Where do you want to grow old?

Posted by Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung, Sep 7, 2023

People have many options for living arrangements as an older adult, like living in a house with a group of friends (think Golden Girls), going to a 55+ community, or staying in your own house.

What are your plans? Where do you want to grow old?
or
What choice did you make? What are the the pros and cons of your arrangement?

What advice do you have for others?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aging Well Support Group.

paktoledo | @paktoledo | Oct 13, 2023

In reply to @scottrl "As they say, "Don't resent growing old. It is a privilege denied to many."" + (show)

Absolutely!

mitfit | @mitfit | Oct 13, 2023

In reply to @paktoledo "Try your senior center in town for more activities. You sound like you are doing great...." + (show)

Thank you, Pat. These are good thoughts. We have a couple of good assisted living centers in our area and also a facility with nursing home care. My relatives are actually moving to this area, which is a wonderful blessing. I love our small town living!

paktoledo | @paktoledo | Oct 13, 2023

In reply to @mitfit "Thank you, Pat. These are good thoughts. We have a couple of good assisted living centers..." + (show)

Your welcome. I am from a small town too. And, I love ❤️ it!
Glad to hear family is moving near you! You are truly blessed.

gemjaynes | @gemjaynes | Oct 13, 2023

In reply to @babswel1 "Coleen asked, “Where do you want to grow old?” Answer: Sitting on the porch of a..." + (show)

Hook 'em, Horns. Austin is my home town. I grew up there back when it was a small college town; but it got so crowded, gridlocked, and expensive that we retired to Scottsdale (husband is a Sun Devil). The Cosmic Cowboy era is long gone. Healthcare in Austin is tough to coordinate and get to. A 10 minute drive to my aunt's house took up to 90 minutes by 2011. Infrastructure is terrible. Property taxes in Austin far exceed income and property taxes combined in Scottsdale. Austin is running on hype, the fumes of what it once was. Not a good place to get old. It's only a 2 hour flight to visit family and friends.

babswel1 | @babswel1 | Oct 13, 2023

Hello, Enjoyed your comments on retirement, Austin and Scottsdale.

I was just in Scottsdale (Mayo) and it is just beautiful. The architecture and landscape had me driving endless hours to admire. I am from S. Texas (Corpus); and will be moving to Austin area where my family lives. I agree that the congestion is a great distraction, so I am going to settle in Dripping Springs, They are going to “redo” part of I 35 north to make the two levels disappear so I am told. Yes, taxes are off the charts.
I feel the two hours you mentioned will get me to Mayo just in case, but I think you made a wonderful decision.
Meanwhile, Hook ‘em. 😁

mike2024 | @mike2024 | Oct 14, 2023

In reply to @eva1930 "I live alone in a apartment building and have no fami,y members near me, I still..." + (show)

It sounds like you are an amazing person. Your attitude and your plan are very positive. I admire your fortitude.

ginger123 | @ginger123 | Oct 14, 2023

Having retired from the senior housing industry, I’ve seen it all. The communities are hit and miss, mainly due to staffing issues, and State reimbursement rates. There are levels of care in assisted living that can leave a resident needing more, and they will have to hire additional private care in order to stay and not move to a heavier care facility. Sooo expensive.
My plan, and I know it’s not for everyone, is to age in place…. Live in a one story home, put in grab bars, simplify, and plan to hire outside help when necessary.
We are lucky in my area to have an excellent in home hospice program, and in home physical therapy programs. There’s always Insta-cart food and supply delivery as well.
That’s the plan, anyway…..

cindisue | @cindisue | Oct 14, 2023

In reply to @eva1930 "I live alone in a apartment building and have no fami,y members near me, I still..." + (show)

I would love to visit you if you lived near...I live in southern Wisconsin....I wish you the best of luck...

alive | @alive | Oct 15, 2023

In reply to @ginger123 "Having retired from the senior housing industry, I’ve seen it all. The communities are hit and..." + (show)

Thank you for your insight! I also plan to age in place.

I have read somewhere that doctors use extraordinary measures for themselves the least. Maybe they are able to recognize the signs that they are dying while the rest of us keep hoping to evade death one more time.

I’m hoping that I will be wise enough to recognize when death is coming and my doctors will be honest enough to tell me the truth.

For me there is a difference between prolonging life and prolonging death. I hope I will be able to recognize this difference.

gemjaynes | @gemjaynes | Oct 15, 2023

In reply to @babswel1 "Hello, Enjoyed your comments on retirement, Austin and Scottsdale. I was just in Scottsdale (Mayo) and..." + (show)

I hope you enjoy Dripping Springs. I wonder if Willie Nelson still has a place out there? A number of my oldest friends and their adults kids are buying in Kyle, and they seem to love it, but then many are working from home/telecommuting and don't have to deal with traffic.