Residence choices for retirees abound. Major arguments support steering clear of retirement facilities and moving in with children during the golden years. That being said, what’s a senior couple to do if their support system is in New England and the children live in Colorado, Tennessee and Texas?
Should you decide to uproot yourself to live with your family, volatility in the job market may force your child to relocate just as you become settled in their environment. Children have children of their own requiring attention. Your kids may work full-time, and lack the financial resources necessary for the care of aging parents. Those same children may enjoy relative distance from well-meaning, intrusive parents. Many family members are not meant to live within 10 miles of each other. The sandwich generation is not always a happy concept. Many family relationships blossom when some distance secures independence and privacy.
Consider the benefits of a private, well-respected retirement community. A tiered resident system, where one moves from independent living to assisted care to nursing home care when health wanes, is a comforting concept. Many residential communities provide meals, apartment cleaning, and a multitude of social opportunities. Staff members offer legal and financial advice. Nursing and chaplain care as well as transportation to doctor appointments and shopping centers are available on a daily basis. Proximity to cultural events with transportation provided is another attractive feature of these communities, not to mention a built-in support system of people with similar needs, stresses, and interests.
Love your children. Visit them. Reserve your retirement community’s guest room so that they can easily visit you. Fully consider the benefits of not living with them.
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