If you are an avid golfer, then Charleston, SC and its surrounding neighborhoods should be high on your list of senior living communities to consider.

If you are an avid golfer and you are hoping to prioritize your favorite hobby during your retirement years, then Charleston, SC and its surrounding neighborhoods should be high on your list of communities to consider. According to Golfbreaks, the townships of Mount Pleasant and Isle of Palms offer some incredible opportunities to tee off all year round. With several top-tier senior living facilities located in this area, you will have plenty of options to choose from to live out your golden years within close proximity of some of the best golf courses in Charleston, and South Carolina as a whole.

Three of the state’s top-rated golf courses can be found tucked away in the northeastern corner of Mount Pleasant. Designed by the legendary Arthur Hills, Dunes West is set amongst the natural wetlands of the South Carolina Lowcountry and its par-72 layout will keep any golfer entertained for hours on end. RiverTowne Country Club is home to Charleston’s only Arnold Palmer Signature golf course, with 18 holes to challenge even the most seasoned putter. Open to the public year round, Charleston National offers one of the best golfing experiences in the region. Its championship course was designed by Rees Jones and visitors can also enjoy a full-size state of the art practice facility and driving range.

If convenient access to these world class courses is what you are looking for, then the brand new 55+ active adult communities in this area, like Restore at Carolina Park, will make you feel right at home with all their modern luxuries. If you are planning ahead for the future, then Somerby Mount Pleasant offers choices that few senior communities in this area can match. Not only do they have several different independent living floor plans for you to consider at this stage of your retirement, but they also provide future care options under their assisted living and memory care umbrellas.

Just a short drive south from Mount Pleasant and 15 miles northeast of Charleston’s city center, you will find yourself in the bustling beach town of Isle of Palms. The Wild Dunes Resort, a high-end gated community on the island, hosts two more of South Carolina’s top-ranked golf courses. Both courses were designed by Tom Fazio and the Links Course at Wild Dunes Resort was his first ever design. It’s a relatively short but tricky 6,500-yard layout with stunning views across the Atlantic Ocean. The secondary Harbor Course at Wild Dunes Resort is located on the other side of the island and sits alongside the Intracoastal Waterway, challenging golfers with complex shots around natural lagoons and salt marshes.

If the island vibe is sounding like the right fit for you, there are several senior living communities located within a stone’s throw of these beautiful golf courses. Franke at Seaside is one of the region’s oldest wellness-based non-profit continuing care retirement communities and offers convenient shuttle bus transportation to your favorite nearby golf courses, while South Bay at Mount Pleasant is a much newer resort-style living community offering all the same services at your fingertips. Take your pick and never be further than a few minutes away from your preferred way to spend the day.

If you are considering senior living options in and around Charleston, Kithward can help you narrow down your choices and find the perfect fit for you. With so many exciting opportunities for a healthy outdoor lifestyle, a retirement in Charleston will ensure you don’t just live out your golden year but that you thrive in them!

Retiring to Charleston, South Carolina is a Golfer's Dream

If you're looking to retire to a more comfortable climate, you may consider one of the many stunning beachside locations near Charleston, South Carolina.

If you’re nearing retirement age, you may be starting to think about where you want to retire. Many retirees choose to move to a location where they can benefit from warmer weather as well as peace and quiet. If you’ve grown tired of cold, gray winters and would rather live in a location that’s comfortable all year round, you may want to consider one of the many stunning beachside locations near Charleston, South Carolina.

Just north of the Charleston Peninsula and neighboring the charming town of Mount Pleasant, you’ll find yourself in Isle of Palms. This bustling beach town boasts a large gated community but also offers multiple public beach access locations along the island, like the ones at Isle of Palms County Park, as well as many great places to eat while you spend your days soaking up the sun. The beaches on Isle of Palms are a great option if you are looking for the conveniences of city life while still being able to enjoy day trips to the beach.

With its impressive 60-mile stretch of beach, often referred to as “Grand Strand”, Myrtle Beach is nothing short of an oceanside dream for many retirees. Although the drive to Charleston, SC is just under two hours, you’ll find everything you could ever need in this well-equipped coastal city. Enjoy the clean ocean air while you spend your golden years playing countless rounds of golf with friends, and entertain your children and grandchildren with a visit to the Myrtle Beach State Park to show off your own little slice of paradise.

If you are looking for a slower pace of life, then Pawleys Island has your name written all over it. This small barrier island only stretches across four miles of beachfront access but offers many fantastic opportunities for fishing, shelling, and crabbing during various times of the year. You can also explore the salt marsh that separates Pawleys Island from the mainland on foot, or by kayak or canoe. On your doorstep, you’ll find several county and state parks, like Huntington Beach State Park, where you can spot over 300 different types of birds.

Located on Folly Island and just a short drive south from Charleston’s historic center, Folly Beach is a popular tourist destination for visitors to the region. It can get crowded during weekends and holidays, but it is still a convenient option for anyone looking to retire in the Charleston Peninsula. You can find some less crowded beaches on the western side of the island at Folly Beach County Park and on the eastern side of the island near the Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve.

Still located in the sunny state of South Carolina, Hilton Head Island is close to the Georgia border and therefore within a short 20-mile drive of Savannah, GA. Charleston, SC is just under two hours away, so it’s still easily accessible if you crave the occasional city trip here and there. Hilton Head Island itself has a rich history of Native American ancestry, European settlement, and Civil War significance, making it a fascinating place to continue your lifelong learning goals. This region also hosts some of the most pristine beaches in the state, like Fish Haul Beach Park, where fishing and boating are enjoyed by many.

Explore these and the many other beautiful areas to retire in and around Charleston, South Carolina. Kithward’s advanced search filters allow you to sort through the numerous senior living options in any given area of interest, and help you narrow down your selection to the ones that match your individual needs.

The Top 5 Beaches to Retire to near Charleston, South Carolina

Surrounded by coastal scenery, calming ocean breezes and beautiful weather year-round, Charleston, SC checks all the boxes for a wholesome retirement.

