New Retirement Community Listings and Updates

Sep 4, Maryland Retirement Communities

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:49:35 GMT

Maryland Retirement Communities

Sep 3, Senior Low Income Housing

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:08:34 GMT

Find communities and learn about senior low income housing in the U.S.

Aug 25, New Retirement Homes are Popular with Seniors:

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:44:38 GMT

For seniors the advantages of buying new retirement homes in retirement communities may outweigh those for buying resale or foreclosure homes elsewhere. Here are some advantages:

new home appliances and systems will generally not break down for several years -- the roof probably won't go bad either
new homes have the latest materials and won't need upgrading which is expensive and they generally are ones that you have chosen to your taste
new homes have new green features; hardwood floors are popular now and easier for seniors to clean, and/or aging in place features are usually in place for easier senior living
used homes usually will have things that need doing and aren't visible until you have lived there a few months while new homes are well, all new, and many systems have warranties
new homes feel good and need less maintenance

this marketing video by Lennar expresses the sentiment

Aug 21, Senior Apartments for Over 55

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:05:51 GMT

Find senior apartments-senior citizen apartments-rental communities listings for over 55 throughout the U.S.

Aug 20, Senior Apartments-Los Angeles

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 23:38:51 GMT

Comprehensive listings of senior apartments-Los Angeles and surrounding area in Southern California.

Aug 17, My job looking for retirement communities is so interesting

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:44:33 GMT

...some days I don't get a thing done. When going to websites of various communities, there is so much knowledge on them about the area, the location, the town, and, if a country community, could be an article about animals that inhabit the mountains, that I spend a lot of time reading. For instance, today I got very sidetracked by going to the website www.shenandoahcommunity.com. In their Resources category, there were several interesting articles--"Can You Spot These Critters?," about the animals that inhabit the Valley, one about Rachel Carson, and a Historical Guide to the Shenandoah Valley. All entertaining, educational--and, yes took my time away from the nitty gritty. May I suggest you read communities' websites that you may not have an immediate interest in. Some of them are very well written and researched and you can learn a lot about an area. And Shenandoah, a community in Northern Virginia has a "Stay and Play" visitor's discovery tour--the $55.(please verify--see website for qualifying information) low price is for a short time only--where you can experience all of these things for yourself. It's a great area and they want you to come and explore it -- and maybe you'll want to stay.

Aug 16, Senior Apartments-Long Island

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:44:33 GMT

A list of senior apartments-Long Island, New York, for over 55.

Aug 16, Southeast Retirement Communities

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:19:36 GMT

Southeast Retirement Communities listings and reviews.

Aug 14, Reach us with our regular site name or a shorter version

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 23:21:31 GMT

Just a note that if you are a regular visitor to our site, you can now reach us by typing in a shorter version of our site's name: www.bestguiderc.com (no hyphen). This will redirect to our site with the longer name. Of course, you can still reach us by using our regular name bestguide-retirementcommunities.com. Nothing has changed there. I hope this will be useful for those wanting a shorter version.

Aug 14, Senior Apartment Rentals in Southern California

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 23:02:29 GMT

Just want to catch you up on Meta Housing Corp's senior rental apartment communities in the Los Angeles area. This is a great company that builds for low income seniors and for all seniors over 55. They have the Burbank Senior Artist's Colony -- the famous one you've heard of which was built to attract the senior artists in the area. But it isn't just for artists. It's a great retirement community for seniors to stay active. That one has been around for awhile. Starting rents are $1705/month with access to free art classes and exercise workshops. Meta Housing of course, also has many senior rental communities in Southern California. Now they have 2 new senior rental artist's colonies coming up that are innovative and exciting: A new senior artists colony in Long Beach will have 147 mixed-income rental apartments. Plans are for it to be ready for tenants in 2012. The theme is transportation with bicycle facilities, priority parking for hybrid electric cars, car sharing service, bus stop near light rail and wide public sidewalks. There also will be art studios, a movie theater and projection room and roof deck overlooking the city. Meta also plans to break ground on a 126-unit North Hollywood senior artist's colony this year which will include some housing for low income seniors. Plans are for a working theater and other amenities to bring out or enhance the artist in you and keep you active. See the Meta Housing website for information. Meta plans more senior artist's colonies so stay in touch with them. You can join a wait list for these new senior communities.

Aug 13, Retirement Communities on Long Island

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:07:53 GMT

Retirement communities on Long Island easy to search listings of new and older communities and reviews.

