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I don't live in a retirement community although there are a fair number of retired people here. But my community is very homogenous racially, culturally, and politically. I have never heard a single person opine that this would be a better place if there were more "diversity". Thinking about it, I don't believe I've ever lived anyplace where I heard anyone express that sentiment. Maybe many do feel that way but they don't wish to offend or fear ostracism. If someone said to me that he wished there were more diversity I'd suggest that he move to that place. I'd say the same thing to someone who complained that a Chinese restaurant didn't serve lasagna. It's both foolish and futile to move to a place that isn't a good fit.
But your words indicate that you do not want diverse ages. You seem to find the presence of people older than you as intolerable. Why is that? In a few years you'll either be their age or dead. I like folks ten or twenty years older than I am today just as I liked them forty years ago. We look alike, think alike, and vote alike. That's what counts for me. I can have a good conversation with people in their twenties and often even with teenagers. Age is inconsequential.
Libe
rals and racial minorities might be isolated here. So what? They can leave anytime they wish.
Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yes I will continue to post thru the year and offer as much info as I can. It actually is a very nice place but does take getting use to. I'm actually going out in a few minutes to submit an application to the Recreation Center here. There are 4 of them on the property and I would like a little part time job here. It gives me more exposure to living here and might help with adjusting. Plus a little added income never hurts in this day and age.
Excellent! I'm so glad you've decided to continue posting as the year progresses--you're absolutely right that observations change over time, and watching someone progress through that initial year in a new place is fascinating (and very helpful).
JimRob - Thank you so much for your post about life in a 55+. It is very helpful. Please continue to update us when you have time.
I think I know that you are speaking of a variety of things when you say "diversity." Diversity is not just race--it can be how a person looks at life, how "young" their thinking is, their political persuasion, their desire to socialize (or not) and their way of life.
I also understand your desire for people close to your age. I find in the Sunday School we joined that many people are much older than us. They have a whole different mind-set than we do. They also won't drive at night, want to eat dinner at 5:00 p.m. and are old-fashioned in many ways that we are not. So to be so much younger in a community of much older people would be isolating, to my mind.
I also understand your desire for people close to your age.
Me too--desiring to have people your own age doesn't mean you don't want to be around people who aren't your age. I really enjoy the 70 and 80 year olds at the senior center and have many close friends in that age group, but also I'm glad there are plenty of people my age, too.
Hi: I read the article. It was very interesting. I see they referenced the Sun Citiy Community in Hilton Head and referenced the southeast quite often. I wish they had mentioned the other Sun City communities in the West. I'm at Sun City West and I have only seen 2 African Americans, and just a few Asian people since I arrived. It is majority white here and thats an understatement. It seems its like that at all these retirement communities in the region, and there are a number of them. There are 3 Del Webb communities and then several others that are not Del Webb nearby So the retirement count in just the Surprise Az area alone is obviously over 100000 people easily. Many seem to be attracking a very high income retireee also, from the looks of these homes. Or what I have seen on the real estate listings. Definitely from alot of the vehicles I see being driven. I never knew older people drove as many newer, and the most expensive cars until arriving here. Its not all higher income areas but its a big percentage or so it seems by appearances. I'm also noticing this which doesn't really surprise me. This must be heavy duty Republican territory. There are bumper stickers on car after car or on the golf carts. Romney for president. Signs on peoples front yards here and there. When one leaves the property I see bigger signs by the highways. I have not seen one Obama sign in all the miles I have driver here. Again this display doesn't really surprise me. There are also a number of churhes on each property. I think Sun City West has 7 of all faiths. There is a Mens Clubs on the property. I haven't seen a womans club. A number of activities from bowling to woodworking to knitting. Fairly large amount of restaurants also, smaller ones but they are here. Some Italian and Chinese. Ace Hardward and True Value Hardward, CVS and Walgreens. The 2 grocery stores Safeway and Bashas. Also to be built is a Frys grocery store and strip mall. THere are several strip malls on the property. I really don't see how they can support 3 big grocery stores here year round. So see how that goes.
