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OP stands for "original poster" (or original post). It was not the OP who revived this long-dormant thread, but someone who was making his/her very first post. To me, it did seem suspicious. Often a very first post consists of spam and we never see that poster again. Of course that is not always the case; all of us made our very first post at some point.
LOL, maybe we should designate an "OP1" for the person who started the thread originally, and an OP2 for the poster who brought it back to live five years after it had gone dormant.
IMO it's anybody's guess as to the motives for someone doing something like that, but I think one of the reasons it never occurred to me that it might be spam in this case is that I can't see any particular reason why I'd ever be interested or want to live in a Del Webb, or any other planned community, for that matter. But that's just me.
Just out of curiosity, how are single people treated in these communities? Are they taken in and included by others in their activites, or are they at a distinct disadvantage from not being part of a couple?
From what I see in our community, they are very much included and there are even a couple singles clubs and one for widow's to get together and support each other. My next door neighbor is not married and the woman next to her is a widow and they are "on the go" a lot. Our street has a monthly ladies' luncheon, so it wouldn't matter at all if you are single or not for that. Plus the ladies get together for various activities as do the men.....none of which requires partners. I have another neighbor the other way down the street that is a recent widow, and she is heavily involved with the Performance Club (plays, musicals, etc.).
Like Movinon, I find that people seek you out to support you. With me being house bound with my hip recovery, my new next door neighbor has brought us food, desserts, and even taken our daughter to the airport. Another neighbor up the street has visited several times, brought me a poinsettia and a card and bath goodies.
I will say that there will be people who are cliquish or snobbish, but you will find that in any type of community, not just 55+. And considering we have about 2900 houses with probably close to 5000 people, the percentage is quite low. I just avoid those types of people.
While I have very limited experience with them, I wouldn't ever like to live in a seniors only community.
I visited a couple who are old friends several times who live in one, and while they love it, I found a lot of their friends there had a curious kind of mental petrification going on. They don't like little kids at all, and dislike young parents almost as much, and they seem to be living much more in the past than the present. That also applies to their appearance; I never saw so many 60-year=old people trying to look 35 in my life.
Amenities like golf courses, and bridge tournaments and exercise pools and gymns have never been important to me at all, although I enjoy a round of golf on rare occasions and like a nice afternoon in a swimming pool any time of the year. Although I'm 70, and now supposedly retired, I don't feel a bit retired, as I still really enjoy the work I did all my professional life, and I'm still keeping at it.
I suffer from early macral degeneration in one eye and the other has gone lazy from age, so I have had to grudgingly acknowledge that some of the fine detail work I used to do is now gone for good, and I no longer seek work, but it has always fallen out of the sky and landed on me anyway, so if I feel I can handle a job, I still happily take it on.
I really like living in my neighborhood where there are young kids playing, young adults and couples doing their thing, and teenagers passing by every day when school is in session. Having some neighbors of my age and older is also good. The thick mix keeps my mind younger than my body, and keeps me actively participating in the goings-on around me. The last thing I want is to be gated up and shut away from the vitality of life lived generationally, shared by young and old alike.
But that's just me. If someone else is happier in a much different place, I am not going to criticize their choices. To each his own. I'm sure a lot of my feelings come from a life spent in Idaho, where the people are few and the natural expanses are vast and mostly empty of humanity. if i was born and raised somewhere else, I would probably have a different outlook than I have.
So far, I am even still completely content here in the winters. I must enjoy griping about them, as everyone does here, but I doubt I could ever be happy in a year-round warm climate, especially in a place that is full of people in all directions. While i treasure human company, I also need a steady dose of quiet isolation to stay happy, and I still need to feel winter's bite as much as summer's sun. Autumn has always been my favorite time of year anyway, a time when both come and go unexpectedly and regularly.
Family communities offer skateboards, ATV, motorcycles and big yellow school buses several times a day. Oh and moms and dads dropping off and picking up their kids from school. I observed that families hang out with families because of the kids. Old people do not fit in while the families are busy driving to and fro. Young kids are taught to avoid strangers and most old people are strangers to the neighborhood.
While I have very limited experience with them, I wouldn't ever like to live in a seniors only community.
I visited a couple who are old friends several times who live in one, and while they love it, I found a lot of their friends there had a curious kind of mental petrification going on. They don't like little kids at all, and dislike young parents almost as much, and they seem to be living much more in the past than the present. That also applies to their appearance; I never saw so many 60-year=old people trying to look 35 in my life.
Amenities like golf courses, and bridge tournaments and exercise pools and gymns have never been important to me at all, although I enjoy a round of golf on rare occasions and like a nice afternoon in a swimming pool any time of the year. Although I'm 70, and now supposedly retired, I don't feel a bit retired, as I still really enjoy the work I did all my professional life, and I'm still keeping at it.
I suffer from early macral degeneration in one eye and the other has gone lazy from age, so I have had to grudgingly acknowledge that some of the fine detail work I used to do is now gone for good, and I no longer seek work, but it has always fallen out of the sky and landed on me anyway, so if I feel I can handle a job, I still happily take it on.
I really like living in my neighborhood where there are young kids playing, young adults and couples doing their thing, and teenagers passing by every day when school is in session. Having some neighbors of my age and older is also good. The thick mix keeps my mind younger than my body, and keeps me actively participating in the goings-on around me. The last thing I want is to be gated up and shut away from the vitality of life lived generationally, shared by young and old alike.
