55 Communities Baby Boomer – Fighting the Holliday Blues

Holiday Blues Receipe – For The Over 50 Active Adult

So, you are a baby boomer active adult living  in one of America’s posh over 55 communities with all the ammenities one could only dream about and you’ve got the “blues”.   Well here is a receipe for relief:

1.  Accept all Invitations – play a round of golf with a buddy or two at one of the outstanding Active Adult Retirement golf courses.  Take a walk around and mingle with fellow retirement community neighbors; socialize at all costs.  55+ active adults are suppose to be “active” not sitting around alone watching tv.  If you are living in one of those retirement gated communites – bust out and go drinking, eating and enjoy what the good life is all about. 
   
2.  Help Others- it always feels good to help another.  Go out of your way to lend a helping hand to someone who needs it.  Your own retirement community is filled with people needing your love and attention.  To find out about local opportunities, contact area schools, churches and charitable organizations. Seek out and you shall receive big time! 

3.  Eat Healthy and Often:  put the diet asside and enjoy gourmet dining with great conversation while relaxing with friends.  A local 55+ community resort could be your meal ticket.

4.  Travel to Your Favorite Resort – if you got go, then go – what are you waiting for.  Arizona is loaded with cheapo or mucho expensivo gettaways.  Either one, will do you.  This is not the time to count pennies – throw some money around, it will make you feel good.

5.  Get Plenty of Rest:  you will need it to overcome the “Holiday Blues” and keep you in the “Holiday Spirit”.  Just try not to sleep alone.

Do the above and feel the results – happiness or depression, which one sounds good to you?

Baby Boomer or Bust

Many of you over 55 living in a beautiful Active Adult Living New Home are concerned about availability of your retirement funds and sufficient medical care to meet your needs.  As Baby Boomers cycle into Social Security and Medicare, the question arises – “Will my social security and medicare benefits be available to provide the active adult community  lifestyle I envisioned?”.  After all, we are still active adults and living life to the fullest -  we expect to receive what we were promised and what we planned for.

Governments are worried. Physicians are scarce. Retirement funds are in jeopardy. Will older adults and the up-and-coming Baby Boomers—a combined age group described as a tsunami—spell catastrophe? Or, is the large number of older and aging adults an untapped resource that will add value to the world?

Gain the broad perspective of older adults in “Active Aging Industry Outlook 2010,” the new research report prepared by the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA). The active-aging industry provides facilities and programs that are part of a prevention/wellness model focused on quality of life for people who are 50 years and older. On the eve of the first Baby Boomers turning 65 year old, ICAA searched the analysis and research results of many organizations and compiled them into a single source of credible information.

Among the seven key drivers identified in the report are key concepts for the future:

1. An aging population is a large, growing market;
2. Functional ability among “older adults” is so diverse it requires a diverse range of services; and
3. The 50+ community population envisions their future lifestyle as active and involved.

The majority of older adults, according to the findings in the report, are happier, healthier and living longer than any other generation. While the prevalence of chronic health conditions is an important issue, so is the ability of older adults to contribute to society and change the way they age. Their interest in health and lifestyle creates ample opportunity for businesses and for service providers to tap into the older adult market by understanding their needs and wants today—and in the future.

The explosion in up-scale  55 communities and affiliated businesses are examples of new home developers meeting the requirements  of a Baby Boomer active adult community lifestyle

It is time to witness how the Boomers and their parents—together the largest, richest and fastest-growing segment of the overall population—are changing the way society responds to their expectations, needs, desires and dreams.”

Las Vegas Attracts West Coast Active Adults

According to Forbes.com, Shea Homes recently purchased 532-lots in North Las Vegas to build a master-planned Active Adult Community. The private, gated community will be known as Shea Homes at Ardiente.

The gated Active Adult Community will feature a 20,000-square-foot clubhouse and debut three new model homes in mid-2010. Shea Homes plans to have an on-site designer at the community to assist homebuyers in customizing the interiors of their new homes.

The active adult new homes will range in size from 1,400 to 1,900 square feet with pricing from $150,000 to $209,000. The new homes will be Shea Green Certified (TM) meaning that they will have green, eco-friendly elements as standard, not optional, features.