I'm noticing alot of empty neighborhoods and I mean alot. I have virtually no neighbors house after house here. Although I think I may have mentioned this but not sure. There is supposedly a woman in the home next to me, but I have never seen her in these now 6 weeks I have been here. I would gladly say hello to her, but not sure if thats what you do here. Anyone I have met here has told me there are shutins here to some degree. I can see that happening for some people. Although its not going to happen to this guy. Im definitely not the type. I know its a snowbird region but we are 2 weeks from Nov now. I would think there would be more people here. I wonder if many of these homes were foreclosed, or the owners died and the homes have not been sold. I see so many for sale signs up. It seems almost like a ghost town especially mainly at night time. Although I see many people in the Safeways or the Basha's or Recreation Centers. So there are people in some of these homes. There are definitely people on the roads and the traffic is increasing every day. Especially as soon as you leave the Walls that surround the Sun Citiies communities. THere is only 1 road in and out of here and that is W Bell Rd. At least if you want the most direct route towards Phoenix. You have to watch the mileage here. Distances are huge and gas is costly. Thankfully there are so many stores both on the properties and right outside in Surprise and Peoria. Phoenix is really a long congested drive from here.
I went to the Del Webb hospital on the property here yesterday. Its a 400 bed hospital and medical clinics/doctors offices complex. It is only a mile from my house. I went to see about getting a Primary Care Doctor established here for refills. I'm a diabetic. I went because I could not get them on the phone. I had a terrible time getting someone to help me. Finally a nurse that just moved to AZ came out and helped me. I was told there were no Doctors taking new patients at the property. That it would be better for me to find one in the outside communities in Greater Phoenix. I have been trying that also and the waits for a doctor mean being on a waitlist, or the appts are months from now. The VA Medical center will not see me until Jun 2013 if I end up having to go there. So I am going to have to contact my doctor in Massachusetts for refills, until I can get a doctor here. This is bothering me greatly. As I don't like being in an area so far from home, and feeling like I have no medical care available but a crowded expenisve ER somewhere. I think this is going on all over the county though (lack of Primary care doctors). However here it is compounded by such a hugh influx of people thru the season. So for someone in need of medical care. I can vouch it can prove to be a problem for new residents mainly in the Del Webb communities in the Phoenix region. Keep that in mind.
Well thats about it for today. I will keep this journal I will call it going for the year. I think it will help me and hopefully help others. I know I wish I had someones observations and comments to read before I set out on my journey. jimrob1
I am coming with a bit of different perspective than jimrob. I actually own a house in a Sun City community, but I am at Sun City Carolina Lakes, just south of Charlotte, NC, so we are part of the SE group. And while the majority here are white, we have an ever growing group of African-Americans, oriental, and even foreign people moving in. The neighbor right behind me is actually from Germany and I have met other Germans as well as UK and France.
We have both a republican and a democratic club, both very active. We have a huge range of ages here, in fact there are still a lot of us that are still working and not of SS age (myself and my hubby included). Although a good amount of the residents have come from the NE, we do have people from all over the US, including right around here. There are always people out and about, in fact when I go to work in the morning I see lots of people out exercising or walking their dogs or going somewhere in their golf carts. There is always a beehive of activity around the activity center, tennis courts, pickleball courts, bocce ball courts, dog park and all the other activities available. If you want to be busy you can, if you don't then you don't have to, and all ages get involved in all activities. Cars going in and out the gate all the time and lots of golf carts out all the time. And many of the residents are involved in quite a few volunteer activities outside the community. And as far as I know, no one has had a problem signing up with a doctor around here. Might be due to the size of the community.
Guess what I'm saying is that the only way you will know if some place will work for you is to try it, like jimrob is. You may want to pick a couple different areas and try them both. There are always houses for rent around here, and they only ask a minimum 6 month rental time. Don't assume that all Del Webbs are the same, it is very dependent on the area. Ours apparently is smaller than the one where jimrob is at, as we only have one activity center (for right now), and although we do have a small shopping area right at the community that includes a grocery store, CVS, couple of restaurants, most things are out of the community. But there are tons of places moving in......in fact just about 1/2 mile up the road is one of the first 2 Publix coming to the Charlotte area, the third one coming in 2014 just up the road about 8 miles. We have 2 large medical buildings right outside the community, and several hospitals not too far away. Supposedly we are going to have about 3600 houses/units at build out. And there are actually smaller ones out there. We are supposedly the fastest growing Del Webb in the US.
If anyone has any questions, I will be glad to answer them.