A recent study by personal finance website WalletHub compared affordability, quality of life, health care, and availability of recreational activities for seniors in more than 180 U.S. cities. It comes as no surprise that Charleston, South Carolina claimed the top spot as the best U.S. city to retire in 2022, with other popular retirement destinations in Florida and Arizona also making it into the top 10.

Charleston, SC has so much going for it! Surrounded by coastal scenery, calming ocean breezes and beautiful weather year-round, this highly sought-after region checks all the boxes for a wholesome retirement. To top things off, South Carolina offers some favorable senior tax breaks and a very affordable overall cost of living.

If you love the conveniences of city life, then Charleston is where you will thrive during your retirement years. With several top tier senior living communities in close proximity to the city center, you will have plenty of options to suit your preferences and budget. Live your best life at one of the many 55+ active adult communities, like Overture West Ashley, or plan for your long-term care needs in a continuing care retirement community, like the highly acclaimed Bishop Gadsden. One thing is for sure, this historic port city will not disappoint! Its deep southern roots are widely spread throughout the local community and can even be enjoyed in its stunning architecture and excellent cuisine.

Just a short drive across the Charleston Harbor and you will find yourself in the charming streets of Mount Pleasant. Thanks to North America’s longest cable-stayed bridge, the Ravenel Bridge, you’ll never be more than a few minutes away from the historic Charleston city center. Senior living communities in this area are often nestled in retreat-like settings, like the beautiful grounds of Somerby Mount Pleasant, which will bring a certain peace and tranquility to your days. If you love spending time outdoors, especially golfing or fishing, then the limitless options in and around Mount Pleasant will be sure to get your seal of approval. With a variety of community events hosted throughout the year, the Memorial Waterfront Park and Mount Pleasant Pier also make the perfect social gathering places to catch up with family and friends.

As a more recently developed area of Charleston, Daniel Island is fast becoming the go-to for luxurious retirement living. Surrounded by hundreds of acres of parks, the purpose-built resort lifestyle communities on Daniel Island, like Daniel Pointe Retirement Community, will make you feel as if you’re on an endless vacation. With all the modern facilities and services at your fingertips, you will have everything you need to make the most of your golden years. Enjoy an extensive range of golf courses, country clubs, tennis courts, and so much more in your very own slice of paradise.

Whether you are only just starting out in your search for senior living options, or you are eager and ready to make the move, Kithward can help you seamlessly navigate this next exciting chapter of your life.

The Best Neighborhoods to Retire in Charleston, South Carolina

Nothing clogs our brains more than clutter. These 5 tips can help you clear the unnecessary clutter and incentivize you to live fully with less.

Nothing clogs our brains more than clutter. If you feel overwhelmed by life your anxiety may actually be emanating from your environment. The place we want to rely on as a sanctuary – our home – has suddenly become the source of our stress. And a messy home is not a place where we feel proud to invite friends to socialize or visit. Home sweet home has become a frenemy.

In fact, neuroscience has a lot to do with our distress. Millions of years ago as we lived out on the African savanna, our livable environments were wide-open spaces where we could easily see our prey and our predators. This uncluttered vista reinforced our survival instincts. When we fill our modern environments with clutter, our ancient brain feels vulnerable, it can no longer see around boxes, knick knacks or piles of newspapers and clothes. This creates a world where we feel out of control and overwhelmed. It is our basic instinct to crave the calming effect of a clutter-free living environment.

The other problem with clutter is it does not allow us to function optimally and negatively impacts our emotional and physical health. For instance, it takes us longer to find things which can create frustration and more stress. Cluttered hallways can also become trip hazards and cluttered countertops keep us from using our kitchens for food preparation and cooking so we eat out. 

Alvin Toffler, author of Future Shock, advised that fewer choices, meaning less stuff, actually makes us happier. Clutter-free environments alleviate our choice overload that paralyzes us into inaction. For instance, cleaning out your closet so you actually have fewer clothes or shoe choices, frees up your brain to focus on more challenging questions and choices for the remainder of the day. And it gives us a sense of mastery and accomplishment over our domain.

According to a home tours study of women participants, those with cluttered homes were more prone to depression and fatigue and had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol than those who described their homes as relaxing and uplifting. Another mindset study showed that people actually eat more cookies and choose unhealthy snacks if the environment they are in is chaotic and cluttered. 

David Ekerdt in his book, Downsizing: Confronting Our Possessions in Later Life, used information based on his years of research at the University of Kansas. He found 61% of people in their 60s said they felt they had more things than they needed. And in a survey done in the United Kingdom, 73% of homeowners said their homes are full of clutter.

For anyone who has seen the reality TV shows about hoarding you know where you are on the scale of having a cluttered home. Having some clutter is normal in our instant gratification world, we simply buy too much stuff. Hoarding on the other hand is a real mental health issue. When your clutter makes it hard for you or others in your life to carry on normally such as taking a shower or making meals, these living conditions pose health problems and you’ve transitioned from being a clutterbug to being a hoarder. Typically, psychologists will look for telltale signs of hoarding: Inability to get rid of things even if they have no value, emotional distress when thinking about discarding things, inability to use parts of your home because of the buildup of items, signs of indecisiveness, perfectionism, avoidance, procrastination and trouble planning and organizing even small things in life such as getting to work or attending an important event.

After decades of life, you accumulate a lot of things and somehow your home has become your storage unit. With all the years spent working, traveling, raising families and never moving, often you have not taken the time to do a purge every few years. You continue to stuff things into the garage, attic and basement promising yourself you’ll go through it all “someday.” But the real reason we hang on to things is not just because we have had full lives and little free time to edit down our possessions. It is because we are stuck on the stories associated with our stuff.

When you open a box of matchbooks from every restaurant you have visited since you got married, or you see the used baseball mitts of your now-grown and gone sons, or the piles of fashion magazines over the last 20 years, it reminds you of a time or people you cherish. Tossing those memories into the garbage or even donating them feels like you are erasing a part of your history and of yourself. It is the relationships and memories we want to hold onto and saving the stuff brings all those memories flooding back.