“The Las Vegas market has very favorable demographics and with no state income tax is evolving into a very affordable alternative for West Coast retirees,” comments Rick Andreen, President.

If Ardiente is anything like other Active Adult Communities by Shea Homes you can expect a resort-like community focused on resident wellness, exploration, continued learning, and close personal connections. Architecturally superior product design and amenities reflect the changing needs of the baby boom generation, including business services, world-class clubs, state-of-the-art fitness facilities and a diverse range of recreation and education opportunities. “Green” features and solar power systems are available on all homes addressing Baby Boomers’ growing concerns about energy usage and the environment.

The Shea name may be familiar to Nevadans due to the Shea family’s involvement in construction for more than a century. Locally, Charlie Shea and the J.F. Shea Company were contractors on the Colorado River diversion tunnel and remained on that job as Project Manager overseeing the six companies building the Hoover Dam.

Active Adult Living

A temporary sales center at Ardiente is scheduled to open April 5th.

For more information, visit www.TrilogyLife.com or by calling 800.685.6494.

Good News for Active Adults Plagued with Arthritic Ankles

There’s good news for older active adults who are plagued with arthritic ankles. Surgeons presenting today at the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons’ Annual Scientific Conference in Las Vegas are re-thinking treatment approaches for end-stage ankle arthritis.

Baby Boomers are more active than ever and don’t want to be held back by painful arthritis.  While in the past pain-relieving ankle fusions were the gold standard for care, new surgical techniques including arthroscopic ankle surgery, total ankle joint replacements and bone or cartilage replacement are offering hope for those wanting to remain active adults.

These advancements come at an opportune time since foot and ankle surgeons are seeing more patients with end-stage ankle arthritis as the population of older adults increases.

Active Adult Communities

According to Pittsburgh-based foot and ankle surgeon Robert W. Mendicino, DPM, FACFAS, end-stage ankle arthritis is a painful condition and most often occurs after a traumatic injury, history of chronic sprains, or in patients with diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.  ”A decade ago treatment options were limited; patients either lived with the pain or underwent an ankle fusion,” he said. “But today, because of the medical advancements and new surgical techniques, Baby Boomers suffering from arthritis have additional, viable treatment options to keep them on their feet and enjoying their active adult lifestyle.”

One treatment option that has seen some of the most advancement is the use of ankle implants. “While still changing, the quality and design of the implants have drastically improved over the years,” Dr. Mendicino said. “Implants are now even more customized to the patient’s size, gender and uniqueness of their arthritis; it’s no longer a one-size-fits-all world. This is especially important for maintaining functionality and range of motion in the ankle.”

Active Adult Living

More information on ankle pain or other foot and ankle health conditions can be found at ACFAS’ consumer web site, FootHealthFacts.org.

Active Adults Enjoy Nature’s Beauty in Redmond Ridge, WA

Active Adult Community

Imagine waking up to nature’s beauty all around you…Your new backyard surrounded by 500 acres of protected wetlands and forest preserve…Stunning mountains…Lakes.

Redmond is known as the bicycle capital of the Northwest, and with 12 miles of trails surrounding your home, there are plenty of opportunities for running and hiking, too.

Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish offer sailing, kayaking, canoeing and fishing.

Whether you hike, bike, horseback ride or go for a scenic drive, Redmond has much to offer active adult living.

New homes at Trilogy at Redmond Ridge start at the mid-$300’s. And, right now you can save up to $75,000+ on over 15 new home models!

At Trilogy at Redmond Ridge, the homes are divided into five collections:

• Lakes (1,295-1,871 sf),
• Port (1,337-1,787 sf),
• Island (1,568-1,925 sf),
• Forest (2,161-2,306 sf), and
• Estate (2,496-3,082 sf).

Lakes, Port and Island homes are modestly sized (and modestly priced) homes perfect for those looking for a cozy home for themselves, friends, and family.

The Forest collection is slightly larger, and ideal for those looking for the feel of a bigger space.

Finally, the Estate collection provides ample space combined with unique design targeted at those who require a larger floor plan.

To help you explore your ideas for your new home, Trilogy has created a Floor Plan Explorer, an interactive tool that lets you preview your dreams. Thinking about adding on a porch? Extending your garage space? Turning your den into a guest bedroom?

