I just turned 75YO. For the last several days I've been thinking about getting rid of all of my shit and moving into a nice 'retirement community'.

I live in a big old house (built in 1895) with a whole lotta stuff. Dozens of guns and knives, ~8K books, ~3K classical music CDs (which I know nobody wants), tons of tools, and lots of other shit.

Anyone have any experience with this? Any advice? Any thoughts.

"It's not a nursing home; it's a retirement community" -Tony Soprano to Livia.

Have not checked myself, but several friends have moved in communities that offer independent living quarters, assisted living and nursing home facilities. You progress through them as needed. They have been happy but I am sure some are better than others. Also financial issues vary greatly.
Lot to check out. Good luck.

Depends on where you go and how much you’re willing to pay. I live in an area where there are a lot of retirement communities. It also depends on what you’re looking for. A luxury mobile on a lot with golf course views and a clubhouse? Small (1200 foot home) and small yard, neighbors close. Apartment/condo style?

There are a lot of choices. Once you determine what type of place you wish to live, go visit. Hang out for a while and have dinner (apartment/condo style). If it’s a luxury mobile type place, Go to the clubhouse and spend an evening. See if you like the people/company.

I’m not of retirement age, but my wife is older than I am. We were looking into a 55+ community right before we bought our home. It was pretty awesome and I think it would have been enjoyable living there. The clubhouse was nice, the people were great. Residents were very warm and accepting (me being 44 and tattooed), and it was all around a great community. I just wanted to own the dirt my home is on, and not pay a lease for that land.

Our current neighborhood isn’t a retirement community per se, but they are smaller houses with no yard to speak of. They have nice finishes and fixtures and are on the higher side if the median home cost. Basically, it’s designed to keep younger, or low income out. Aside of me and the neighbor across the street, we were the only ones under 55. It’s a really nice community. I don’t like kids and am happy to live somewhere that isn’t really a place where families would want to live.

To continue on my rambling, some of the retirement communities are pretty awesome. Look around. You may be surprised and find some like minded people and really enjoy being there.

I hope this gives you some food for thought.

We're giving it some thought as well. Same problem as you, what to do with all of the accumulated stuff of 39 years of marriage. A friend recommended using an estate broker and having an estate auction.

I'll be following this thread to see what other ideas come in.

Jim

I would not last long in a place like that,I know a bunch of old folk,most of them piss me off pretty quick.
I am 77 years old ,got lots of tools guns and hobbies ,like a good drink of crown every evening.I don't buy a bottle , I buy a case.
I have dogs and walk them daily with a gun just in case some uncontrolled pit decides to attack my poodles. Score is five to date.
I have things in order,thinned the heard ,karmad to friends and family on the good ones.What is left is kinda the low end ones for protection.
I think you can only make the decision and will make you happy if suits you.

Good excuse for a road trip?

I am near Gettysburg, PA and there are a number of retirement homes in the area. Some really nice. Pick 8 - 10 all over the country and travel and visit each. Sample the food, talk with the residents.

Same trip visit with Forum members, get the word from them on the area, seasons, taxes, infrastructure, etc.

Could take some of the CD’s along. Some might like to give them new homes. I like Grieg, Strauss, Wagner, etc.

Might even find some forum members to stay with while traveling (my wife and I for example).

I'd prefer a retirement village to a retirement home, a place where there are a lot of retired financially independent people with plenty of activities.

Oh and one where the women to men ratio is 10-1.

Buy a golf cart, a fancy one, pop the dog on it and cruise to the town center for happy hour, car shows, dances, drinking and some hanky panky.

They probably play Bunko too..


The villages

Loved the Sopranos line

Nothing to add except I know a great Realtor.

And... you are so young!

quote:

Originally posted by 45 Cal:
I would not last long in a place like that,I know a bunch of old folk,most of them piss me off pretty quick.
I am 77 years old ,got lots of tools guns and hobbies ,like a good drink of crown every evening.I don't buy a bottle , I buy a case.
I have dogs and walk them daily with a gun just in case some uncontrolled pit decides to attack my poodles. Score is five to date.
I have things in order,thinned the heard ,karmad to friends and family on the good ones.What is left is kinda the low end ones for protection.
I think you can only make the decision and will make you happy if suits you.

Yup. An excellent summary of the other side of the coin. I hear ya'.

My mother lived in a retirement tower (six stories). Her apartment was a kitchen, dinning room/living room, bedroom, and bathroom. Her biggest complaint was the frequent turnover of management and the cliquey atmosphere. In her case, it was income based so it was a fairly low financial impact.

As another has mentioned, research.

Jim, this or something like it may be a happy medium. You still have a place if your own. You can keep your guns (this is AZ after all) and you still have the community and activities etc.