But that's just me. If someone else is happier in a much different place, I am not going to criticize their choices. To each his own. I'm sure a lot of my feelings come from a life spent in Idaho, where the people are few and the natural expanses are vast and mostly empty of humanity. if i was born and raised somewhere else, I would probably have a different outlook than I have.
So far, I am even still completely content here in the winters. I must enjoy griping about them, as everyone does here, but I doubt I could ever be happy in a year-round warm climate, especially in a place that is full of people in all directions. While i treasure human company, I also need a steady dose of quiet isolation to stay happy, and I still need to feel winter's bite as much as summer's sun. Autumn has always been my favorite time of year anyway, a time when both come and go unexpectedly and regularly.
You wouldn't be the type to live in a 55+.
I do take exception to parts of your post. I never see anyone living in the past. The past is hardly ever mentioned. I do not know the former occupations of any of my friends. It is about what you are doing now, not what you did. Since you like to keep working you are not the type to completely separate from the past.
Kids. Don't want to be around them. That is why many people move to 55+. Most won't admit it. I will.
Our mix might only be about 40 years in age differences but we have people from every state, province, and about 35 countries. I don't know of any neighborhood that has that.
You seem to be happy where you are. That's good. I am happy where I am, and I think that's great.
I believe the 55+ community would be a lot of fun. No, I do not live in one and will not move to one because of husband's health issues. However, I do find it difficult to make friends in my neighborhood because 1) most are working, 2) have children, 3) do not have time for hobbies such as crafts, swimming (except with kids), etc. I have friends in Sun City in Georgetown, Texas. They have made many friends but they admit that petty politics within the groups (such as golf, stain glass, community garden) causes some friction. However, I have seen friction in every organization. I love children and "noise" of the mixed neighborhood where I live, but I think the 55+ communities are a good thing for many retirees.
I really like living in my neighborhood where there are young kids playing, young adults and couples doing their thing, and teenagers passing by every day when school is in session. Having some neighbors of my age and older is also good. The thick mix keeps my mind younger than my body, and keeps me actively participating in the goings-on around me. The last thing I want is to be gated up and shut away from the vitality of life lived generationally, shared by young and old alike.
And it's statements like this that give 55+ places a bad name. You are not "gated up and shut away" from anything. And there a LOT more activities going on that you mentioned. I'm willing to bet that people here are a lot more active and do a lot more things that when they were younger and working. The last thing they even think of is sitting around playing cards or shuffleboard. We have groups that volunteer all over the place, including helping kids at the high school with shop, at the library, at several pet rescues etc. We have people who volunteer with Habitat, collect up school supplies for the kids in the fall, and do angel trees at the holidays, and so many more I won't even list them. We have softball teams that play outside teams, cycling club, kayak club, woodworkers group and building, and on and on. Of course we do have some people who don't do much, but that is their choice and they are in the extreme minority.
I don't hate kids, but I prefer not to live beside them all day, every day. Been there, done that. We lived in an area with kids that were unruly, noisy, rude and few other choice words. They threw eggs on our house because we had the audacity to ask them nicely to please not race their very noisy motorbikes up and down the street right in front of our house for 3-4 hours each day during the week and probably 6-8 hours a day on the weekend. Any more it just seems as though a lot of parents let their kids run wild so as not to "stifle" them. So what if little Johnny is running screaming up and down the street for an hour, they think it's fine. One of my neighbors grandsons walked up and down the street in front of 4 houses (one ours) bouncing a basketball for about 2 hours. Have you ever noticed how certain sounds seem to reverberate through a house? I was slowly being driven nuts. I finally asked him to please stop and he looked at me as though I were crazy. We wanted an area where there was some peace & quiet and people were considerate of their neighbors around them. Grandkids under 19 are allowed to stay overnight for a certain number of days a year, so there always seems to be some around.
You are correct that everyone needs to reach their own conclusions. But many people on here have never lived in one, never visited one, or just visited someone a couple of times and try to pass judgement on all 55+ based on seeing one for a short time. I'm not saying there aren't a few 55+ that might be quiet and dull, I'm just saying that not all of them are that way. I don't care one way or another where anyone lives, but if there were as many negative comments made about family communities as there are about 55+ there would be a major uprising.
Adding my two cents here. First I want to that Paka and Rothbear. Paka for being such a darling wanting to see us when we first started considering where DW and I would retire to. Paka, Texas is not off the list, it is just a bit further down but things could change. Roth I thank for actually taking time. Her and her DH were wonderful people and showed us around and talked to us as residents rather then as sales. Nothing of what I saw and heard told me that the Del Webb communities were anything but another place to live. Lifestyle aside the community is well mantained and beautiful. I saw two so far and both had that same well tended look and feel. The residents I talked to so far have had glowing praise. I would still like to find a Del Webb in the area we finally settle on. I say we as in my home "we" work together to decide.
I am glad this thread was brought back to life. For one who is still looking it does make sense to consider a 55+ that has what Del Webb offers.
Last edited by oldsoldier1976; 01-06-2015 at 06:42 AM..
I think I would like such a community if it were heavily and beautifully landscaped with lots of shrubbery, trees, color. And perhaps lots of container grown flowers tended by the residents. Are there any such 55+ communities like this? Less asphalt, more vegetation?
I think I would like such a community if it were heavily and beautifully landscaped with lots of shrubbery, trees, color. And perhaps lots of container grown flowers tended by the residents. Are there any such 55+ communities like this? Less asphalt, more vegetation?
Go see the place where Rothbear lives, Fort Mills SC.
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