One of the reasons you do not tackle de-cluttering sooner is that the job is too overwhelming and you don’t know where to start. You tell yourself you need hours or an entire weekend to go through everything. And even though organizational goddess Marie Kondo advises getting it all done at once, small steps are part of the successful behavioral science most psychologists advise. Instead of an entire room or garage, pick one drawer or one shelf. Spend just a few minutes on this small area. The pride and satisfaction in starting and accomplishing something smaller will give you incentive to keep tackling things drawer by drawer.

Since it is the story behind the stuff, capture the story as you jettison the stuff. For instance, the example of your son’s baseball mitts. Take a photo or even a video with your smartphone explaining the story behind the mitts and all the games won and lost. Share the stories with family or better yet invite family to the declutter party to hear and contribute to the storytelling. It’s also an opportunity to pass on cherished items to family members. This is part of an ancient tribal practice – one that Native Americans and other cultures have retained for years. The passing down of stories of our families and taking the time to listen to older generations tell younger generations about their family history is a powerful tool for building relevancy in older adults and resiliency in younger family members. It also becomes a legacy gift for your family once you are gone – the stories remain for future generations to share.  In a small way, we live on in our stories.

If you struggle with things you are unsure you want to keep or not, place them all on a table and pick only ½ or less of what you see. This is a great exercise to help you visualize what is really important to you or is a source of comfort that you should keep. For the half that will go, donating the item to someone who will get more need out of it than you feels good. Paying it forward is beneficial for emotional health.

Have two bags or boxes when you start your de-cluttering. One bag for donations or selling online, one for garbage. For things you will keep, there is no storing it in a box and going back to the attic or basement. Either the kept item is something you will use in the next six months or it is gone (this is especially important for clothes and shoes). It does you no good to put it back in a box and stuffed on a shelf where you never use it – this defeats your purpose. And donate the items right away – don’t keep the bag or box where you can see it and change your mind one night when you are feeling nostalgic. De-cluttering is a tough-love activity.

Part of the brain science behind decluttering is to be able to see the things we have kept. Using acrylic containers for jewelry, for shoes or sweaters or even decluttering your refrigerator using acrylic containers so you know what food you have is a way to “see” through something hiding in a drawer or shelf. Also, you know you will continue to accumulate things which is okay. But for every new shirt or pair of shoes, something has to go to make room. Don’t start stuffing things into too small spaces again and never start piling things on the floor or chair.

You may just need to feel better in your home or you may be thinking about downsizing to a smaller place in a senior living community. Most older adults need to cut their possessions by 50% when moving to a senior living apartment or condo. Once you decide to declutter or downsize, don’t forget to reward yourself. Purging life’s accumulated items is no easy task. A glass of wine, a night on the town or other celebration is part of the incentive to live fully with less. 

Sherri Snelling is a gerontologist with an expertise in wellness and brain health across the life course. She is an author, podcast host, consultant and founder/CEO of Caregiving Club.

Decluttering Tips – Why We Cannot Let Go of Stuff

Family storytelling is based on reminiscence therapy which has real health benefits for older adults, including those with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

The Power of Storytelling – An Ancient Tool That Connects Us to Each Other 

More than 30,000 years ago, ancient humans used ochre as a red dye to draw pictures on cave walls. Why? They were communicating through storytelling. In fact, storytelling is part of the human experience. Whether it is oral history or the printed word, all cultures throughout time have used storytelling as a way to connect to one another.

When we think of all the stories we have accumulated from our experiences across decades of life, it may not be as long or celebrated as Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad, but that does not mean we don’t have interesting tales to share. The stories of our families and our ancestry are particularly enlightening as they help us discover who we are.

Elizabeth Winthrop Alsop, a noted author and daughter of renowned Washington political reporter, Stewart Alsop, recently wrote a memoir that uncovered a family secret she had never known. The book opens with the love story of her parents who met during World War II after her father landed in France after D-Day and her mother was a young British office worker. As the story continues it details Alsop’s childhood growing up in ‘50s and ‘60s Washington social circles among power brokers such as President John F. Kennedy and Washington Post editor, Ben Bradlee of Watergate fame. 

But what is intriguing about Alsop’s story is a discovery she made when she was caregiving for her mother who later in life had dementia. Alsop found old letters and other memorabilia in the basement and started reading about her parents’ lives during the War. As Alsop began asking her mother questions about that time of her life her mother shared a secret she had kept for more than 70 years. Both her parents served as spies during the War – her father for the OSS that later became the CIA and her mother who was a decoding agent for British Intelligence and part of MI6. Not only did they keep this secret from their six children but also from each other for most of their lives. This amazing discovery led to Alsop’s new book, A Daughter of Spies.

Maybe not all our stories are as fascinating as Alsop’s but they are powerful in connecting the generations in our families. Last year, Yahoo! news reported six generations in one Scottish family were all living from the great-great-great grandmother who is 86 to the two-week-old sixth generation grandchild. This type of news would have been unimaginable even a few decades ago as most grandparents died when their grandchildren were young or not yet born. But with people worldwide living longer, grandparents who have relationships with adult grandchildren and even great-grandchildren are becoming more of the norm.

There are numerous benefits to grandparent-grandchildren interaction. One Boston College study found depression decreased in both grandparents and grandchildren who spent quality time together. Other studies have shown that family stories or intergenerational narratives as shared among grandparents and grandchildren help build relevancy for the older adults and resiliency among younger generations. Family stories are also shown to be a great tool in giving us a better sense of self and in creating empathy in both older and younger generations. 

One of the most well-known examples of intergenerational storytelling was the best-selling book and movie, The Joy Luck Club. The story is of four Chinese women who immigrated to America, had daughters in their newly adopted country and become friends over mahjong. Their young daughters struggle with the pressure from their mothers to succeed creating anxiety and feelings of inadequacy in the younger generation. But once the daughters learn of their mother’s stories as young women in China, they realize the strength over adversity it took for their mothers to leave their homeland. Ultimately, the daughters find their own strength through their mother’s stories believing they too can overcome life’s challenges.