Design a Trilogy new home of your own – built around the way you want to live in your own active adult community.

Six Steps to Becoming a Naturally Thin, Active Adult

Active Adult Living

It’s that time of year again. You’ve shared in the holiday cheer and reveled in the ultimate excuse for not taking care of yourself. It was the holidays after all, and you will start anew in January. You are likely now reviewing diet options – Should you go raw? Should you cut your calories? Should you join a support group? For the vast majority of you, the answer is no.According to Dr. Amy Whittington, NMD, six simple steps can get you closer to becoming naturally thin:

For most seeking weight-loss, the answer lies in a few simple changes to your lifestyle…no gimmicks, no drastic deprivations, just a few simple changes and you could find yourself naturally thin within the year.

Step One: The Mindset – commit to a change.

Step Two: Confidence – believe in you and your goals.

Step Three: Exercise – develop a workout plan for YOU.

Step Four: The Diet – eat whole foods and balance your meals.

Step Five: Cheat! – add certain nutrients to your diet.

Step Six: Have Your Metabolism Checked – visit your naturopath or integrative healthcare provider.

These are simple changes that will lead to an improved metabolism and physique for even active adults…that is naturally thin!

For information on Active Adult Retirement Communities, visit www.trilogylife.com.

Dr. Amy Whittington, NMD, is a contributing writer to www.mytrilogylife.com .  She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Kansas in 1998.  In 2003, she received her doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine after graduating first in her class from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. She was licensed in Arizona to diagnose and treat illness as a general practitioner. She completed a one-year residency in general practice and has been in private practice since then.  In 2005, Dr. Whittington initiated one of the first spa-based naturopathic practices in Arizona at The Phoenician, where she continues to practice in addition to coordinating naturopathic services for Trilogy by Shea.  For the full article visit http://www.mytrilogylife.com/?section=sec-wellness.

Exercise Motivation for Active Adults

Active Adults

Is exercise or getting in shape your New Year’s resolution, but finding yourself challenged with a lack of motivation? Try getting a partner to help keep you motivated!

Studies have shown that people who exercise with a partner tend to exercise more often. And, many people find it far less intimidating to try a new exercise class, a new piece of equipment, or a new sport when they’re with a friend.

Having a partner also provides you with physical safety when you’re exercising outdoors. If anything happens to you, they can get you the help that you need.

In addition to safety and encouragement, fitness partners provide another important benefit: fun!

Active Adult Communities

Does finding an exercise partner sound like a step that might work for you? If so, your next steps will be choosing the right person to be your exercise buddy and planning your workout routine together. It’s best to choose someone whose current level of physical fitness is similar to yours, so that you’ll progress at a similar rate. If one of you barely makes it off of the couch while the other already runs three miles a day, it may be difficult to jump into a routine that you can share. You also want to find someone who has similar fitness goals, so that you can motivate each other and celebrate your triumphs together. And, perhaps even more important than your physical compatibility is your social compatibility. Your fitness partner should be someone who you look forward to seeing. You should be making each other feel comfortable and confident

Once you do find your exercise partner, the next step is planning a workout routine that will work for both of you.

Happy exercising to all active adults in 2010!

Information on this post was provided by Celine Todd. Celine Todd Celine is the editor of MyTrilogyLife.com.and can be contacted at mtleditor@gmail.com.

Active Adult Alice Moore Still Moving to the Music at 99!

The following is a feel good story from Heidi Glaus at KSDK News that shows there is much fun to be had throughout life.

Turn on any newscast these days and you’re bombarded with more bad than good. But if you’ve been around for 99 years, you’ve been around this particular block before.

“It’s a wonderful age. Nothing can throw you, nothing can get you too excited, you’ve seen all the deaths in the family. You’re just sort of on a plateau,” explains 99-year-old Alice Moore.

She says you also just know things will work out. What Miss Alice didn’t know was what kind of effect she would have at Crestview Senior Living where, of course, people move a little slower than they once did.

“You got to put the pieces together when you’re 99 years old. Everything doesn’t work just right when you get up in the morning,” Moore says with a laugh.

As the day goes on, and happy hour approaches, something happens to this beautiful 99-year-old social butterfly.

