My partner and I visited one of those 55+ active senior communities in our area today. We live in the Southern Utah area which is a mecca for snowbirds from the Northwest US and Canada, and Baby Boomers fleeing high taxes in California, so there are several places from which to choose.
I have to admit a 50+ retirement community is not exactly my idea of heaven. My folks retired to a mobile home community in Florida. It was lovely with an executive golf course, shuffleboard, and lawn bowling ball because the park was half Canadian. They also had activities like knitting, crocheting, photography, painting, pottery, and computers. The creepy factor for me was not all the wrinkled skin and grey hair, ( OK, I admit I was younger!) it was the folks walking morning, noon and night- just walking, walking, walking. I asked Mom about it and she said, “Us old folks sometimes can’t sleep so instead of tossing and turning all night we sometimes get up and walk.” Lovely as it was, and certainly my parents were happy there, I couldn’t see myself in a retirement park.
Flash forward 15 years… This particular community uses the slogan, “Live Young” and bills itself as a place for active seniors. While residents must be 55 or older it is in some ways different from my parent’s park. Yes, golf, tennis, shuffleboard, and even lawn bowling are available. There’s also pickleball, one of the fastest growing Baby Boomer sports. The Fitness Center has personal trainers and yoga, kick boxing, and spin classes. Clubs are also different, too. Knitting and crocheting have been replaced with hiking, biking and lapidary.
There were folks walking, walking, walking but they were power walking or taking a stroll with their dogs.
Am I interested in some day joining a 55+ active senior community? Not quite yet. But at least I know there are places where active Boomer can live with like-minded souls.
