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Need info on retirement community.

16 years ago

Does anyone have any inside info on the On Top of the World retirement community in Ocala, Florida? We saw their website and it looked good, but we don't want to make a six hour trip if it is not as advertised. Selling our home and moving seems to be such a huge decision for us. We have lived on 4 acres with no close neighbors for a long time. I worry about making the adjustment. Suggestions?

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Comments (5)

calirose
16 years ago
I read your "my page" and am wondering what has happened to make you consider leaving your wonderful homestead? Especially moving to a retirement community would be such a complete change for you.

Sorry, I don't know anything about OTOW community. You did ask for suggestons about making the adjustment.
ladybanksrose
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for responding. It isn't that we really want to leave our dream home, but we are beginning to realize that age brings changes. My husband is turning 70 and I can see that some of the work involved in running 4 acres is not always going to be possible. And do we really want to spend all our time working? Also, we have no children and no family living on either side that we could call on if we needed help.

Our thoughts are that if we lived closer to others we would have friends to visit and enjoy. Our friends mostly live about 45 minutes away, which they consider coming to our home to be too far to travel. Folks at our small church of about 90 active members are pretty much in their 70's and 80's, so much as we love them, we don't really visit outside of church activities. Not a real active group.

Final and probably the biggest reason is...me. I am 10 years younger that my husband. His mom and dad both passed from cancer at age 72. If my husband gets sick, I don't know how I would care for him. He is a big man and lifting him would be extremely difficult for me. Maybe in a retirement community someone might help.

We are just at the" thinking about it" stage, and are not sure which way we want to go. It is such a huge step and I want to be sure we have lots of info and insight before we consider leaving our home.
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calirose
16 years ago
Thanks, that puts us at the same age. I do understand why you would want to find other living areas. My circumstances are only slightly different, my DH is my age, but has health problems.

It sounds as though you are giving this good thought. Let's concentrate first on you. Make a list of the activities you like and would like to pursue. This might include book discussion groups or tennis (your choices). Should your husband become ill or pass, you would have friends in these areas as well as church.

Secondly, a retirement community may or may not be of assistance in the situation you describe. If all are elderly, they might not be able to assist. So look for community services available. My FIL was a quadriplegic and had outside help to come in with bathing, etc. He was a large man also. I believe he hired a nurse's aide.

Also, you would want to check out the hospital and medical services in the area. The cost of living in a retirement community and other areas around that may not be classified as such but would offer the same types of benefits.

Personally after I had found areas I was interested in, I would take a visit to these areas and stay as long as I could to determine if I liked the area.

Chamber of Commerce, realty companies,government both state and federal and other online sites will have lots of information including rain fall, average temperatures, community services and clubs, population, average incomes, etc.

You have probably thought out most of these things, but I hope I have given you a little info!
fandlil
16 years ago
Moving from the Northeast to Florida would be a big change, and one you probably should not commit to unless you have lived in Florida and know what it's like, or have friends there who can tell you about it in detail. There are many in your age group who go to Florida and, after a year or two, find that it does not work for them, and they move back to their previous area or someplace else.

You really should take the time to look into various options before commiting. If you are concerned about the level of care you or your husband will need as you age (and who isn't concerned about that??), you might want to look into a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). These are places in which you live independently. But as you age, if you need "assisting living" services, such as help getting into or out of bed, bathing, dressing, etc., the services are available on the premises.

CCRCs are available in communities all over the country, and they vary a lot in terms of the costs, kinds of facilities, level of luxury, etc. But they do give you peace of mind. Once you're admitted -- and you do have to be well and independent when you're admitted, or they won't accept you -- you can be assured that they'll take care of you.

You can do a search on Google for CCRCs. Most have pretty good websites. Good luck in your search.
mariend
16 years ago
What communities are you near? Could you find a young couple with a family that would buy your property? Do you have assisted living homes in your area? I personally would NOT locate to any area especially in FL, AZ etc unless I had friends as you will find most of the people either have established friend/families and yes they will help on a short term basis, but not long term. You do have friends in the area you live, another thing, do you have any relatives in other areas that you could count on? Cousins, old friends with families?

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