Friday, February 7, 2014

By Jerri Perry


As people grow older their needs and their life styles change. Children start to leave the house and build their own lives, often in different cities or even different countries. Many others lose a spouse and are forced to adapt to a new way of living. Many mature couples find their homes to be too big and they want to simplify their lives. When thinking about moving to active adult communities NJ citizens are simply spoilt for choice.

The development of residential areas that are restricted to people of a certain age is a growing industry. These developments are often age restricted and only people that are fifty five years old and older qualify to live there. Other developments are marketed as age targeted, meaning that all marketing efforts are aimed at older people, but the rules are not cast in stone.

Some people think that age restricted developments are synonymous with retirement villages. This is not the case and there are, in fact, big differences. Retirement villages offer services such as assisted living, frail care, shared meals and a host of other services not found in age restricted residential developments. Residents have to be able to see to all their own needs although there are normally some activities specially organized for residents.

There are other important differences between these two types of residential area. In the case of retirement villages access to the various facilities are often strictly controlled and there are even visiting hours for those that are frail. Children and grandchildren are not allowed to stay for extended periods. Age restricted villages are much more relaxed about these matters although certain common rules still apply.

Most restricted communities are located in or very near urban areas. In most cases these developments offer a variety of facilities that are reserved for the exclusive use of the residents and their guests. Golf, swimming, bowling and hiking are all popular activities. In addition, many clubs and associations cater for a very wide variety of hobbies and interests and residents are encouraged to be active members of the community.

There are numerous advantages to be had when opting for this type of life style. In most cases, security is strict and some form of access control is in place. Many residents enjoy the fact that they are living among people their own age. They make new friends and they enjoy the relaxed social atmosphere and mutual support from neighbors typical of these villages.

When considering a move to one of these villages it is vital to conduct thorough research. Many developers offer tours and in some cases it is even possible to stay for a day or two. It may be wise to speak to other residents to get a feel for the community. Detailed information about the cost of amenities such as garbage removal and maintenance should also be considered very carefully before making a final decision.

When it comes to active adult communities NJ seems to have set the pace. There are many developments that cater for the specific needs of people fifty five years of age and older. They are ideal for people that do not want to live in retirement villages but that nevertheless desire a relaxed and safe life style.




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