Aug 10, Retirement Communities--an Amenity We May Not Have Thought of..
for working seniors

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:30:40 GMT

Retirement communities may have an amenity we have not thought of..good for working seniors! I don't have the numbers on how many have now officially put off retirement and continue to work after retirement age..but I believe the numbers are increasing. Del Webb's recent survey of boomers, showed 70 want to keep working after retirement. The concept of retirement communities is changing. Today's retirement communities I believe are on average around 50 occupied by those who are not retired but continue to work. This is because if you meet the age requirement and move into a retirement community, there are huge benefits to be had in this senior lifestyle for working seniors. The concept of the retirement community continues to evolve according to senior's current needs. Retirement community amenities make it easier for seniors to continue working. We know the advantages of selling a home to release its equity, recharging your savings account, and downsizing to an easier way of life with low or no maintenance. In addition, for today's seniors, this can mean recharging your energies to enable you to work longer. We no longer think of retirement communities exclusively as places to go and enjoy our remaining active years retired. But the name retirement community has remained. Not all working seniors consider their jobs work. For many working seniors, retirement is also a state of mind. They consider themselves retired even though working by choice. Some of today's retirement community amenities that help seniors who work by choice or necessity include:

Activities for exercising such as Fitness Centers, indoor walking tracks, nature paths, swim pools, on-site massage, health centers and more for fitness.
Time savers like on-site restaurants, beauty salons, barbers, or a nearby village for daily shopping.
Concierge desks with unique services for your personal needs.
Amenities such as business centers where you can use public computers, copy machines, writing desks or sit in comfy lounge chairs and read a good book.
Indoor relaxation with billiard rooms, ping pong, card rooms in your off hours.
Nearby shopping, health centers--all save your time.
Downsizing, low maintenance, security gates--all for peace of mind and time saving, freeing up your energies for your job.
Energizing and sophisticated design concepts.
New urban lifestyles.

So in essence retirement communities free up your time and energies to enjoy your working retirement years. And, retirement, after all, can be just a state of mind.

Aug 5, Florida Retirement Communities

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:28:46 GMT

Florida retirement communities for over 55

Jul 30, Niche Communities

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:10:13 GMT

Some people call them intentional communities, but I like to call them niche communities--or even unusual communities. Seniors need to stretch--and that's what baby boomers are doing. They don't all want to sit back in their senior years (unless that is your niche)--they are looking for the unusual, a niche, something that speaks to them. By speak to them we can say that the community is appealing with a certain group of amenities or activities that appeal to a certain person seeking those things or even was formed intentionally around the interests of a group. Baby boomers have always been on the cutting edge and that's what they are doing today--finding their passion and creating their own jobs and identities. There are many different niche communities out there even in the classic retirement community setting. People want to fill their senior years with meaning either in work or play. if card clubs are your thing, find communities with multiple card clubs and like people who enjoy this activity as much as you do. Ask the questions that most people don't ask when visiting a retirement community. "What is the most popular club at the community." Is this a good question for the real estate salesperson at the model home who has their spiel down pat. Yes, it is -- you may or may not surprise them but they should know that answer. I remember a sales person giving me the off-hand comment, "Card playing is really popular here (in this community), we have 35 card clubs." Well, that was a lot and I noted it. So if you like to play cards,, you may want to come back to that community. We did mention it, by the way, in our list of features for the community. We will have an upcoming interview on "What are Intentional Communities," what to look for and how to find them. Gaze into the future--people seem to be staking out their claims to finding their niche, their passions. Live in an RV, why notlive where other actors live (especially prevalent in Los Angeles and NYC), or somewhere where health is the priority with great wellness centered features.. It doesn't have to be golf unless that's your niche and it is for plenty of seniors..there are endless niches. Every day our focus is on finding niche communities as well as classic ones. So go on--stretch a little--find a community that is right for you--that's what baby boomers do.

Jul 23, Central Florida Retirement Communities

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:56:20 GMT

Central Florida retirement communities

Jul 20, Real Estate Update

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:24:54 GMT

Real Estate Update for retirement communities.

Jul 19, Manufactured Homes Communities for Over Age 55

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:12:51 GMT

Manufactured homes communities for over age 55

Jul 16, Retirement Living Portland Oregon

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:53:59 GMT

An interview with an expert on retirement living Portland Oregon and The Sheldon, a new Portland Oregon Retirement Community.

Jul 16, Cooperative Housing

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:16:31 GMT

Read this interview with an expert on cooperative housing, with answers to many questions about co op housing.

Jul 14, Expert Interviews

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:52:10 GMT

Interviewing experts on retirement communities and topics for these expert interviews. Read a retirement interview with authorities.

