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catsy, have you done a spreadsheet comparison between the two places, in terms of monthly costs, medical nearby, food shopping and library nearby, walkable features, public/senior transport for when you no longer drive, etc? Is it possible that your heart just simply loves the "feel" of the new place but that the practical aspect don't, in all honesty, cut it?
My responses are based on your saying that you're now 71 and even before you found the new place you were going to go into a ccrc at age 76, which is only 5 years away (and time does tend to fly). Is it worth it to carry two houses for only 5 years? You say that going into a ccrc would be "impossible" from the new place. That doesn't sound good to me.
Is it possible you could put your current house on the market right now, and sell, and by then another unit would have opened up in the new village? Then you'd be free and clear of the old place, and would have the financial means to go into a ccrc directly from the new place.
i haven't done a spreadsheet comparison, because that's not a tool i would use, as a first choice. I have looked at the areas that you've mentioned for comparison, and my current house has a slight edge in practical matters. And yes, there is strong emotional appeal in the new house.
I have always thought i'd would do ccrc and i may yet end up there, but the ones i'd consider and are affordable are not especially appealing enough to want to spend my older years there. The one i do like is too far from where i am now to seriously consider making a change in the foreseeable future. In the meantime, i've seen this new possibility which is more workable for aging- first floor master, etc.- plus in a very bucolic setting, at a good price. I'm thinking that maybe with this purchase, i can skip the ccrc and stay in the second house for the long term.
Even if i bought this second house,sold the current one, i could probably afford some kind of ccrc if need be in the future, but options would probably be fewer.plus, i'd be older with incumbent problems regarding relocation.
My mother lived and died in a ccrc. We ended up suing them and won. She had Alzheimer's and their lack of care caused her death. That is not the answer.
i didn't buy the house. i feel, at this stage and age in my life, i don't have the luxury of being 10 miles from a grocery store, or 30 miles from a fairly decent health care facility. if i had wanted to go that route, i probably should have done it 10 years ago. i realize there are those- some posters here- who live in this kind of setting, some having been there long-term and some by more recent choice. it is a very individual decision, and i know myself well enough to realize that being that far off the beaten path could create anxiety and stress for me. i like and am used to convenience and nearby amenities.
if you want to look at it astrologically, as i sometimes do, i am sun in cancer-emotions- and moon in aquarius- mental, and that has been a dichotomy for me most of my life. it is nice if a balance is reached between the two, but that doesn't always happen. we are who we are.
If you have doubts; then that pretty much says your not prepared to move. Its like shopping for food in a store then seeing something you like better than what you have already; not a wise way to shop for anything.
That's true texdav. At first I was applauding your thinking of buying the house but didn't realize it was so far from a town. Currently I live in my brother's house with my sister, We are 14 miles from town and it wasn't an issue until BOTH cars were out of commission. Really had to re-think staying here, I will be moving somewhere, probably Tennessee, in the summer as my back cannot take the winter anymore. As we age we sometimes have aches and pains that limit our mobility. Just a fact of life. Glad you made the decision you did.
My wife and I are in our early 70's. We live in a lovely, new patio home (1500sq ft, not an over 55 development) where the Home Owners Association does all landscaping and outside home maintenance. It is about as care free a life style as one can get. I do not own rakes, shovels, lawn mower, ladders, etc.
That said, I always want to be somewhat prepared for the future or at least have an idea of the alternatives, so in the next few months we will be visiting several CCRC's. While we presently have no plans on moving into one, we might could depending on what we see, what they offer, and of course the cost.
CCRC's can be quite different. At least two that I know of have some stand alone patio homes much like the one I presently live in. Another one has single story apartment buildings with units ranging from a studio to a 3 bedroom model with parking right outside your front walk way. Another has similar apartment style units but in a two story building that has elevators. All of them also have extended care facilities if needed as one ages. Do not confuse these type places with warehousing, nursing homes as many do. Granted many are what one can afford but not all are equal.
Catsy Girl
I see you decided not to move. I do advise that at your age, you might reconsider a CCRC. Time to kick back and enjoy a care free life style.
My wife and I are in our early 70's. We live in a lovely, new patio home (1500sq ft, not an over 55 development) where the Home Owners Association does all landscaping and outside home maintenance. It is about as care free a life style as one can get. I do not own rakes, shovels, lawn mower, ladders, etc.
That said, I always want to be somewhat prepared for the future or at least have an idea of the alternatives, so in the next few months we will be visiting several CCRC's. While we presently have no plans on moving into one, we might could depending on what we see, what they offer, and of course the cost.
CCRC's can be quite different. At least two that I know of have some stand alone patio homes much like the one I presently live in. Another one has single story apartment buildings with units ranging from a studio to a 3 bedroom model with parking right outside your front walk way. Another has similar apartment style units but in a two story building that has elevators. All of them also have extended care facilities if needed as one ages. Do not confuse these type places with warehousing, nursing homes as many do. Granted many are what one can afford but not all are equal.
Catsy Girl
I see you decided not to move. I do advise that at your age, you might reconsider a CCRC. Time to kick back and enjoy a care free life style.
i've looked at ccrc's and think i will probably enter one at some point, but i don't really feel that i'm quite ready for that yet. fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, depending on how you view it, i worked as a geriatric social worker, and am very familiar with the concept of ccrc's. the one that i'd be most interested in is not in an area that works for me, at least not at this point in time.
i keep hoping that there might be other alternatives developed in the next 5+ years or so. i'd like something with more flexibility than a ccrc- a rental option, a variety of floor plans at a reasonable price, but the levels of care still provided. i think of a ccrc as being rather final, unless one has more money than i do to experiment, so to speak.
i appreciate your sharing your situation and your suggestions.
catsy girl
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