The Age of Active Retirement

Many of us remember our parents sifting through books and dreaming out loud about the day that they would be blessed with the relaxation of retirement. There would be plenty of talk on travel to exotic destinations, fishing trips and other leisure activities, but mostly about the freedom to be at home, comfortably tucked away for the golden years. Now, what is widely referred to as active retirement has become a growing fascination for baby boomers all across the country. Scores of boomers are checking out retirement communities as a possible next move, and making exciting plans that they believe will serve their needs and interests in the retirement years.

Baby boomers and new retirees in wealthy communities are consciously comparing real estate options, carefully evaluating the golf courses, tennis courts, marinas, landing strips, and fitness options offered in brochures and featured on colorful websites. More and more people who had no intention of living in an adult community have for one reason or another decided to give the option consideration, and have come to love the lifestyle changes once they've settled in - casually be-bopping around the community day after day taking part in all sorts of activities in the arts, sporting events, wineries and travel. There are beautiful, thriving communities in nearly every American city, with plenty of things to do. While ther are certainly pitfalls that exist with the important decision of retirement, there are active retirees that say that moving to an active retirement community was the best decision of their life. The really great thing is, boomers and new retirees that are young at heart and eager to continue living home life to its fullest have breathtaking adult community options available right in their own abode.

Making a decision to move away from home requires more than just a consideration of amenities, boomers need help to make informed decisions in order to avoid some common obstacles. The AARP website (aarp.org) spells out just a few of these challenges as the face of retirement changes, with news and trends that assist in planning and suits specific budgets. "Many Boomers are gaining first hand exposure to a fragmented system by serving as caregivers for aging parents. Many are helping out their parents financially at the same time as they are supporting their children and planning their own futures."

Here in the laid back ease of the Midwest, many active adults either stay in their own homes or move to a smaller place when it comes time for retirement. But for the hundreds of thousands in this area and in other parts of the country who move to an active adult community each year, the choices can be daunting, and a wrong move can be costly and discouraging. Thankfully, there are many resources available that can help boomers improve their chances of making right decisions for their lifestyle, and this greatly reduces financial risk. There are helpful websites where baby boomers can find objective opinions on active retirement communities. For this area, I found web sites such as Citysearch (stlouis.citysearch.com), Retirenet (retirenet.com) and Planned Seniorhood (plannedseniorhood.com). Each site presents a database of vital facts about assisted living and adult care communities in the St. Louis metro area to help active adults make more informed decisions.

The metro area residents here who chose active retirement communities seem to be very much like the national norm, wanting the ease of a low maintenance lifestyle, plenty of activities, an active social life, all inclusive conveniences, pleasant company of people their own age, safety, and a residential community that they feel is right for them. The Community Coordinator at any metro retirement community knows all too well what makes residents happy, and some of the top issues that retirement communities face with new residents. The biggest issue they often see the most is also the most painful one to see. Folks often make the decision to move into a facility five years after they really should have. They wait too long, and by the time they're ready to leave their home it is in many cases too late, and at that point they may need the next level of assisted living. Active retirement communities don't want active adults to wait too long. They know that residents want to enjoy an exquisite lifestyle for healthy retirement, enormously full and rich; comfortable and enjoyable.

Timely active retirement seems a great idea - no job, lots of leisure time, and freedom to do just what you want when you want. After retiring, however, some are disappointed to miss the rat race. With extra leisure time, there are sometimes problems inherent in retirement and older age that can cause stress, and there is a very big difference between an independent living environment and a retirement home. During the transition, families often need assistance with the stress of change, and a good retirement community manager will approach this with a more person-centered plan of care. Services should not only be geared to the resident, but to the family members as well. Letting go of some level of independence or belongings that residents have always known in order to live in a smaller space can cause a great deal of stress, and there can even be a sense of loss. Eventually retirees realize there is a sense of freedom in downsizing, and settle on retaining favorite pieces and keepsakes that fit the new lifestyle.

To begin thinking about and planning for retirement before time can help ease the recently retired into a new, enjoyable lifestyle and can prevent the frustration and worry of retirement problems. Retirenet.com suggests these 5 tips for preventing stress after retirement: Focus on staying healthy, get involved socially, tune in spiritually, respect your budget, and get into a daily routine that you really enjoy. Whatever your retirement tastes, you've worked hard, and your life certainly deserves to bloom in active relaxation. With planning and committment, retirement can be all that you've imagined.