Jun 27, "Hands Across the Sand" Protest

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 16:59:01 GMT

A great photo can bring tears to your eyes. I just read an article about how people all over the world participated in "drawing a line in the sand" against offshore oil drilling. This photo is of the group of people in Pensacola, Florida. See the article and photo here. We know to ban offshore oil drilling will cost jobs but isn't it time we come to grips with the truth and stop the distractions. The horrible oil spill disaster is an example of what can happen and can happen again. I have been reading in scientist Greg Braden's book "The Isaiah Effect," about how people by praying and meditation can change future events. Is it possible that the "Hands Across the Sand" protest and the coming hurricane heading toward the Gulf, occurring at the same time, resulted in the hurricane changing course away from the Gulf, which it has. It has been proven that prayer and meditation by groups of people can effect change in future events. The interesting fact the scientists have discovered is that it doesn't take thousands of people but only as few as 100. Isn't it time that we as a people choose the right paths for the right reasons and not the wrong path for the wrong reasons. Our environment nurtures all of us. It isn't just about jobs in the oil industry, although that is so important to those involved, but it is about our environment, our protection of it and our very enjoyment of life. And think of all the jobs lost in the real estate, tourist and restaurant industries. Needless to say the tragic loss and suffering of wildlife has horrified us all. But again, let us not forget the impact on the environment and what that means for everyone. Retirement is the cornucopia of life--after working for many years we finally reap our harvest in our later years. The enjoyment of the environment and the fruits of the earth are that harvest. The Gulf Oil Disaster forces us to think about the impact of our thoughts and decisions on the environment and all important issues of today. Whether you are for or against offshore drilling, it is becoming urgent to choose and pray to make the right decisions for the right reasons on today's important issues.

Jun 8, Does your Active Adult Retirement Community have a "Sell By" Date

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:35:10 GMT

Active adult retirement communities may have a "sell by" date. Today I was reading an interesting article about the Sell Date listed on a carton of eggs that are bought in a grocery store. Most eggs aren't as fresh as I thought. Better than the sell date, egg cartons should have a packed date in the form of a code. The pack date gives a more accurate picture of how fresh the eggs are. All of this information gives you information you can use to decide if you should buy the eggs. What does this have to do with retirement communities. Being as I am always thinking about retirement communities, I thought does a retirement community have any similar information that tells us when it's best to buy them or something like that. Well, not exactly, but I have noticed that when a retirement community is a particularly good deal or very popular it sells out faster closer to its start date. Some communities sell out even before they are bought. So instead of running all over town to check out every community, you may wish to check the start date of the community and how many units have been sold and how many are left. Now there are, of course, variables, so using common sense is important. This theory hasn't been tested so don't take it too seriously. But at the least, I thought it was an interesting way to know which communities you may wish to visit first. Communities that are selling fast usually will advertise it on their websites, such as "more than 50 sold in first 30 days." Or you can call or email and ask the information. Sometimes the website will say "Grand Opening." You can call and ask how many are sold out of how many units, by Phase. Salespersons at the community also have this information. Marketers try to get the momentum going so they will say things like "Final Phase," but nothing tells the story like the actual numbers. So my untested theory is the Pack Date on a carton of eggs correlates to the Start Date of a community and the Sell By Date may depend on how many homes are in the community or will be built. You can ask the community if it is on track for its goals for selling homes. If a community has been going for five years, for instance, and hasn't even sold 50, perhaps you need to look at other communities out there. There may be something better. And if you're curious about the eggs, read the article here. What's Cooking

Jun 5, Meals at Grocery Store Food Bars for Seniors

Sat, 05 Jun 2010 15:00:22 GMT

I came across a blog that had some negative comments about grocery store Food Bars, specifically Whole Foods Market. The writer took his grandparents to a Whole Foods cafe for dinner. The writer said the salads were bland and the hot food unseasoned although he felt it had good value for the price. When I was in a metropolitan area Whole Foods recently (see my recent blog), I found the salad bar fabulous and I don't usually like buffets of any kind. I came away thinking this was a good way to go for seniors because the price was reasonable (you could eat there every day and not break the bank) and the food was of a higher quality. In fact, the food there was so good, I wanted to move nearby so I wouldn't have to cook anymore! But when I returned home and eagerly sought out my local Whole Foods Market, it wasn't the same. The food selection was smaller, the seating area cramped, and the salad not as fresh. Needless to say, I was disappointed, like the blog writer. My point is that Whole Foods Markets tend to be inconsistent. There are great ones, mediocre ones and probably bad ones. What does this have to do with retirement communities, you ask. You will be much more concerned with food and nutrition in retirement, and I like to remind people to check out the grocery stores and restaurants nearby a retirement community they are considering. If you can walk to the restaurant or grocery store, so much the better. While Whole Foods Market can be "pricey," check out the page on their website that shows the weekly sales at the store near you before you go. Some good deals there. It is getting harder to find quality food at reasonable prices that seniors can afford, and it requires more searching than ever before. There are other organic foods grocery stores that you might enjoy. Wild By Nature, for instance, on Long Island, has a senior discount of 10 and a cafe as well (please verify as policies can change). You need to ask if a store has a senior discount. Seniors can find other options for dining out other than restaurants or fast food and meals at grocery store food bars for seniors may be a good option.