HRK mentioned a golf cart. Pick one of them up, or get a Polaris (road legal in AZ) and you’re a minute or two from Old Town (downtown). There are plenty of single women around here.

This is the community my wife and I almost bought in. It’s a pretty sweet place. Not sure if they have that in Virginia, but Arizona is well known for being a great place to retire as well.

https://onthegreensaz.com/

***Edited to add: Homes start in the $150k range and the sky is the limit.
Internal lots are $350~ a month, corner lots are $450~ a month, golf course or canyon view lots are $600+ a month.

Here is an example.
https://www.zillow.com/homedet...326/2096374766_zpid/

quote:

Originally posted by ffips:
My mother lived in a retirement tower (six stories).

Multi-story retirement buildings and senior citizens is a recipe for disaster in the event of a fire.

Last year we bought a new home, relocating from Maui to San Diego; previously had lived in northern California, where our parents had lived.
Subsequently we sold our northern California previous residence; and prior to that had sold our Maui home and our Sea Ranch vacation rental/hoped for retirement home. Last year my wife's family home she inherited with her brother was sold.

I mention this because we now have the remnants of four households in storage, between northern and southern California.

Our 3-car garage can at present hold one car.

We are totally overwhelmed with crap, and to make it worse my wife and I differ on what is crap and what is treasure.

We plan to go back to northern California in a couple of months (when it cools down) and try to empty one of two storage units there. That's my plan. I doubt very much it's going to happen.

Although we have our differences, we agree we can't leave the kids with all this crap.

I kind of like a pre-death estate sale and auction, but I'm afraid my wife would outbid the customers to keep stuff we will never need. Sentimentality rules all.

For the first time I am thinking seriously of unloading most of my guns and my Honda S2000, probably some of the astronomy stuff. I know folks in Africa who could benefit a lot from the proceeds.

Thanks, doc. Fortunately (or unfortunately) it's just me and the dog. I won't do this as long as my dog's still around. She's never lived anywhere else and can't see well enough to adjust to a new environment.

I'm realizing that physical objects, no matter how cool you once thought they were, eventually wind up owning you rather than the other way around.

I intend to keep very, very little.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
Multi-story retirement buildings and senior citizens is a recipe for disaster in the event of a fire.

While I don't disagree with your statement, the purpose of my post was more about management turnover and the cliques than it was about the dangers of vertical structures and aged occupants. Your statement could be reduced to multi-story buildings and fire is a recipe for disaster.

quote:

Originally posted by ffips:

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
Multi-story retirement buildings and senior citizens is a recipe for disaster in the event of a fire.

While I don't disagree with your statement, the purpose of my post was more about management turnover and the cliques than it was about the dangers of vertical structures and aged occupants. Your statement could be reduced to multi-story buildings and fire is a recipe for disaster.

Why would I reduce my statement to that nonsense when the thread is about moving to a retirement community?

The OP needs to consider that in all likelihood as you age your mobility decreases, and most places the elevator automatically return to the ground floor when fire alarms go off. The floor fire warden will likely be told to get a head count of people unable to evacuate, line them up by the fire exit, and then the floor fire warden will evacuate to go report the number to the FD (it's what I was told to do when I was the floor fire warden in 12 story office building).

I was reminded of this 2 weekends ago while I was visiting Dad in the Upper Midwest and we drove past a multi-story retirement building that had recently suffered a fire. Dad said that the evacuation took over an hour. The reason it wasn't national news was that the kitchen fire didn't spread, but it would have been mass casualties if the fire had spread.

Good on you for having the foresight to address this while you get to make the choices.

Location, location, location. Pretty much somes up wherever you are, you need to be ok with the climate. The surroundings for where you can do the things you like. Keep in mind you need to maintain the social side of life. In that you must stay active interacting with people to the brain engaged.
Go visit several places and talk with people. Find out how the resources are relative to the location. Will you have access to the amenities that are important. Health care/medical, banking, food, etc..
As for getting rid of stuff you'll feel quite a bit better to live more simply.

Cheers~

I don’t like them because they eventually treat you like a child, and you’re surrounded by old folks. Two of my friends are currently living on cruise ships. 360 days costs between 65 and 80k, about like a retirement home, and includes all meals and booze if you care. There are “super ships” that specialize in world cruises that are outstanding. I’d check it out.

I would consider a smaller place in a 55+ development. But assisted living is another animal. You don't sound like a good candidate for that. Could you deal with an apartment?

Hi Jim.

I’m totally serious when I say this. Be around younger people. Don’t be around a bunch of older frail bitchy whiney grumpy old farts.

The energy of younger people will help your physical, mental and emotional well being.

My very best wishes to you.