profit to invest in your retirement.
Selling a home also offers peace of mind to family members or loved ones who may worry about the toll that demanding household chores and maintenance tasks may take on an older adult. Explore new home options without having to worry about maintenance, lawn care, snow removal, or security.
Many people have lived in their homes for 30, 40, or even 60 years! The sentimental attachment to a home can certainly make it harder to leave the house. The key is not to do it alone. Enlist the support of caring family and friends who can encourage you along the way. Keep precious photos and journals of the great memories so they can be brought to your new home. And, remember to keep the mindset that when moving to a life plan community that this next step is exciting and new! There will be new memories to make, new experiences to enjoy, and memories of the past will not be lost even though you are living in a new place.
Does selling your home sound appealing, but you’re still not sure how to make it happen without a lot of pain and stress? Start the journey by speaking with a representative at a life plan community who can help answer questions about timing, the downsizing process, and offer encouragement. Finding a knowledgeable real estate agent can also make the process go more smoothly. Or, attend an expert-led seminar to get a better sense of how to make selling easier. Check in with our free events, as we have frequent seminars with experts in the downsizing, moving, and real estate industry. Finally, there are numerous downsizing and relocation concierge services geared towards individuals moving to life plan communities that can make the whole process a breeze!
#3: Downsizing is Too Overwhelming: How Do I Declutter Quickly?
Along with selling your family home comes some dreaded “D words” that sound great in theory, but can be extremely overwhelming in real life: downsizing and decluttering. The good news is you can tackle your clutter with proven tactics and strategies, and ultimately be happier with less stuff!
The question “Does it spark joy?” is decluttering expert Marie Kondo’s signature mantra. It has helped countless people eliminate their clutter and turn their lives around. But can you use it to decide whether or not to keep your excess “stuff”? The answer is “yes”. As with selling your home, the key is to not do it alone.
Consult with family members, friends, and even professional organizers to make the process easier. And also plan to start small—never aim to clear out your entire house at one time. Doing so can conjure feelings of stress and anxiety. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Here are some tips to help you get started:
- Don’t try to do too much at once. Start small by going through one drawer or closet at a time and making quick decisions about what stays and what goes.
- Choose quality over quantity when deciding what stays in your home—focus on items that will last for years or have sentimental value that you can pass down to family members or friends. It’s also a great practice to give heirloom gifts sooner rather than later, so you can experience the joy of giving the treasured item to a loved one, and be able to share the stories that go along with it. The opportunity to share stories is what people treasure most.
- Set aside time every day to declutter—it doesn’t take long, but it can feel like an impossible task if you don’t make it part of your routine!
Downsizing can be a lot of work, but you certainly don’t have to get rid of all of your possessions! Homestead Village features a variety of home sizes and styles, many are generously-sized and feature two-car garages and full basements so that there’s room for everything you wish to bring along!
Plan Your Retirement with Homestead Village
So, why wait? It’s time to start your“life plan” journey. With Homestead Village, we guarantee you’ll say, “I wish I’d done this sooner!”, much like our residents!
“Don’t wait! We should have moved five years sooner and should not have downsized first to a condo community, because we had to move twice.” – Jon and Louise
“Don’t think twice. Just do it!” – Frank and Theona
“Place your name on a waiting list as soon as possible, because life happens so fast, and as you get older, it only gets harder to make a move.” – Chick and Nancy
“We had attended several Homestead Village seminars and open houses prior to deciding to be on the waitlist. Even though we were both still working full time and not feeling ready to downsize and move to a CCRC, we knew Homestead would be the best decision for us… In October of 2013, we put down a deposit and joined the Priority List. In February of 2021 (seven and one-half years later!), we decided to upgrade to Ready Status. We found ourselves at the top of the Villa list, and on September 17, 2021, we received the keys to our completely remodeled new villa! We are so thrilled that we got our names onto the waitlist early and could move while we are still healthy.” – George and Helen
“We are delighted to be residents of The Mews at Homestead Village. The quality and craftsmanship of renovations we requested to our villa exceeded our expectations. Our new home is filled with sunlight, and it has secluded and well landscaped views. We have been gratified by the genuine concern for our satisfaction shown by all staff members. Finally, and most importantly, we are reassured to be members of an organization that is so invested in our health and welfare.” – John and Suzanne
“After living in School Lane Hills for 52 years, Chris and I moved to the Farmstead at Homestead Village. We have our own carriage house but none of the maintenance worries. There are numerous amenities, a variety of support services, and the location is the best. We are still close to family and old friends. You are able to maintain your lifestyle without all the headaches. Come join us!!!” – Chris and Gladdie
Get in touch with our knowledgeable team and start a conversation about Homestead Village’s lovely home style options, pricing, wait list timing, and how to take the next steps towards a vibrant future!