Jun 3, New Community Listing in Oregon is a Co-op Community

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 11:48:45 GMT

A new community I just listed on my Northwest Retirement Communities page is a new co-op community for over 55 located in Portland, Oregon. I had never heard of co-ops until I moved back to the East Coast, as senior co-ops are a rarity on the West Coast, and they have so many advantages for retirement living. I live in a co-op so I know from first-hand experience the peace of mind that the fixed and lower monthly expenses in a co-op community can bring. If you are moving to Portland, Oregon, interested in co-ops, or just trying to decide on a nice place to retire on the West Coast, you may wish to visit The Sheldon and explore this community. Even though they are not due to break ground until 2011, they are already half sold out. I don't know if it will be the same for The Sheldon, please verify this, but some of the nice things about my co-op are: If an appliance breaks down in my home, it will be repaired or replaced by the co-op at no cost to me. I have had so far a refrigerator, washer and dryer, garbage disposal, bathroom shower tile, and an air conditioner replaced. My monthly fee covers all utility bills, trash removal, property insurance, property taxes and more. It's a treat to not have the hassle of writing out separate monthly bills. All luxury amenities on the property are included also. The Sheldon may cover different things so please verify what they are. If you want to know more about co-ops, the co-op community experts at The Sheldon will be the authors of my next Interview with the Experts, so please check back soon.

May 27, Coming Soon: " Co-op Retirement Community: What Is It Like"

Thu, 27 May 2010 12:27:30 GMT

Coming soon on "Interview with the Experts," our article on co-op retirement communities. I am very pleased and excited to present to you this new article: "Co-op Retirement Community--What Is It Like" An expert on co-ops from the Portland, Oregon, area will answer our most probing questions. What are the financial benefits? What is a co-op lifestyle? We hope to ask some questions about Portland, Oregon, as well since this is a top place of interest to retirees. I live in a co-op retirement community and have first-hand experience with them. They are advantageous for many reasons, and we hope to tell you why in this article. I have just heard from the expert so it may be a couple weeks yet, but please check back soon.

May 26, Memorial Day Weekend at Retirement Communities

Wed, 26 May 2010 16:20:22 GMT

Be prepared--Memorial Day weekend is coming up and with that some extra sales incentives are common at our retirement communities. Also, some fun activities, too. Just go to your favorite communities website to see what is planned or call. For instance KHovnanian emailed me about some one-time incentives on selected communities on Memorial Day weekend (see their website for details.) "Wow, that's a great deal." There's a Staples commercial on TV where the guy says "Wow, that's a low price" very loudly in a store oblivious to other people. After you see some of the prices on our retirement communities, you may find yourself saying that very same thing. "Wow, that's a low price." Before the summer rush, now is a good time to visit retirement communities. Some have some outstanding Visit programs to take advantage of. Del Webb, for instance, has fabulous "Vacation Getaways" at selected communities as so do many others.

May 25, Financial Clinic..lots of changes coming

Tue, 25 May 2010 22:22:47 GMT

Just got back from a financial clinic -- Learned a few things -- here are my cryptic notes Healthcare bill will change a lot of things Taxes: Bush tax plan going away this year - there are more investment opportunities today if you have capital gains--must decide whether to sell this year or next (many variables--seek advice from financial planning professionals) Long Term Care: ...4 out of 10 people need care before age 65 ...70 of families take care of loved ones before they seek facilities care ...women will need care longer than men ...government is considering some changes regarding long term care so won't need to pay so much for the high premiums ...seniors realize when older that they need supplemental income types of investments ...some people don't want to spend money on long term care because they may never need it ...in the future long term care premiums may be going up for new applicants - those with existing premiums may not have as much of an increase Health Care Bill: will change a lot of things 11 of the population (approximately) has income $250,000-$500,000 3 over one million - please verify ... businesses with more than 25 employees (please verify this number) must provide healthcare to employees whether part time or full time or pay a tax ..if own investment rental property -- new -- will have to file 1099 if hire anyone ..the Healthcare bill will change a lot of things.. I hope you enjoy these notes -- there was much more but I am not a financial planner and am afraid of giving away any financial advice -- please verify all information -- this information is intended to be helpful but is not reliable -- there are too many variables when giving advice on financial planning and you need to seek advice from professionals and authorities on the subject. The changes in Healthcare bill may not all be effective at this time but will be phased in gradually over the course of time. Most all financial planners will say they don't know what the full effect of the Health care bill will be. This is an information only website. We do not give advice or opinion. Seek advice from professionals.

May 16, Walk, Eat, Walk again..in your retirement community

Sun, 16 May 2010 16:10:43 GMT

...are there places to do this in your retirement community. I thought a blog about walking and eating would be good to emphasize what I discovered when I spent a month in my daughter's place in the "city," which I recently blogged about. Besides being able to walk to everything I needed and not using the car but once or twice, I received an unexpected bonus--I lost ten pounds. What caused this to happen. Ten pounds in a single month was to me amazing. I had been on a walking program of ten to fifteen miles a week and only lost 8 pounds a month but thought that was amazing. I hadn't changed any dietary habits--continuing to eat snacks and pastries occasionally and a glass of wine with dinner. But here in this city I lost ten pounds. I think it is because I combined walking with eating. Whenever we ate, we had to walk to a nearby restaurant. We were taking short walks 2 to 3 times a day, then we would eat, and walk back. We were walking off the calories. It's important to mention that these walks were a pleasure--there were quaint shops along the way, stimulating activity, places to sit in the sun and listen to bubbling fountains. When shopping for your retirement community, I always say a village atmosphere is nice because you can walk to everything you need (but be sure you like the shops and restaurants you are walking to before you purchase for this reason.) You don't need to live in the city to experience this health benefit--there are communities with locations that are an easy walk to groceries, restaurants, shopping etc. The village community that is so popular today is another way to experience this health benefit which is an outstanding amenity to keep in mind for your retirement dream home.