Family storytelling is based on reminiscence therapy which has real health benefits for older adults, including those with dementia or Alzheimer’s. Loneliness studies have found severe negative health implications for older adults with one study comparing chronic loneliness to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. In another study, chronic loneliness was found to increase Alzheimer’s risk by 40%. Reminiscence therapy studies have shown reduced depression and loneliness in older adults including those with Alzheimer’s.

Many senior living communities are encouraging residents to share their stories by facilitating workshops and even providing tools and services that help archive your memories. One of these services, LifeBio, uses an app to prompt residents to answer questions that are recorded. These oral histories are archived for families and the app uses artificial intelligence to turn the recorded answers into a beautifully bound life story book. Another service, MemoryWell, does the same but uses professional journalists to interview residents to create their life story. Both companies have developed versions to help those in early stage dementia capture their memories before they fade away. LifeBio’s research has shown a 15% reduction in depressive symptoms and an increase in happiness and satisfaction with life for the older adult through the experience of sharing their life story. 

We all have a story to tell. Capturing our memories reminds us of what our lives have meant and brings meaning to our younger family members as well. Let Kithward help you create the next chapter in your story by exploring the senior living options that create community and social health.

Sherri Snelling is a corporate gerontologist with an expertise in wellness and brain health across the life course. She is an author, podcast host, consultant and founder/CEO of Caregiving Club.

As we age, our fitness routines start to focus as much on the neck up as the neck down. These brain workouts can help you stay sharp and fit for years to come.

As we age, our fitness routines start to focus as much on the neck up as the neck down. We may have growing concerns about natural cognitive decline and some memory loss as we get older. We also are concerned about more serious health issues such as Alzheimer’s disease that affects 1 in 3 older adults according to the Alzheimer’s Association. All of this is making brain health a bigger priority when it comes to our wellness practices. 

Some of this newfound interest is fueled by fear especially given recent news headlines such as actor Bruce Willis who was recently diagnosed with aphasia or former Morgan Stanley CEO, John Mack, who announced he has mild cognitive impairment (MCI), both of which fall under the dementia category of neurodegenerative diseases. As well, we have seen a parade of famous names such as former President Ronald Reagan, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and lifestyle guru B. Smith – all who had Alzheimer’s – and it seems every day a friend or family member is diagnosed with dementia. 

The big question is what, if anything, can we do to prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s and stay cognitively sharp as we age?

The answers lie in a growing body of research and lifestyle practices for better brain health. We know nutrition, restful sleep and intellectual stimulation (such as an encore career, learning a new language or volunteering) all contribute to better brain health, but let’s focus on how to best exercise our brains.

In the ‘60s it was Jack LaLanne who had us glued to our TV sets while he encouraged us to pump iron in his blue workout jumpsuit. Then actress and activist Jane Fonda put on her leg warmers and told us how to “feel the burn” as she ushered in the age of aerobics in the ‘80s. The last couple of decades we have focused on calming our minds and bodies with meditation practices such as yoga and tai chi. 

All of these historical fitness regimes provide benefits for brain health: 

An Australian research study showed six months of strength training, such as lifting small weights, can help protect brain areas especially vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease up to one year later. The study found this type of exercise can slow or halt brain deterioration in parts of the brain that are more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s. The added benefit of strength training is it also increases bone density as we age reducing the risk of osteoporosis and increases muscle mass to help with balance which often is impaired in those at risk for Alzheimer’s. 

Aerobic activity is essential to cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure, a key risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. By walking just 5,000 steps a day, you improve blood flow and lower hypertension. And walking outside in nature is a double boost. One study found taking a walk where you can view trees, beaches or other nature scenes, reduces oxidative stress and can lower Alzheimer’s risk in adults over age 60.

Yoga and other meditative practices reduce stress and release endorphins that provide pain relief whether it is a headache, back pain or arthritis. When it comes to brain health, numerous studies have shown those who adopt a regular yoga or meditation activity have a thicker cerebral cortex (where our brains perform information processing) and hippocampus (where our brains store memories and support learning) than people who don’t do any meditation.

4. Practice brain workouts but not brain games

As scientists have produced more research on how the brain works, a new term called brain plasticity has emerged. Where it was once believed the brain could not regenerate itself (similar to how the liver can produce new liver cells to optimize its function), science now tells us we can grow new neuronal connections to improve cognitive function.

Many believed by playing Sudoku or doing crossword puzzles, they could attain this brain plasticity. But brain science says no. In fact, one brain game company had to pay $2 million in fines because of false advertising claims that it improved brain function when all it did was enhance rote memorization of that game but not overall brain performance.

Only a handful of credible companies, such as brainHQ, backed by significant evidenced-based studies have been found to improve brain plasticity. The key is in finding solutions that offer cross-training brain exercises in a similar way that we optimize our physical workouts through cross-training efforts. By mixing up brain exercises into a full suite of activities, you improve memory, decrease depression, enhance self-confidence and can even increase driving skills. Just as we improve our performance levels in physical exercise such as being able to lift heavier weights or do more reps, walking more steps or improving our breathing and heart rates through yoga and meditation, brain training applies the same principle. You want to find programs that consistently ask you to try new exercises, go to the next level of brain exercise or perform the exercises faster. Only then will you truly achieve brain plasticity and better brain health. 

Sometimes it is easier to adopt new fitness routines when we make it more of a social activity. One of the advantages to senior living communities is that a variety of physical fitness and social events are part of the community’s culture. And yes – being more social does improve brain health. A recent study in Neurology among 500,000 adults age 57 and older showed social isolation actually changes brain structure showing poorer cognition, memory and less gray matter – all precursors to Alzheimer’s. 

So get moving, get strong, get calm and don’t think you have to do it all alone – your brain will thank you. Kithward can help advise you on the senior living communities that offer the best in class physical and brain health programs as well as the social activities to keep you active and thriving.

