When I Grow Up I'm Going to......Live in a CCRC???

The Cedars of Chapel Hill (Photo from their website.)

Sometimes in my mind I think about what I'm going to do when I "grow up", and then I remember "been there, done that".  It's a bit sobering to be thinking about moving to a retirement community, but Dan and I have begun exploring possibilities regarding where we might spend our retirement years.  We are fortunate in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina that there are a number of CCRCs (Continuing Care Retirement Community) to consider.  Continuing Care Retirement Communities generally combine at least three levels of care — independent living, assisted living and nursing care in a single setting.

We have a number of friends and acquaintances who have already moved into a CCRC.  Most of them are living independently in cottages, and some of the "cottages" are as big as our house.  As the need arises residents move into assisted living and eventually nursing care if need be.

Dan and I have visited three retirement communities in the area.  We recently had lunch at and toured The Cedars in Chapel Hill.  I've always thought it would be nice to live in Chapel Hill, but I was thinking more like one of those older houses on Franklin Street. 

Croasdaile cottage (Photo from their website.)

Some of Dan's colleagues have moved to Croasdaile Village in Durham, and we visited a couple there a week or so ago.

This week we visited  Glenaire in nearby Cary.  I have a couple of friends living there. 

Cottage at Glenaire (Photo from their wehsite.)

There are several more places we plan to visit.  We are fortunate to have all of our children living in or near the Triangle.  Dave and Mary live the farthest, but that's only a little over an hour's drive to Moore County.  Some of our friends have moved away from here to be near their children in retirement. 

In any case, whatever our decision, all of the places we are considering have a two or three year waiting list, so we won't be moving right away.  We have time to become adjusted to the idea.

Parting With Old Friends

 

We have bookshelves and books in every room of our house except the bathrooms, and even there we often have a stack of books on the floor. We are beginning to downsize now, and we are having to part with many of our books.  It's like losing old friends.  It's particularly hard for Dan.  He only recently agreed to start thinning out our bookshelves.  He's saved every book, even every paperback, and is reluctant to part with a single one.  I, on the other hand, have no problem parting with most paperbacks. I am attached to many of the hardbacks though. But as we begin to think about downsizing and perhaps eventually moving into a retirement community, the books are one thing we can start to winnow.  

Hallway.

Den.

Guest room.

Living room.

Living room.

Dining room.

Study.

Utility room.

Bathroom.

Bookshelves have been a major component in our decorating over the years, and I like the following quote from Anna Quindlen:  "I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves."  ~Anna Quindlen, "Enough Bookshelves," New York Times, 7 August 1991

My Kindle, soon to be my library.

Oh well, I have my Kindle, and I can carry around a lot of old friends with it. But I must admit, it's not quite the same as settling down for a good read with a real book.