May 16, Five Stages of Aging

Sun, 16 May 2010 15:32:05 GMT

First Stage: Age 50 No problem here--still feel young. Senior discounts make you feel old but you're not. You feel great and wonder what all the fuss is about. However, this is when we start to gain some weight and wrinkles. Try to keep the weight around the middle off now before we are 60. You can move into an over 55 community. Usually half the population of an active retirement community is still working. These communities may be a good choice now. Downsizing can save money too. Second Stage: Age 60 This is the stage of suddenness. Suddenly you notice flab or even a roll around the middle section of your body. Where did that come from you muse. It arrived while you weren't watching and unexpectedly. This also is the age of neglect. We continue to work and feel stressed--too stressed to get proper exercise and nutrition. We gain more weight and often "feel lousy." We begin in our mid 60's to feel some aches and pains we didn't before and we begin to take better care of ourselves. Our health can become an obsession. The perfect age to move into a retirement community and start enjoying the benefits. Third Stage: Age 70 You begin to feel that maybe you really are aging. You move slower, you can't eat anything without gaining weight, it's harder to get rid of the weight you have and you may be feeling more aches and pains. We become tired easier and faster. This is the age of boredom with cooking, cleaning and our usual routine. We want to travel, go to restaurants, and be more independent than ever before. We feel wiser having gotten to this point and psychologically happier. We may have discovered a new hobby or we may have given up on all activity. Which way does the pendulum swing for you. This is the age of choice. Will you spiral downhill or keep going upward and get better. Fourth Stage: Age 80 I think this must be an age of decision. Not being able to do as much as before, you may become dependent on your family or others for some help--or you may continue to live independently. Your choice. You may consider an assisted living community or moving closer to your adult children. Fifth Stage: Age 90 and beyond This has to be an amazing experience. If you reach 90, you must feel wonderful about your achievement. You must be doing something right in how you take care of yourself or you have good genes or both. Congratulations. Keep up your efforts to take care of yourself--don't slack off now. Now see if you can make it to the 100 or 120 milestones. You may have different experiences than these or even disagree with my "five stages." Since I have not lived all the stages, I can only guess at some and others are from my own personal experience.

May 12, Del Webb 2010 Baby Boomer Survey Reveals Some Surprises

Wed, 12 May 2010 14:15:49 GMT

The Del Webb 2010 survey of the baby boomers offers some surprising glimpses of the future. After reading the much anticipated and talked about Survey of Boomers by Del Webb, released this month, I learned a few things: (these comments are not anything official by Del Webb--just my take.) No one feels "old" at age 50. The reason stated for being a senior at age 50 was because of all the "senior discounts" one sees advertised. The public perception seems to be that we are old at age 50. Not so according to 50 or 64 year olds. The real "old" is 80 or 85 according to both groups. When asked what they attributed to "feeling younger," 50 year olds listed exercising as one of the items and 64 year olds listed diet over exercise. This confirms what I have been saying about this subject. As we age, food and what we eat becomes more important. Where to Move: Both groups, the younger boomers and the older boomers listed their destination states for retirement to be North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Tennessee--in that order. I was wrong here, but yet to be determined, because I felt Florida would continue being the #1 destination in the future. However, recent hurricanes and economic problems in Florida may be changing that equation. My total opinion: Younger people at age 50, saw the age at which a person is old as being younger than the older boomers. Do you think retirement has impacted your mental health? 23 of seniors at 64 who were retired or semi-retired felt they were mentally healthier but 70 felt there was no change. This contradicts the public perception that "old folks" are sitting around in rocking chairs depressed. A much less percentage felt less mentally healthy. The reason for mental health: less stress in retirement. Just my take. Wow! It seems once retired, people do not want to go back to work. 64 said they were happy in retirement and only a small percentage returned to working. The 50 year old's highest priorities besides family being #1 is financial concerns about saving for retirement. The 64 year olds main priority besides family was health concerns. I have stated many times that as you age, your health becomes a bigger priority--this survey confirms I am right on this. While there were not as many who felt they were mentally less healthy in retirement, of the ones that were, the reasons given were: not focused, not learning, too much time thinking about the past, disabled, depressed, not working. Do you plan to work in any capacity after retiring. Both older and younger boomers planned to work - in the 70 percentile for each. Please do your own review of the survey. You can find the full survey here: Go to Baby Boomer Survey Findings

