Five Ways Today’s Active Adults Spend their Days Differently
It’s no secret that active adult communities are changing. With shifting demographics and lifestyles, gone are the days of sequestered neighborhoods in the far-flung suburbs dominated by golf culture.
Today’s active adult communities offer a much more diverse, vibrant mix. In this article, we’ll take a look at how a typical day might unfold for someone living this lifestyle.
- You might start the day with work.
Many of today’s “retirees” aren’t fully retired at all. More than likely, you’ve scaled back your work so you’re not putting in a full 9 to 5 anymore, but it’s likely that you’re still serving in some sort of professional capacity, perhaps as a consultant. To that end, you might find yourself starting your day in your home office, or using the office facilities in your community’s clubhouse. - You’ll find yourself participating in activities outside your community.
Once you spend some time “at the office,” you’re ready to unwind a little bit. Today’s active adult communities offer a greater variety of activities from which to choose...on this particular day your community manager has organized a trip to a nearby art gallery, followed by lunch in the city. Buses have been chartered and tickets have been reserved in advance. Incidentally, this trip was arranged because many of your neighbors have just finished reading The Goldfinch in the community book club, and the tale of purloined artwork has kindled an interest in the work of the Dutch masters – many of which are on display in a traveling exhibit at the museum. - Your community culture will be unique.
On your way to the exhibit, you get a call from an old friend who lives in another active adult community, far away in the Carolinas. The way she describes her life is vastly different from yours – a lot of card games and gardening, things like that. And she loves it. This difference is the product of a new trend of great property managers who know how to grow the cultures unique to each community. Whereas your community culture is defined by arts and activity, your friend’s has evolved into a place where leisure is at the forefront. - Your children and grandchildren will be a bigger part of the picture – when your schedule permits.
After your visit to the museum, you’re home just in time to see your grandchildren, who spend a few hours after school with you while their parents are at work. A lot of your neighbors do the same thing...you’ve all found that your children are working longer hours, so you’ve offered to pitch in and help with some after-school time spent with your grandchildren. You’re fortunate in that your community is close to where your children live (that is, you didn’t have to move away to the Sun Belt to find a good active adult community), so you can see everybody more often. But it’s on your schedule and your terms – after all, you’ve got a busy life, too. - You might find yourself on a team.
At 5:15 your grandchildren are picked up (you helped your granddaughter navigate the tricky waters of her math homework – long division) and then you’re off to your evening softball game. You’ve been on the team for a few years now, and usually you all meet for a light picnic dinner at the ballpark before you play. After the game (you went 2 for 4, great job) it’s time to call it a day...another perfect day, that is.
Of course, everyone’s day will be different (just like every community is different). The key is that today’s active adult communities are known for lifestyles that are tailored to the individual interests of the people who live there. The cultures will grow and change over time, creating a more fluid experience where a sense of community is cultivated rather than dictated. The result is a lifestyle that feels more like you, in the best possible way.
For more information on how life in active adult communities is changing, contact FirstService Residential, North America’s leading active adult community management company.