Tom Young
Member
- Location
- Illinois/Florida
We retired in 1989 and moved to our CCRC in 2004. (Continuous Care Retirement Community) . We are both age 83.
Am writing to outline our experience, which has been very happy, and to cover 15 years of living in our full service retirement community...
The first 15 years, a 6 and 6 snowbird period. Lived in Woodhaven Lakes Campground (IL.) and Lake Griffin Harbor, Leesburg, FL. (An over 55 community).
Since 2004 we have lived in Liberty Village in Peru, Il... one of 17 similar owned communities in IL, Ind, IA, and Nevada.
So, Peru, Liberty Village:
-Small Town, middle income, low traffic, all services, no crime, low taxes.
-A type C community. See this for an important explanation. https://www.mylifesite.net/blog/post/choosing-a-ccrc-which-contract-model-is-best/
-Our "Campus" consists of:
-79 Villas ... regular 1500 to 1700 s.f. homes. Built for seniors... wide doorways, carpeting... ten more owner friendly fatures
-69 Independent living apartments beautiful building
-50 assisted living and rehab apartments.
-65 nursing home units
-65 Alzheimer's/Dementia units
-A full service health center with large staff and some 60 exercise, programmed machines.
-"Bounce Back" facility for recovery from health issues... pneumonia,broken bones, etc.
-Cafeteria/Dining Rooms for all units. Meals included in facility costs.
-Full activity schedule 7 days/week.
-Planned weekly trips by LV Mini/busses to shopping, entertainment, events
...................................................................................................................
Not all of the 17 Liberty Village Communities have all of these facilities.
We love living here... Peaceful, quiet, social, and accessible to all of the above named benefits, as well as a guarantee that if we have to move to another "classification", we would be first in line for available units.
We still live a "normal" life... independent in our beautiful 1560 sf home with fireplace, vaulted ceilings, and full HOA care for lawn and shrubs. Still have two cars, and handle meals, travel and social events as we always have.
If you search "Liberty Village" or "Simply the finest" and the links, you'll find pictures of our home... in the Villas Section.
I won't go into the costs here, but this is not an endowment facility, so payment for services in (other than the villas), are on a monthly basis.
Villas are independent... we own, and pay local R/E taxes. (with homeowners exemption and tax freeze at time of purchase, our taxes are $2600.) Units sell very quickly as word spreads of a possible vacancy, so rarely on the market for very long.
For Independent living in the apartment... costs for a couple per year, are less than $3500/month. Includes meals, activities , transportation, TV and Internet... in effect, no other charges necessary for all living expenses, except telephone.
Looking at the future of retirement communities, I believe that LV is on the leading edge of a trend that will eventually become the norm in the U.S.
When we were younger, our plan was to live in our own cottage on the lake, until we died. I can tell you now, that we feel that living in our CCRC is adding happy years to our lives. Especially not having to worry about tomorrow. Even if one of us needs more care, we are only a few hundred feet from the rest of the community.
Definitely not an old folks home. We are often in other sections of our community, and feel that the care is excellent, and that almost all employees are well trained and... very important, compassionate. A good working environment.
A little long, but a try at explaining retirement living from someone who has been there for 15 years.
Am writing to outline our experience, which has been very happy, and to cover 15 years of living in our full service retirement community...
The first 15 years, a 6 and 6 snowbird period. Lived in Woodhaven Lakes Campground (IL.) and Lake Griffin Harbor, Leesburg, FL. (An over 55 community).
Since 2004 we have lived in Liberty Village in Peru, Il... one of 17 similar owned communities in IL, Ind, IA, and Nevada.
So, Peru, Liberty Village:
-Small Town, middle income, low traffic, all services, no crime, low taxes.
-A type C community. See this for an important explanation. https://www.mylifesite.net/blog/post/choosing-a-ccrc-which-contract-model-is-best/
-Our "Campus" consists of:
-79 Villas ... regular 1500 to 1700 s.f. homes. Built for seniors... wide doorways, carpeting... ten more owner friendly fatures
-69 Independent living apartments beautiful building
-50 assisted living and rehab apartments.
-65 nursing home units
-65 Alzheimer's/Dementia units
-A full service health center with large staff and some 60 exercise, programmed machines.
-"Bounce Back" facility for recovery from health issues... pneumonia,broken bones, etc.
-Cafeteria/Dining Rooms for all units. Meals included in facility costs.
-Full activity schedule 7 days/week.
-Planned weekly trips by LV Mini/busses to shopping, entertainment, events
...................................................................................................................
Not all of the 17 Liberty Village Communities have all of these facilities.
We love living here... Peaceful, quiet, social, and accessible to all of the above named benefits, as well as a guarantee that if we have to move to another "classification", we would be first in line for available units.
We still live a "normal" life... independent in our beautiful 1560 sf home with fireplace, vaulted ceilings, and full HOA care for lawn and shrubs. Still have two cars, and handle meals, travel and social events as we always have.
If you search "Liberty Village" or "Simply the finest" and the links, you'll find pictures of our home... in the Villas Section.
I won't go into the costs here, but this is not an endowment facility, so payment for services in (other than the villas), are on a monthly basis.
Villas are independent... we own, and pay local R/E taxes. (with homeowners exemption and tax freeze at time of purchase, our taxes are $2600.) Units sell very quickly as word spreads of a possible vacancy, so rarely on the market for very long.
For Independent living in the apartment... costs for a couple per year, are less than $3500/month. Includes meals, activities , transportation, TV and Internet... in effect, no other charges necessary for all living expenses, except telephone.
Looking at the future of retirement communities, I believe that LV is on the leading edge of a trend that will eventually become the norm in the U.S.
When we were younger, our plan was to live in our own cottage on the lake, until we died. I can tell you now, that we feel that living in our CCRC is adding happy years to our lives. Especially not having to worry about tomorrow. Even if one of us needs more care, we are only a few hundred feet from the rest of the community.
Definitely not an old folks home. We are often in other sections of our community, and feel that the care is excellent, and that almost all employees are well trained and... very important, compassionate. A good working environment.
A little long, but a try at explaining retirement living from someone who has been there for 15 years.