May 10, New Jersey Retirement Communities

Mon, 10 May 2010 19:49:12 GMT

Find New Jersey Retirement Communities

May 1, Retirement Living in the City

Sat, 01 May 2010 13:11:16 GMT

Last month I was fortunate enough to be able to spend a month in a city environment to test out if I liked it and compare to a country environment. Not everyone will be a "city person," but this experiment showed me that there are some very good things about living in a city. You can decide if a city environment is for you. The location was a small city called Arlington Va which is really like a suburb outside of Wash DC but with a city-like downtown with tall buildings, apartments, entertainment, restaurants and shopping. Everything a city should have. Two things I particularly enjoyed were being able to reach everything by walking--I used my car only a couple times--and eating all my meals out, freeing me up from cooking, shopping for food, and clean up after meals. Not only did I find this very time saving, I found it to be very relaxing. I have mentioned many times the advantages of having restaurants nearby your retirement community that you enjoy. I thought of all the days I felt stressed because I didn't know what to make for dinner and all the times I had to run out to buy needed supplies for a recipe. I seemed to have more energy in the city because I no longer had this stress of preparing meals. In the suburbs, sometimes you feel like you spend half your life in a car, thus missing out on being able to do other things like travel or shopping. I only used my car twice. Everything was close at hand and walkable. I also lost ten pounds, either due to the walking or maybe snacking less.

**We walked daily around this colorful shopping area with fountains**

I discovered that I could keep my food budget to a certain amount and eating out and cooking at home cost about the same and eating out caused less stress. I discovered the delights of having more time for doing things I really enjoyed. There was a bookstore nearby and I bought 3 books and enjoyed reading. One more thing, everything is relative. Some people would find a small city very stimulating while others might only find large cities stimulating. I have lived in Los Angeles and felt the traffic was just more than I liked but this city in Arlington was just right for me--not too big and not too small. So retirement can be the best time of your life when you find ways to make your life less stressful and have more time to enjoy things you love. Thought I would let you know that city life has some great advantages.

Apr 28, Beautiful Southern Oregon!

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 08:53:14 GMT

This area has lots of hiking, biking, boating and fishing. The traffic is light, a small international airport is close and the pace is quiet. Beautiful

Mar 26, Delaware Retirement Communities

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:28:32 GMT

Delaware retirement communities over 55 listings and reviews.

Mar 22, Military Retirement Living Expert Interview

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:48:12 GMT

Military Retirement Living is the topic of a new page I just published on my website. You can find the link by going to the home page or from the military retirement communities page. This is an interview with the Vice President of Marketing at California's largest military retirement community. Carmen Seymour has been with Air Force Village West for over twenty years. She definitely is an authority on the subject of military retirement living and military retirement communities. With Carmen's generous contribution, I feel the article turned out to be what I wished for--an informative and helpful article for those in the military looking to retire at a military retirement community. This page is a nice addition to my military retirement communities page where you can find communities for the retired military, and also many are now opening up for retired civil servants as well. It is interesting to note that AFVW recently changed their qualification requirements to include civil service retired starting from GS-7. (please verify qualifications and all information with AFVW). There are other military communities that have done the same but not all. This means many more will be qualified for these outstanding communities. AFVW is a continuing care community. It is located in Riverside, California--a great Southern California location near Marsh Air Force Base. Read the interview about military retirement living and communities across the country. Military Retirement Living

Mar 19, Military Retirement Communities

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:52:16 GMT

Military Retirement communities near va hospitals and military bases.

Mar 19, Military Retirement Living
...for military retirees at retirement communities

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:51:08 GMT

Find out about military retirement living for military retirees at retirement communities from this authoritative interview.

Mar 17, RV Resorts-Arizona

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:36:39 GMT

RV Resorts-Arizona offers listings of RV resorts for seniors.

Mar 12, Manufactured Homes California

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:08:06 GMT

Find listings of Manufactured homes California, manufactured homes Southern California and area descriptions.

Mar 10, Manufactured Homes Washington State

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:17:34 GMT

Manufactured homes Washington State--find homes and communities.

Mar 9, Manufactured Homes Arizona

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:56:42 GMT

Manufactured homes Arizona offers listings of communities and homes for sale in over 55 communities.

Mar 3, Two Presentations: Meet the Builder and Florida Seminar

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:27:09 GMT

Here are two presentations by active adult communities I find interesting. If you are in these areas, you may wish to attend. Meet the Builder: Westbury, New York (Long Island) - Imagine being able to meet your builder (Beechwood Builders) personally and ask questions - now that's customer service - I love it. Being able to hear a presentation from the builder is a great idea. Saturday, March 6 2010 - RSVP to Meadowbrook Pointe Links and Spa 631-696-0300 Florida Seminar - in Herndon, Virginia If you can't get to Florida, let Florida come to you. If you would like to know more about the state's different regions, latest trends in home prices and living expenses, where to look for what you want and today's Housing Opportunities, these are topics being presented in this seminar. Terra Vista of Citrus Hills and Brentwood at Terra Vista are two communities in the "Nature Coast," Citrus County. Learn more about Florida and this area specifically. Date: Saturday, March 13th - Hilton Washington at Dulles Airport - or Sunday, March 14th at Tysons Corner Marriott - Advance Registration: 800-511-0814 - Save yourself a trip to Florida. (Please confirm all above information with the communities.)