Brain Workouts To Keep Older Adults Sharp and Fit

With the right diet and exercise most older adults have the potential to become super-centenarians living beyond age 120. Could you live that long?

Dr. Michael Roizen, former Chief Wellness Officer for the Cleveland Clinic and award-winning author, writes “90 is the new 40” in his latest book, The Great Age Reboot. While some scoff at his claims that with the right diet and exercise most older adults today have the potential to become super-centenarians living beyond age 120, you may wonder, could I live that long?

The reality is that innovative medical technology and procedures, scientific breakthrough cures and treatments, and increased consumer knowledge about healthier lifestyles have not closed the gap between lifespan and healthspan. Many older Americans will potentially live 20-30 bonus years beyond previous generations but many of those years will be spent managing chronic illness, joint pain, limited mobility and other physical and cognitive issues. According to an AARP survey, 20% of 75-year-olds today are living with three or more chronic conditions and 68% of those age 50+ report they believe they will require assistance with daily living and mobility over the next 10-30 years.

Despite the surge of organic farming in 1946 when the first baby boomers were born, the physical fitness craze that took off in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the debut of WebMD and other online health resources at our fingertips, and the modern wellness movement of holistic health, the boomer generation is less healthy than their parents and grandparents. A report from the American Hospital Association showed six in 10 boomers, currently between the ages of 58 and 76, have at least one chronic condition as a result of obesity, such as high cholesterol or heart disease. Another report in Health Affairs stated by 2030, 25% of the boomer generation will have diabetes making “diabesity” one of the biggest health issues facing older Americans and costing Medicare expenditures to skyrocket. We are living longer but not healthier.

In some ways, a return to the “old” ways of life – called the farmer’s life – may be the ticket to longer health and a longer life. Dan Buettner in his best-selling book series, The Blue Zones – Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who Have Lived the Longest, discovered the secrets to achieving centenarian status with most of the 100-year-olds he interviewed living in relatively good health. After traveling the globe, he found a Mediterranean-style diet full of olive oil, fresh fish and a little red wine; a sense of community and finding your “tribe;” doing basic daily chores and walking more than driving; having a foundation of spiritual calm, and spending more time outdoors away from technology are all part of the longevity recipe. 

The recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II, who at 96 was reported to die of simply “old age,” may have had the best health care royalty could buy. But one has to wonder if her longevity was also related to her Greatest Generation’s attitude of “don’t complain, don’t explain” as well as the old British WWII adage, “Keep Calm and Carry On” that helped her live a long life free of a debilitating disease and cognitive decline.

The Keys To Living Longer, Better and Maybe to 100

What will turn the tide on healthspan equaling lifespan for the rest of us commoners? We know health status is split almost evenly between the genetic lottery ticket we are born with and 50% our lifestyle choices. We also know nutrition and exercise are only part of the living longer plan. Staying socially engaged (instead of the isolation that can accompany living at home), engaging in projects that provide passion and purpose, living in a community that embraces nature and what is known as “biophilic design” (the Greek word for love of nature and life), reducing stress and anxiety – these are all key ingredients to a longer, happier and healthier life. 

To test this out, Dr. Roizen developed a free online tool called “The Real Age” Test which is now part of ShareCare, one of the largest online health and wellness sites. Since Dr. Roizen is a proponent of self-empowerment when it comes to health, The Real Age Test advises 70% of your health status is in your hands. And, despite what your driver’s license may say, your chronological age can be older or younger than your biological age depending on your lifestyle choices. Are you age 72 but have a biological age of 52, or are you 52 with a biological age of 72? The Real Age Test will tell you and offer ways to achieve being younger than what your birth certificate indicates. While The Real Age Test won’t tell you if you will live to 100, another test, The Life Expectancy – Living to 100  Calculator, does estimate your odds of making it into the centenarian club.

When it comes to aging well, let Kithward help you find your tribe, your community that supports your passion and purpose and your perfect place for living longer, healthier and happier.

What is My Real Age? The Difference Between Chronological and Biological Age

Activities can define a retirement community. Learn more about the different activities these communities can provide.

What is an active adult community? While we can define it based on age restrictions—home to anyone 55 or older—that’s not what draws people to these communities. Many gated communities can fit that definition easily. The same goes with many other features that retirees like: Low-maintenance housing, nice amenities shared by the community, and a central location. 

Instead, what makes an active adult community is its activities. In other words, the events and such where retirees and seniors can spend time together. While you may be able to just meet your neighbors and get along with them, it takes organized events and activities to really get to know the people around you, especially if they live a little further down the street or may be a little less sociable. With the right activities, you can feel at home living in these communities.

Different Types of Activities for Active Adults

When looking at retirement communities and such, you’ll want programming that fits your active lifestyle as much as possible. But what that means can vary. Sometimes you want to spend your free time being outdoors. Other times, you may want to learn something you couldn’t when you were still in the workforce. Still others, you may want to kick back, relax, and spend time with people in your neighborhood. The ideal active adult community will have programming that suits your needs. Here are some examples of activities you can do.

Music is a great way to connect with other retirees such as yourself. If you have a knack for singing or playing an instrument, some communities will have active choirs and bands for you to join. You’ll get a chance to perform like you always have to a crowd that will support you. Never got the chance to start playing? It’s never too late to learn, with many communities offering music classes. Of course, if you’d rather watch than play, retirement communities will offer regular concerts, including cover bands that will play some of your favorite songs.

If you’re looking to join an active adult community close to a major airport, it’s probably because you still want to see the world after retirement. But many communities will support your travel dreams regardless of where you are. They run travel groups that allow you to visit places around the country and the world, often at a discount. It makes it easy for you to see the sights without feeling alone, while also staying affordable. In addition, many places offer on-site travel agents that allow you to plan your next trip, with or without friends in the community.

