50+ Lifestyles

Moving Day

By Paul Lewellan
Ridgecrest Village resident

Four years ago my wife, Pamela, and I were living in a condo overlooking the woods beside a tiny creek. We liked both the neighborhood and our neighbors. We liked the space we lived in: the large living room, sun porch, patio, and the bar in the basement. We were in good health and content.  That’s why our friends were startled when we announced we were putting the condo on the market and moving to an apartment at Ridgecrest Village.

We found the reasons for their objections surprising.  “You’re too young!”, “Why would you move, you’re still healthy.” , “I thought you liked it where you live.”  Frankly, Pamela and I couldn’t think of a worse time to downsize or move than when you were too old, or physically unable, or deeply unhappy.

My wife and I had health issues in the past, so it wasn’t difficult to foresee a time, perhaps a decade from now, when we could no longer live independently. We believed that someday we would need assisted living, a nursing facility, or memory care. We’d watched our parents go through those stages. We had few illusions about the challenges that come with advancing age.

My mother ran a corner grocery store well into her eighties. My sisters and I finally forced the issue and moved her to a facility much like Ridgecrest.  Unfortunately, by then she struggled with the changes, was physically unable to help with the move, and felt incapable of making critical decisions.  If she had decided to close the store a decade earlier, she could have moved into an independent living apartment on her own terms. Plus, she would have enjoyed all the amenities the new place had to offer.

Because Pamela and I didn’t have to move, we could take our time preparing the condo for sale.  And as we approached the move-in date, we could deliberate over the items that would move with us. Our living space was going to be cut in half, from 3000 square feet to 1500, so many of our “treasures” couldn’t come with us. But that was a blessing, too. The pool table was donated to a youth center. The contents of my workshop and the washer and dryer went to the Habitat Restore. A family member moving into a new apartment got the sectional. There was no need at Ridgecrest for the snow blower or the lawn mower. And in the process, life became simpler, easier to handle.

There were also financial considerations. We were concerned about the expense if/when the time came when we would need a higher level of care. That’s why Ridgecrest’s continuum of care option was so appealing.  Once we paid the buy-in, we knew we would be able to pay essentially the same monthly amount, even if one or both of us required nursing care or assisted living. That provided peace of mind, knowing we would always be able to afford our home.

Once we arrived, we became part of a community. I remember vividly sitting in the gazebo with our new neighbors the first week after we moved.  People talked about the support that was a part of the community. This was a blessing.  And the most frequently expressed sentiment we heard?  “We wished we’d moved here sooner.”

If you would like to enjoy an enriching life give Mary or Karen a call at 563-391-3430, they would be happy to give you a tour and show you all the benefits Ridgecrest Village has to offer.