Mar 2, Food Discoveries for Aging

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:56:55 GMT

I know, maybe you aren't interested in food discoveries on a retirement communities site, however, what you eat becomes more important as you age and a huge part of retirement. Here are some of my own most important "discoveries." But be sure to check with your doctor before using any of these tips. 1) Use the Herb Shaker more and the Salt Shaker less. Put out several herbs on your dining table. My favorites are oregano, cinnamon, turmeric and basil. As you age, herbs are beneficial in many ways including flavor and nutrients. 2) Drink more water and the liquids cocoa, tea and wine. Cocoa (and chocolate) is being studied extensively since it is showing in some studies to reduce high blood pressure when taken at certain levels. Here is a good website to buy cocoa that is higher in flavanols. Cirkuhealth by Mars 3) Eat papaya I eat papaya daily and informed my grocer to keep a supply for me. I was surprised when he told me they were not popular--so you need to ask. Papaya has papain, a digestant related to that in pineapple--this is good for seniors whose digestion isn't what it used to be. Also, it is very high in Vitamin A and beta carotene which are known to help vision. The other interesting thing about papaya is a special vitamin called beta cryptoxanthin. Read about this nutrient on the Whole Foods website: Beta Cryptoxanthin Here is a great description of papaya by Whole Foods website: Papaya We are all unique and some foods may be more beneficial for you than these. Explore food's properties and eat the rainbow. Be sure you have your favorite foods available to you at your retirement community. Part of my goal is to help you plan for a better retirement and increase your awareness of retirement needs ahead of time.

Mar 2, New Retirement Communities for Spring 2010

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:56:08 GMT

Yes, I'm on it--looking for new retirement communities that come out for the Spring market. They usually appear along with spring flowers starting in January. Well, it's March and Spring is not far away--for me, that means there are new active adult communities to post to my website. Although not as plentiful as in the last few years, here are a just a few of the great selections I will be posting: Coming: Four Seasons Del Ray Beach, Florida, by KHovnanian Homes and Long Acre Village in Camden, Delaware also by Khov. Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club by Lennar in San Antonio, Florida Greenbrier Fox Ridge by Lennar condominiums from the $200,000's in Wharton, New Jersey. Del Webb - Orlando in Davenport, Florida-coming soon. It's time to take another look at your favorite builders new communities.

Mar 2, Smaller Homes by Big Builders

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:56:08 GMT

Small homes by big builders are definitely the new thing in retirement communities. Before our economy took a dive, it was hard to find small single-family homes, and so many retirees were left out who like small homes for retirement. Not everyone needs a large home or wants one. But also due to the economy, not everyone wants a higher-priced large home. Builders do extensive surveys and this is what they report. So here are some builders of active adult communities with smaller home offerings. The way I found them is to go to their website and select "Find Homes," and then select the "Advanced Options." Usually the Advanced Options will allow you to put in the square footage you are looking for. (Be sure to click on Active Adult.) Even Toll Brothers, known for large homes and luxury, have a couple nice smaller square footage homes: 1795 SF (small for them) at low $300,000's in Cranbury, NJ. (they have some smaller square footages in their townhouse and condominiums.) Dell Webb - A main, large builder, has many, many options in various states nationwide. Sun City Festival in Arizona has a 1099SF plan starting from $141,990. Shea Homes - Trilogy at Rio Vista in California has a 1153SF home priced from $176,990. They show 3 collections at this community and one is a smaller home collection. KHOV - We are looking forward to their semi-attached villas coming soon starting at 1087SF and upper $190,000's starting price in Durham, North Carolina. Lennar - Virginia Heritage at Lee's Parke - Fredericksburg, VA from $219,990. Time to re-check those builders for all the wonderful new small home plans coming out.

Feb 25, Coq Au Vin, Egg Noodles and Love

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:22:27 GMT

Yesterday I made coq au vin after watching Martha Stewart's show where she prepared it with chefs Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert. I try to eat meat only once or twice a week because I want more fish and veggie meals. However, this recipe as they cooked it looked so good--chicken cooked in wine--that brown savory sauce covering all--it was just too much. So since I was shopping that day, I bought a nice organic chicken already cut up. I even bought an inexpensive wine since the recipe called for a whole bottle. There was one other part of the show that didn't look so easy but inspired me. That was the egg noodles--homemade. Now if you've ever made homemade noodles, you know it can be a challenge--if you don't have a pasta maker. I remembered the last time I made noodles--they turned out lumpy, heavy, doughy--they couldn't be worse. But believe it or not I had a grandmother who made the best egg noodles you would ever eat. I remember the day she was showing me how to make them--I wish I had listened. Her egg noodles had a lightness and fluffiness that made them seem to be made in heaven. They were fresh and fragrant as they slid into the chicken soup. So that did it, once again I would try making those noodles. I followed the instructions on the Martha show--seemed simple enough. Egg, flour, a little water. Blend them together, roll out the dough. Rolling the dough--my dough was plain stubborn. As I rolled to make it thinner, it would stretch and then shrink back into its thick former self. So it went on--roll, stretch, shrink back. I pictured my grandmother and began to pray, thinking if those who went before us can look down on us, surely she could help me figure out how she did it. Tell me what to do, grandma, I thought. Then, was it a miracle, my dough as I rolled it out, formed a perfect heart shape. This is true. I disbelievingly stared at it with eyes smarting. Well, the egg noodles weren't too bad, but not even close to grandma's. If it was grandma sending me a message through that perfect heart shaped dough, I realized she was telling me she loved me all the same. That was grandma. If you missed this fun show and fabulous recipe, Coq Au Vin Martha Stewart video