I might suggest that Arizona as a retirement target for African Americans doesn't have the same lure as the south does. The article I linked suggested much of it was folks returning to their roots and I would concur with that. I have met folks who left the south in their younger years and went north to seek work and are now coming back retired. That is a discussion that could have its own thread.
I am coming with a bit of different perspective than jimrob. I actually own a house in a Sun City community, but I am at Sun City Carolina Lakes, just south of Charlotte, NC, so we are part of the SE group. And while the majority here are white, we have an ever growing group of African-Americans, oriental, and even foreign people moving in. The neighbor right behind me is actually from Germany and I have met other Germans as well as UK and France.
We have both a republican and a democratic club, both very active. We have a huge range of ages here, in fact there are still a lot of us that are still working and not of SS age (myself and my hubby included). Although a good amount of the residents have come from the NE, we do have people from all over the US, including right around here. There are always people out and about, in fact when I go to work in the morning I see lots of people out exercising or walking their dogs or going somewhere in their golf carts. There is always a beehive of activity around the activity center, tennis courts, pickleball courts, bocce ball courts, dog park and all the other activities available. If you want to be busy you can, if you don't then you don't have to, and all ages get involved in all activities. Cars going in and out the gate all the time and lots of golf carts out all the time. And many of the residents are involved in quite a few volunteer activities outside the community. And as far as I know, no one has had a problem signing up with a doctor around here. Might be due to the size of the community.
Guess what I'm saying is that the only way you will know if some place will work for you is to try it, like jimrob is. You may want to pick a couple different areas and try them both. There are always houses for rent around here, and they only ask a minimum 6 month rental time. Don't assume that all Del Webbs are the same, it is very dependent on the area. Ours apparently is smaller than the one where jimrob is at, as we only have one activity center (for right now), and although we do have a small shopping area right at the community that includes a grocery store, CVS, couple of restaurants, most things are out of the community. But there are tons of places moving in......in fact just about 1/2 mile up the road is one of the first 2 Publix coming to the Charlotte area, the third one coming in 2014 just up the road about 8 miles. We have 2 large medical buildings right outside the community, and several hospitals not too far away. Supposedly we are going to have about 3600 houses/units at build out. And there are actually smaller ones out there. We are supposedly the fastest growing Del Webb in the US.
If anyone has any questions, I will be glad to answer them.
I enjoyed reading your post. I'm not familiar with the Sun City you live in. You mentioned it is south of Charlotte, so is it on the NC/SC border? It does sound like a much smaller property and much newer than where I'm at. So I can see that you would probably, get younger retirees than where I'm at. Sun City West started in 78 and has been built out since the 90's. Across the street from the one I am in, is Sun City Grand which started developing in 98. That I'm told is a much more expensive community. I believe one only has to be 45 to live there. Then the first one Sun City started in the 60's So there are 3 very large Del Webb communities in a row here, between Glendale and Surprise AZ. All have numerous shopping centers and hospitals.
The restrictions are pretty heavy in these communities. I've met several people now that like me rented for a year. After the year they bought homes in the local communities. Seems there most frequent complaint has been all the HOA rules, and even more so the restrictions on grandchildren or families . visiting. Or they just missed seeing the different people that make up the neighborhoods across America. Another complaint I have heard are the mandatory fees to live here once a home is purchased. That I'm not completely sure of, because I'm renting and haven't looked into purchasing a home here as of yet. However from converstations with people it seems there is one fee of several thousand one pays upon ownership. Then there is the mandatory yearly fee of $400 per person or in that range for the Recreation Center membership. Everyone in the household must pay that. I don't know how true this is, but a lien is put on your home for the payment if it is not paid. Evidently the Rec fee goes up $30 or so every year. That I'm hearing is a common complaint because though the rec centers are popular. Many residents are not able to, or don't want to visit the rec centers for various reasons.
As for me I'm still settling in. I may be starting a part-time job at one of the Rec Centers next month. I was called about a job there yesterday, so I'm looking into that. I've been putting way to much mileage on my little chevy pickup. I've been checking out the Phx area frequently, and it is so huge the mileage piles on. My truck is 10 years old now and runs well, but this kind of stop and go driving I think will kill it. So I need to find a way to cut down on all this driving and gas I'm using. Unfortunately there is absolutely nothing for buses here or alternative transportation. Which I find sad for such a populated region. Are there city buses that offer service in the region where your community is located?
Thanks
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