“Oh Miss Alice is the jewel of our place. Happy hour on Friday you just turn on the music, the piano starts playing and there she goes,” says one resident.

She seems to forget she usually uses a cane and she doesn’t need a partner, nor does she want one.

“I have bad balance believe it or not, so if somebody wants to dance with me and spin me around I keep going,” Moore says laughing again.

She just enjoys moving to the music.

“It’s not the dancing, it’s the music. When they start playing the music it just ripples through me,” Moore explains.

It’s something that has become contagious even if the rest of the crowd remains seated.

So now on Friday nights, the dining room is filled with more than bodies. It’s packed with smiles, but none of them are bigger than Miss Alice Moore’s.

Alice Moore cutting up the rug at 99

In your search for new homes in Active Adult Communities, consider the various amenities that help keep you active.  Some communities offer such amenties as golf courses, spa services, fitness clubhouses, exercise classes, social cafes and more.

Shea Homes is a builder of Active Adult Communities.  Check them out at http://www.trilogylife.com/index.cfm.

New Home Builders in Cherokee County Embrace Active Adult Concept

Author: Nick Johnson

As little as ten years ago, you’d have had to search far and wide to find a model over the age of thirty in a magazine or on television. In one ad, a stunning woman with silver hair climbs into the cockpit of a single-engine plane and takes off into the sky. In another, a comfortable looking couple in their middle years walk hand in hand through the vineyard they’ve bought with their retirement savings.

These days the new face of America is 50 , and with good reason. As the largest generation in recent history “grows up”, they are redefining much of what marketers, advertisers and just about everyone else has accepted as fact. Baby boomers aren’t retiring – they’re re-tooling, trading in their jobs for new careers and following up on their dreams.

Many of them are ready to trade in their suburban family homes for the home they’ve dreamed of for years. They have some very definite ideas of what they want in their new home and new home builders in Cherokee County are creating beautiful communities that give them exactly what they want.

Many of the amenities that are expected by today’s active adults are the same amenities that contribute to a quality of life for families of all ages. Gated communities like Cherokee County’s Lake Arrowhead offer the unspoiled beauty of nature only minutes outside the South’s largest metropolitan area. They include luxurious amenities like lakefront living, a world class golf course, a swim and tennis club, and a marina. In keeping with the concept of self-contained living, communities like Lake Arrowhead often include mixed use retail and leisure areas.

Among the developments under construction by new home builders in Cherokee County are serene gated communities tucked into the mountains, beautiful new homes with lake frontage and gorgeous communities built around recreation and leisure activities. The communities cover the full gamut of prices from the mid-$150’s to and above $1M, from condominiums to townhouses to single family homes to palatial luxury homes. Many feature a multigenerational mix of residents. All take a great deal from the features that this generation values. Precisely what is it that new home builders in Cherokee County have to offer a generation on the grow and on the go?

The Community

Many of these new homes are being built as part of fully planned communities, incorporating all of the features that active adults consider important to their lives.

- Communities that offer serenity and beauty within easy distance of metropolitan amenities.

Natural surroundings and a peaceful environment are important, but so is proximity to the conveniences and amenities of a major metropolitan area. Some of the most popular new communities are located within easy distance of Atlanta, just a short drive away from the fine dining, cultural activities, medical facilities and entertainment venues of the largest and fastest growing metropolitan area in the South.

- Communities that are environmentally friendly, incorporating the natural surroundings with a minimal impact on them. Many of the new home builders in Cherokee County incorporate environmentally friendly design into all of their homes. The communities in which they are built are planned around green space, taking care to disturb Mother Nature as little as possible.

- Communities that include all the amenities that make life luxurious. Take a tour of new communities in and around Cherokee County and you’ll find countless and varied amenities, including private golf courses, community centers with tennis courts, swimming pools and water parks.

These developments are not the suburban style subdivisions of the last century. Each home is unique, and is designed to fit into its environment organically. The outdoors are an integral part of the living spaces, and leisure and recreational opportunities are not afterthoughts, but a central core of the community’s concept.

The developers don’t pay lip service to environmental concern; they make it part of the foundation of the master plan. They encourage a commitment to fitness by incorporating features like hiking trails and fitness clubs as part of the community design and recognize the need for serenity and beauty in every part of the design process.

