Retirement Havens Turning Younger?
By Barbara Morris, R. Ph.
A December 1, 2008 online The Wall Street Journal
article, "Retiree Havens Turn Younger to Combat the Housing Bust" reveals that
retirement communities are feeling the pressure of the collapsing economy. To
deal with vacancies and unsold homes, some communities, to the dismay of
residents, are considering age desegregation -- lowering the age of entry to 45
in order to attract new occupants. Resident displeasure is understandable
because when you choose to move into a quiet structured community, you don't
want families with kids or teenagers running around disturbing your lifestyle.
Having said that . . .
I have made no effort to express my disdain for retirement communities. Created
by entrepreneurial home builders, they are attractive artificial contrivances
designed to appeal to the the desire of people who prefer peace, quiet and an
upscale place to spend the end of life. Basically, they are a lure for old
people to to play and decay. But that's okay. We still have the right to live
how and where we choose and I am thankful for that.
Did I say they are places to decay? How can I say that! Retirement communities
abound with things to do. Golf, basket weaving, hiking, swimming, bingo,
dancing, scrap booking, biking. Even college courses for those who want to
exercise what's left of their brains. You name it -- most retirement communities
have every activity you could possibly ask for. And perhaps even an unexpected
"bonus." For example, "The Villages" in Florida would have you believe it's
Heaven on earth. What isn't mentioned in inviting TV ads is the existence of
rampant sexually transmitted diseases in the community. See "STDs
Running Rampant In Retirement Community" To be fair, given what's happening
in the culture as a whole, one can only say, "so what else is new."
What is unfortunate is that so many people get sucked into the lifestyle without
realizing what they are getting into, and it's easy to understand why people do
it. When you've worked all your adult life and you are worn out at 65 or sooner,
a socially sanctioned retirement community appeals to your leisure- loving human
nature.
Right about now you are probably saying that only a cranky old grouch would say
anything negative about retirement communities. Okay, I hear you -- chastisement
accepted. But it doesn't change my views about retirement communities and here
is why:
I don't care who you are -- nobody wants to get old and suffer premature
decline. Anyone with a brain larger than a peach pit realizes you can't be young
for ever, (nor would most people wish to be young forever) but you can be
ageless. You can be strong, mentally and physically. You can be independent. You
can be an asset to yourself and to others. You achieve that state of nirvana not
by living a sheltered decline oriented lifestyle, but by staying in the real
world, being productive, and dealing with all kinds of people with real world
issues.
I have said it repeatedly: We learn from those we associate with most closely.
We adopt each other's beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. When you surround
yourself with and interact with people primarily your own age and retirement
oriented circumstances, you all but negate your ability to grow.
Traditional retirement, (except in certain health related circumstances) is a
crock. We are made for work, like it or not. I don't like the cliché "use it or
lose it" but it's true. Humans do best when they are engaged in something that
has value not just for themselves, but for others.
Before the creation of Social Security in the 1930s, people didn't retire. At
that time, people didn't live much longer than age 65 so the establishment of a
retirement age of 65 made a modicum of sense. But now, retirement at 65 makes no
sense at all because the lifespan has increased by 30 years in the past century.
Yet people still retire at age 65 and usually opt into the traditional, decline
oriented senior lifestyle. And that often includes moving into a retirement
community where youth is an illusion. You can do all the "youthful" activities
you like, but when you do them with the same-age people all the time,
personalities and preferences meld into the lowest common denominator.
I feel sorry for people who moved into a retirement community for peace, quiet
and camaraderie of other old people, and are now facing the specter of young
faces, activities and noises. It's too bad that financial realities are breaking
down the age barrier to these communities. But I can't help but wonder: What 45
year old in his or her right mind would want to move into a retirement
community? I imagine the incentive would have to be the financial deal of a
lifetime, like getting a house for free. And maybe that is what it will come to.
The way things are going now, the government will own everything and we'll each
be given according to our needs. Now, where did I hear that idea before?
Source: January, 2009 Put Old on Hold Newsletter
Barbara Morris — Image F/X Publications
Barbara@PutOldOnHold.com
760-480-2710
© 2008 – Image F/X Publications, All rights reserved
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