Retirement’s the best time to learn a new hobby, and what better time to do that than in a community that supports both doing and learning new crafts. Many have hobby centers that include studios for practicing woodworking, pottery, glassmaking, and more. They will also host classes to learn these crafts, allowing you to showcase that creativity to members of the community. 

In life, you never stop learning something new every day. But if you’re more curious about the world, then many active adult communities offer lifelong learning opportunities. These take the form of regular classes on many subjects, whether it’s American history or marine biology. These take the form of structured courses lasting several weeks, though you won’t necessarily get a surprise quiz or exam. Of course, in certain communities, especially those in college towns, they’ll have partnerships with the local university, so you can actually earn credit towards a college degree.

Of course, being active can mean getting physical. But that can also mean doing more than just taking a jog on the walking trails or a daily bike ride. Exercise classes are standard fare at retirement communities, but many go further with sports and strength training. You can join a pickleball club, or spend time with a hiking group climbing a nearby mountain. Of course, if you prefer low-key physical activity, there’s always swimming classes and tai chi.

Benefits of Having Many Active Adult Activities

When you join an active adult community with great programs, your life will feel enriched in many ways. First, you’ll meet and earn lifelong friends within the community, based on your common interests. Second, you’ll feel like part of the community, being more closely connected to those around you. Your neighbors will get to know you better. Next, it’s a healthy way to stay active, as you’ll have something that keeps you going. Finally, you’ll never get bored.

When it comes to finding activities that suit your active lifestyle, the tricky part is finding the right community that suits your needs. Thankfully, Kithward can help with our selection of active adult communities that you can view and book a tour with.

What Makes Retirement Communities? Activities, Of Course!

Is your house feeling too big, cluttered, or expensive to maintain? Learn more about downsizing when you retire.

On the verge of retirement, it’s important to think about what you want to do with your home. While many retirees hope to age in place, that may not always be the best idea. Your home may feel too big, have become cluttered, or is simply a hassle to maintain. Whether you want to stay put, or sell your home and move into a retirement community, it’s important to consider downsizing. It helps make your life easier and makes things less stressful for you and your family, regardless of what you do or where you go.

Downsizing is moving to a smaller home or reducing the amount of space you take up in your home. It’s often tied in with decluttering, where you pare down what you have so it takes up less space than usual. Downsizing doesn’t mean a change in the quality of life you have, merely the amount of space your life takes up.

It’s very common to downsize: According to a Merrill Lynch survey, 51% of retirees who move from their old home downsize, compared to 30% who upsize and 19% who move to a similar-sized home. 

Downsizing becomes important if and when you decide to move to a 55+ community such as a life plan community. Moving can be a stressful time for you and your family, and you have to consider how much you really want to take with you to your new home. It can also be a factor if you need to make an emergency move, especially after a health crisis.

Of course, the reasons you may want to consider downsizing after retirement sometimes may have little to do with where you’re going and what you want to do, and more about what you have now. You may have spent years living in this house, but it may be time to change. The kids are no longer home, and even if you use one of their rooms as a guest room, they’re typically empty. You likely no longer need as many of your possessions as you did years ago. You may keep an active lifestyle, but getting around a big house like yours can be a hassle. On top of all this, it’s expensive to maintain your home, especially now that you’re retired. When you consider all these reasons, downsizing may be the best option.

Of course, downsizing isn’t for every retiree or senior. While there are many reasons to downsize, there are other reasons that will compel you to stay put. You may want to stay close to your family, or you’re still an active part of your community. Regardless, there are questions to ask yourself before you consider downsizing. Even if you choose to stay, asking these questions may help you declutter your home so you can have a better living situation.

When you first bought your home, you probably had a clear vision of what your lifestyle would look like: Raising kids and pets, spending time with your spouse, getting along with the neighbors. But now that the kids are no longer home, it may just be you, your spouse, and/or your pets. Your lifestyle may have changed, and it’s possible your house no longer suits that lifestyle. If that’s the case, then downsizing might be a good idea. 

One of the most important factors about moving for your retirement, let alone downsizing, is your social life. Is your home the host of regular gatherings with friends, family, your community? Or does your house only have an occasional visit from your family or friends? These can not only impact whether you stay put, but also the size of your home should you move. If you love to host parties and events, you may feel less inclined to downsize to smaller homes.

It’s very easy to turn your child’s old bedroom into a storage space. But if you’re doing that, the question you should ask yourself is why. Unused rooms, even those converted to storage, mean more time cleaning and repairing them when you don’t really need. If you have rooms you aren’t using regularly, downsizing may be a good idea.

How Many Of Your Possessions Do You Need?

When we talk about possessions, we’re not referring to keepsakes and heirlooms. We’re talking about everyday items that are simply a part of your home and you could gift to your children or donate to a thrift store. If you have a lot of items you use regularly, you may feel no need to downsize, though there may be opportunities to declutter.

Many people enjoy gardening and taking care of their lawns, others may like doing repairs to their home. But you may not like doing either, and you may find them too expensive to your tastes or too difficult for your body to do. Moving to a smaller home can help reduce the need for maintenance, and moving to a retirement community that takes care of maintenance can be even better.

Depending on how you answer these questions, you may find that downsizing to a smaller home can be the solution. If and when you decide to downsize, Kithward is here to provide you with a variety of retirement communities offering unique floor plans that are just the right size for you.

We go over some of the most important amenities in retirement communities to suit your diverse needs.

Senior living has changed dramatically as baby boomers enter retirement. You likely have a much more active lifestyle than your parents and grandparents did, and you want to keep going well into your 50s, 60s, and 70s. Retirement should be an enjoyable, lively experience, whether it’s staying fit or traveling around the world. So when you enter a retirement community, you should have amenities that suit your needs.

Thankfully, many retirement communities have expanded their options to make your golden years entertaining and exciting. The amenities they offer make sure that your life after leaving work is rewarding. However, you may not need all that a community has to provide. Here are some of the amenities that you should look for when looking into joining a retirement community.