Feb 22, Saving Home Energy Begins at Home with Green Building

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:12:00 GMT

Saving home energy - start saving with Green Building

Feb 16, Assisted Living Communities

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:04:47 GMT

Assisted living communities and continuing care communities in the United States.

Jan 29, Updates to Military Retirement Communities

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:51:35 GMT

Here are a few updates to my military retirement communities page. I am very excited to report that I have heard from the expert who will be interviewed for upcoming article. This means it won't be long now for those of you waiting for this new exciting expert interview. Maybe a couple of weeks. Check back. Please email me soon with your questions if you'd like me to cover it in the interview. Also, notice the new video I have posted to the military page. This is an excellent video I found for anyone wanting to view some stories about retirees. The homebuyers 2010 Tax Credit is extended for military beyond the normal deadline. See page for link and qualifications.

Jan 29, Best Guide Is Now on Twitter--Follow Me

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:51:35 GMT

A few days ago I joined the Twitter network. While at my daughter's, she took the time to explain this phenomenon to me and I was fascinated. I would like to occasionally blog about how seniors can go about joining and participating in Twitter. Many do not and I think they are really missing out. Maybe it's because they don't know how to do it or don't understand it--as was the case for me. Check back for my Twitter education for seniors--and tweet. Follow me--just sign in to www.twitter.com/guideretirement--sign up for an account if you haven't joined yet and click the Follow button to follow me. Or see the Twitter icon on my site's home page, click to follow me. More on this later--still learning.

New Retirement Community Listings and Updates

Sep 4, Maryland Retirement Communities

Sep 3, Senior Low Income Housing

Aug 25, New Retirement Homes are Popular with Seniors:

Aug 21, Senior Apartments for Over 55

Aug 20, Senior Apartments-Los Angeles

Aug 17, My job looking for retirement communities is so interesting

Aug 16, Senior Apartments-Long Island

Aug 16, Southeast Retirement Communities

Aug 14, Reach us with our regular site name or a shorter version

Aug 14, Senior Apartment Rentals in Southern California

Aug 13, Retirement Communities on Long Island

Aug 10, Retirement Communities--an Amenity We May Not Have Thought of..for working seniors

Aug 5, Florida Retirement Communities

Jul 30, Niche Communities

Jul 23, Central Florida Retirement Communities

Jul 20, Real Estate Update

Jul 19, Manufactured Homes Communities for Over Age 55

Jul 16, Retirement Living Portland Oregon

Jul 16, Cooperative Housing

Jul 14, Expert Interviews

Jun 27, "Hands Across the Sand" Protest

Jun 8, Does your Active Adult Retirement Community have a "Sell By" Date

Jun 5, Meals at Grocery Store Food Bars for Seniors

Jun 3, New Community Listing in Oregon is a Co-op Community

May 27, Coming Soon: " Co-op Retirement Community: What Is It Like"

May 26, Memorial Day Weekend at Retirement Communities

May 25, Financial Clinic..lots of changes coming

May 16, Walk, Eat, Walk again..in your retirement community

May 16, Five Stages of Aging

May 12, Del Webb 2010 Baby Boomer Survey Reveals Some Surprises

May 10, New Jersey Retirement Communities

May 1, Retirement Living in the City

Apr 28, Beautiful Southern Oregon!

Mar 26, Delaware Retirement Communities

Mar 22, Military Retirement Living Expert Interview

Mar 19, Military Retirement Communities

Mar 19, Military Retirement Living...for military retirees at retirement communities

Mar 17, RV Resorts-Arizona

Mar 12, Manufactured Homes California

Mar 10, Manufactured Homes Washington State

Mar 9, Manufactured Homes Arizona

Mar 3, Two Presentations: Meet the Builder and Florida Seminar

Mar 2, Food Discoveries for Aging

Mar 2, New Retirement Communities for Spring 2010

Mar 2, Smaller Homes by Big Builders

Feb 25, Coq Au Vin, Egg Noodles and Love

Feb 22, Saving Home Energy Begins at Home with Green Building

Feb 16, Assisted Living Communities

Jan 29, Updates to Military Retirement Communities

Jan 29, Best Guide Is Now on Twitter--Follow Me

Aug 10, Retirement Communities--an Amenity We May Not Have Thought of..
for working seniors

Mar 19, Military Retirement Living
...for military retirees at retirement communities