Retirement Living: 3 Steps to Choosing

The challenge in planning for a significant life change, such as moving into retirement living, is that it is uncharted territory for most people. The key is knowing yourself and what you want.

It is imperative to start by thinking about and listing the aspects of your life that are most important to you. If retirement for you means no longer working, your list might be very different from a transitional retiree, or one who will continue working, possibly in another career.

An imperative but necessary time to assess your plans is when you are relatively young and healthy. The top retirement living considerations can then be a logical, three-step process:

1. Think Carefully About What Is Most Important To You

Then look at the broader picture of what you see as a part of your retirement. Your daily list should take into consideration weather, locale, type of community and also Retirement Livinginclude necessary activities that you deem essential:

  • A nearby gym
  • Classes
  • Recreation
  • Outdoor activities
  • Transportation
  • Shopping

Make sure to think carefully about what is essential for your well-being on a daily basis. Then expand your list to include essentials important to you in a more general sense: 

  • Proximity to children and grandchildren
  • A special church
  • Volunteer possibilities
  • Formal and informal social connections
  • Travel

Now divide that list into two columns: what you absolutely will not give up and what you are willing to compromise on. The secret to completing such a list is to revisit and revise. Completing this list with a spouse or significant other will obviously reflect more needs. If this is a personal list, it helps to ask other close friends and family members how they see you answering certain questions. You can often gain significant insight about yourself through someone who knows you well.

2. Review The Retirement Living Options Near You

Search our directory in your local area to find a retirement community that suits you. Following is a general list of essentials to consider when evaluating retirement living:

  • Income and what you can afford
  • Activities available
  • Transportation
  • Cultural and social
  • Safety and security

3. Now It’s Time To Visit!

Visiting a retirement community is the most important part of your search.

Creating a list that reflects the way you want to live will give you a personal and unique guide that will keep your quest from becoming overwhelming.  Being in control of this life-changing transition is the first step toward embracing it.

Written by senior housing writer Marky Olson.