The most important amenity at any retirement community is where you’ll live. Housing will matter whether you want to retain the life you had in your old home, or wish to downsize to something more modest. Here are some of the important amenities when it comes to finding housing:

Many senior living communities, especially continuing care retirement communities, vary in what they offer for housing options. Some places are a single building with different-sized apartments from studios to two bedrooms. Others offer a neighborhood of houses and bungalows with up to two floors, with different sizes to suit your needs. While it’s important to consider how much space you’ll need in your new home, you should have the flexibility to decide what space is right for you.

Just because you may be changing your living space doesn’t mean it should be a downgrade from the home you spent so many years of your life in. If anything, it should be better. You should look at housing that offers many of the luxury amenities that your old home had, or more. Some retirement communities provide housing with smart home features you can control with your smartphone, central heat and air conditioning, and more. Look for something that makes retiring there worthwhile.

You probably spent several Saturdays fixing one part of your old house or another. Why spend time doing that in your retirement? There are retirement communities that offer housing that aren’t just built well, but have on-call maintenance. So whether there’s a problem with your plumbing or your yard, you have peace of mind knowing that it’ll be quickly fixed.

Entertainment and Active Living Amenities

Of course, an important part of retiring is being able to enjoy yourself outside your home. Even if you live near family, you want to spend time being out and about, whether it’s maintaining your active lifestyle or meeting new neighbors and friends. Here are some amenities to consider that make living in a retirement community more fun:

It’s not always enough to enjoy a communal meal at your standard dining hall. You want choices, whether it’s a healthy lunch or a steak at dinner. Sometimes, you just want something quick to pick up and eat as well. Retirement communities may have restaurants and to-go food bars that make it easy to try something different every day.

You want to enjoy your retirement for a long time, so you know you have to stay active as much as you can. While many retirement communities offer fitness centers and swimming pools, some take it a step further, with biking and walking trails that make it easy to stay healthy. In addition, it’s a great way to meet other seniors like yourself and enjoy the great outdoors.

While it’s important to stay healthy, you want to have fun once in a while. Of course, a game room is a great feature to have, but in some cases you definitely want more. Many retirement communities have more to offer, including their own golf course to tee up, theaters to catch the latest movies or screen classics, or a library to read all those books you never got around to.

Retirement isn’t just a time to relax. It’s also a great time to stay close to your family and old friends. More importantly, you’ll never have a better chance to meet new friends. Of course, you’ll want amenities in your retirement community that make it easy to be sociable. Here are some examples:

Location matters in a retirement community. Maybe you want to be close to your children and grandchildren, or perhaps you want to be somewhere comfortable. Regardless, you want to be in a community whose location suits your needs. Close proximity to a major airport, so your kids and friends can visit you or you can take a vacation to explore the world, is always an important plus. Transportation services can help with the latter.

In life, you never stop learning. And there’s no better way to do that than with other seniors your age. Many retirement communities offer free classes, whether it’s learning a new subject or taking up some art. Speaking of, many communities offer a great way to develop what you learn into a hobby, such as an arts and crafts studio.

Of course, there are times when you may want to relax with other seniors. Great retirement communities offer more than just a lobby or communal room to meet and enjoy each other’s company. Some have chapels for the more faithful, others provide bars to enjoy a drink or two. If you have a four-legged friend as part of your family, some communities have dog parks where your pet can roam freely while you meet with other dog owners and chat.

No matter what amenities you need, Kithward is home to the retirement community where you’ll find them. Take a look at how we can find your home in retirement today.

Top Amenities Seniors Should Look For in Retirement Communities

Choosing to sign a Life Care contract and move into a Continuing Care Retirement Community is an enormous decision that will  impact the quality and security of your life in retirement. Since it is generally something people only ever do once in their lives, most know nothing about the evaluation process at its outset. To help you navigate your decision-making and give you greater confidence you have made the right decision in the end, we have created a list of questions to consider asking.

Can you get a sense of culture or community?

Are you able to stay for a weekend or a week to check it out?

Do you like the activities and events being offered?

Do you like the food menu and food quality?

Are there transportation options convenient for you when you stop driving?

Is this a place that makes you feel safe?

Do you feel like this community is inclusive?

How well will the CCRC be able to care for you in the future?

Have you visited the assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing facilities?

Is the level of care, services, and facilities consistent across independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing?

Are assisted living residents able to participate in Independent Living activities?

What kind of rating on medicare.gov does their skilled nursing division have?

Do the staff seem happy, supportive, and friendly? 

Do you feel confident that the CCRC is managed well?

Do you like the CCRC’s mission and values (many CCRCs are run by religious organizations)?

How important is resident input? Are residents voting members in the CCRC’s board of directors?

What is the current occupancy rate and how does that compare historically?

What is the average turnover rate in independent living over the past 10 years?

What is the average turnover rate in staff?

What is the staff to resident ratio in independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing?

Is this going to be a good, low-risk investment?

Will your entrance fee be set aside as reserves for future care? Or will it be used to cover day to day operations?

If you are choosing a 50% or 90% refund option, will your entrance fee earn interest?

If choosing a refund option, what are the conditions for the refund? Does the unit have to find a new tenant first before a refund is disbursed? Do I or my estate have to pay the monthly fee until that unit is newly occupied?

How much and how often has the monthly fees gone up?

Can you get their most recent audited financial statements? Is the report list any accounting exceptions or is it unqualified?

Does the CCRC have rated debt? If so, what is the rating?

What is the level of debt service required to be paid and how much of the monthly fees does that represent?

When does the existing debt have to be paid off?

Does the CCRC have any plans for expansion or renovations? How will they be financed?

Kithward can help you find the ideal CCRC. Start your search today!

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (also known as CCRCs and Life Plan Communities) are retirement communities that provide a continuum of services and care for seniors as they age, ranging from independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing care. Typically, CCRCs are designed to be like large campuses or resorts with multiple buildings and amenities. Independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing are often separated into dedicated sections of the campus or building. In the US, there are over 2000 such communities with as many as 100 more by the end of 2019.