Most of all they recognize that today’s new home buyer is looking for more than just a house – they are looking for a home and a community that reflects their values and supports their desire to live up to a particular quality of life. In communities like Lake Arrowhead, the promise of that high quality of life is fulfilled through design and creation of community.

About the Author:

Lake Arrowhead is an exceptional residential lake and golf community so close to the conveniences and attractions of the south’s largest urban center, yet so very far away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Visit http://www.lakearrowheadga.com for more information.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – New Home Builders in Cherokee County Embrace Active Adult Concept

Active Adult Communities Take Forefront

Author: Tim Dillard

We’ve heard it referred to as “the graying of America”, “the Baby Boomer tsunami” and “the pre-senior population”. Sociologists and others have been sounding a warning bell for years about the stresses that elderly and maturing Baby Boomers will put on an already stressed system. What they all failed to take into account in all their dire predictions is the fact that this generation is unlike any other that came before. More highly educated, more professional, more active and more diverse than previous generations, this generation has affected everything from the way new products are marketed to the way that new communities are planned and built.

Cherokee County, Georgia, located firmly in the heart of the Sun Belt, is one of the areas already seeing the effects of the maturing Baby Boomer generation. This generation is not so much aging as truly coming into its own, and new home construction in the Cherokee county area reflects that.

Among the most popular Cherokee County new homes are those that are located within some of Georgia’s most popular “active adult communities“. The term was coined to describe this generation, which sees retirement as a chance to spread their wings and truly enjoy all that life has to offer, and the active adult communities in the area are designed to make the most of Georgia’s beautiful weather, stunning scenery and sparkling social and entertainment offerings.

The active adult communities that make up a large portion of Cherokee County new homes are redefining what “retirement communities” are all about. Depending on the particular community, the available homes may include condominiums, detached single family homes, multiple family homes, luxury homes and more. Some are strictly for adults over the age of 55.

Others, recognizing the value of intergenerational community, include populations of all ages. Many are self-contained, with every possible amenity included within their gates. Others don’t even have gates, but have been planned to offer all the needed amenities – and many luxuries – within a few miles of every front door in the community.

The most popular new homes are those that feature a special “centerpiece” attraction. That centerpiece may be a world class golf course – or several – or a water park, a lake, a mountain preserve. Many offer the beauty and serenity of nature in surroundings that seem far removed from the city, but are in reality only minutes from downtown Atlanta, the South’s largest metropolitan area.

Those new homes offer the best of both worlds – serene surroundings for the spirit and access to all the sparkling amenities of a major metropolitan area. Those living in these active adult communities have access to wonderful entertainment venues, top dining establishments, museums and other cultural offerings as well as some of the best hospitals and medical care in the world.

The communities themselves are reminiscent of the private reserves of the so-called “rich and famous”. Residents have access to top-notch athletic and fitness amenities, including private and public golf courses, swimming pools and gyms. Most feature a full slate of activities geared toward entertainment, leisure and education.

Most Active Adult communities include a community center that offers regular activities and classes ranging from calisthenics to yoga, from art fundamentals to sculpture. Many have coupled with area universities and colleges to offer college level courses and degree programs, many of them conducted in the community at the community center.

Living in an active adult community offers many benefits and amenities, but there is one that is seldom mentioned – though it would be a major selling point to the very energy and environmentally conscious members of this generation. Planned communities like Lake Arrowhead are planned for to have small energy footprints.

Unlike the communities of twenty and thirty years ago, these communities are designed to combat the suburban sprawl that has led to so many environmental dangers. Instead, these communities are designed to be harmonious with their natural environments and to contribute to the Earth rather than taking away from it.

The Southern states are expected to see an enormous population increase in the pre-senior and senior communities, and new home builders are working to keep pace with the growing demand for communities geared to adults who intend to enjoy every moment of their lives in active play and activities. The new construction and scheduled new construction in the area includes a number of communities similar to Lake Arrowhead, where country living meets metropolitan convenience in a perfect marriage.

About the Author:

Lake Arrowhead is an exceptional residential lake and golf community so close to the conveniences and attractions of the south’s largest urban center, yet so very far away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Visit http://www.lakearrowheadga.com for more information.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Active Adult Communities Take the Forefront

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