Benefits of Joining a Continuing Care Retirement Community

Individuals or couples can enter a CCRC as active, independent seniors. Communities will provide an enormous array of amenities such as fully equipped fitness centers, pools, tennis courts, and/or golf courses, along with activities and events to delight their residents. 

As the personal and medical needs of residents change, the community would provide the necessary level of services, on-site. Couples who have different levels of care needs can still be in the same community. Knowing that they can be cared for till the end provides residents and their families peace of mind, both in terms of care and finances.

While CCRCs are the most comprehensive retirement option for seniors, it is also the most complicated and the most expensive. Those interested in living at a CCRC must provide proof of financial resources along with a large, one-time entrance fee, ranging anywhere from $50K to over $1M. A life-care contract will be required and depending on the type of contract, the entrance fee can be higher or lower. Once moved in, the resident then pays a monthly maintenance fee to cover the cost of care, services, meals, and activities - typically ranging from $2000-6000, depending on the community and its offerings and the level of care required. (For more info, click here.)

A CCRC may be an excellent option if a senior:

is a planner and likes to know that everything is guaranteed to be taken care of

does not want to burden their family or does not have any family to manage whatever health care issues may come up in the future

is part of a couple with potentially different care needs

At Kithward, we showcase continuing care communities around the country. See which ones are closest to where you'll retire.

What Is A Continuing Care Retirement Community?

The MacArthur Foundation’s landmark ten-year study in 1998 showed that 70% of how we physically age, and 50% of how we mentally age are determined by the lifestyle choices that we make. It was this study that sought to break the stereotypes that equate aging to sickness, senility, slowness, weakness, and that longevity is predetermined by genetics.

We provide insights from Successful Aging: The MacArthur Foundation Study by Dr. John W. Rowe, and Dr. Robert L. Kahn.

Dr. Rowe and Dr. Kahn posited that one’s aging journey is mostly determined by one’s lifestyle choices - not genetics. There are four main factors that are needed for successful aging:

A physically active and mentally stimulating lifestyle

Many senior living communities, whether focused on independent living or assisted living, focus on providing for all four of those factors. 

take a look at their activities and events calendar. Are the activities fun, challenging? Do they get you thinking? Do they get you moving?

visit their fitness room or fitness center, and other fitness amenities like walking paths or swimming pool. Is the equipment friendly for seniors? Is there a personal trainer on staff? Are there regular exercise classes that interest you?

review their daily menu. Are they health-conscious? Do they accommodate low-sodium diets? And would you enjoy the food?

get a sense of the culture. Do residents seem to be involved in the planning of activities and events? Are there resident-run groups or clubs? Are there opportunities to volunteer within the larger community or are there intergenerational activities?

Find a community that engages your mind, your body, and your soul. Kithward can help!

Forget Aging Gracefully — Age Successfully!

“Aging in place” is a term used to describe a person’s ability to remain in their home or community of choice for as long as possible, even as their needs for assistance and health care grow and change with age.

According to a recent AARP survey of people aged 65 and over, about 90% of seniors want to age in place. 

For some, this means staying in a home they have resided in for many years. In these cases, seniors and their families must plan thoroughly -- financially and otherwise -- for the home modifications, personal assistance and health care that will become increasingly necessary over time. 

Those who desire to live and remain in a community, however, will need to make sure the community itself can provide the necessary personal assistance and skilled medical care on site. 

While there are some communities that have independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing all together, most independent living facilities are strictly independent. Should a person get sick or fall and require assistance, they will need to move to a different community that offers assisted living or skilled nursing, as the case may be..

There are assisted living facilities that also provide skilled nursing care while others can provide or coordinate hospice care on site. 

One option that allows for aging in place is called a continuing care retirement community (CCRC), also known as a life plan community. Individuals or couples can enter a CCRC as active, independent seniors and enjoy a campus-like community which often boasts amenities such as pools, tennis courts, golf courses, libraries, lounges and multiple restaurants. Residents have a calendar of activities and events from which to choose so they can stay engaged physically, spiritually, creatively, and intellectually. 

Housing at CCRCs can range from single family homes to studio apartments, all with full kitchens and appliances and where home maintenance is taken care of by the community staff. Should a resident need assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, or grooming, or medication management, they can either hire their own private personal aide  or move into the assisted living part of the community. If and when ongoing medical health care is required, they will have skilled nursing available to them as well. CCRCS offer a guarantee that residents will be taken care of as they age.

At Kithward, you can search for CCRCs or explore independent living communities that will allow you to age in place.

For many active, independent seniors, there are several retirement community options to consider but keeping track of different types can often become confusing. Below are six factors to help you understand the key differences.

For many active, independent seniors, there are several retirement community options to consider. Many forms of independent senior living offer active adults over 55 the means to live life the way they want to, while accounting for their particular needs. But keeping track of different types can often become confusing. Below are six factors to help you understand the key differences.

Independent living communities, sometimes called retirement communities or senior apartments depending on the housing type, are a basic form of senior living. These are age-restricted communities varying in form from different apartments in a single building to a small neighborhood of townhouses and bungalows. The housing features private kitchens and bathrooms to guarantee privacy. Alongside various services such as housekeeping and laundry, they offer communal spaces for seniors to meet, including dining halls and social programming. They also offer 24/7 security, giving seniors peace of mind.

Typically, independent living communities offer housing for a rental fee that covers utilities and maintenance, as well as communal services such as dining and security.

Health & Mobility Restriction: Must be independent

Property Type: Single family homes, townhouses, bungalows, mobile homes, apartments with full kitchens but with flexibility to move to a different floorplan pending availability

Services & Amenities: May include some amenities such as a pool or fitness center. Services such as housekeeping, laundry, linen service, meals, activity programming, and scheduled transportation are also offered

Aging in Place: No. Services are not provided by the community. Outside help will need to be procured or residents must move to a facility that could provide a higher level of care

Retirement Communities v. Assisted Living/Nursing Homes

Retirement Communities

Assisted Living/Memory Care/Nursing Homes

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