del webb communities – Retirement Media: Active Adult Living

Today is Thanksgiving and we went to dinner at the clubhouse of our Active Adult Community.

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COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER – THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23th – 1:00PM
For those of us at Deaton Creek that are unable to be with family for the Holiday, we will once again have our very own Deaton Creek Family Dinner! For $6.00 per person VDC will supply all the Turkey. The rest of all the traditional fixin’s will come from all of you who attend, Pot-Luck style! When you get your ticket for this event, let us know what you plan to bring. (Mashed Potatoes? Veggies? Dressing? Gravy? Rolls? Pumpkin Pie? Salad? Etc…) that way, we will know all the traditional (and some untraditional) goodies are all available for a real Thanksgiving FEAST! Nobody should ever spend the Holidays alone, please encourage the friends and neighbors you know, that will not be with family, to attend this annual event. PLEASE,

PLEASE, PLEASE make enough food for 10-15, or more, people for the potluck. This will ensure a terrific Thanksgiving Feast! If you are UNABLE to make anything to bring, please still attend! If you need any assistance at all, including transportation, please let us know. We will get you here and home safely. Let’s start putting together an amazing menu! If you want to decorate your table and bring your own dishes and silverware please be sure to let the front desk know. Residents only, up to 4 tickets, per household. If you are a single person you may bring one guest with you. You can start decorating your table any time after 4PM on Wednesday, Nov. 22nd.

Friends Are Family

We sat at table 16 not knowing who we would be sitting with. I could have looked at the table assignment sheet when purchasing our tickets to see would be at our table, but I thought it would be nice to meet new people. We have been here two years now, but we still run into plenty of folks who we just have never met or who recently moved it.

At our table we dined with Brian and Anne, who we have have met before. Brian used to be in charge of the Creative Writers Group which I attended for a while and Anne is in another club which I am a member. It was nice seeing them. They come to the clubhouse for Thanksgiving every other year, rotating a visit with family the other year.

To my right was Sharon and Howard who just moved to our community two months ago. This community has been sold out for a year now, so they bought a resale. They are New Yorkers coming from a 15 year stay in Florida to be near their son which lives in the metro area. Sharon was very excited about living here and we exchanged information about clubs and activities. They wanted to come meet some more people in their new community and not to have to hit the road.

I spoke with several friends while there. Larry, our friend now for several years going all the way back to when we met them at the Shag Dance Club at Neimos in Norcross was there. Larry administers “Larry’s Pickleball Group” which I belong to. His wife Dorothy was not feeling well today, so Larry came down by himself, but took Dorothy a plate back home.

I said hi to Henry, and to Dave, and met Betty’s son. It was pleasurable and relaxing to be among friends, old and new. It’s like being part of a big family.

Enough Food

The turkey was provided and everyone brought a salad, side or dessert. I must say it was quite tasty. They invited us back for seconds but the first time was enough, because we still had to hit the dessert table. We even got a plate to go.

At two o’clock I was like, I’m stuffed and I never want to eat again. At 5:30pm, I’m like let’s heat up our plates.

Well at least after super tonight, that was it for the Thanksgiving leftovers, which is fine with me.

In the two years we have been here, we have also been to a Valentine Dinner and a Christmas Dinner at the clubhouse as well. There are parties for other holidays as well.

Having community dinners is a real benefit of living in a 55+ Retirement Community. There is really no need to worry about where to go for Holiday dinners, there is always a place here for you. It’s nice to be so close to home and not have to get in traffic. Preparing a side or two takes a little time but nothing like preparing a full Thanksgiving dinner. All in all, not a bad deal.

First Impressions of People

I know and admire a lot of people who I didn’t get a good first impression about when meeting them the first time or two. I have even become friends with a few of those people that I was wrong about.

Therefore I try to remind myself of this problem with first impressions and try not to jump to too many conclusions so fast about people who I meet for the first time or two. Sometimes you just get off on the wrong foot with someone. Remember the childhood fight with a kid who later became your best friend. Well we don’t fight now do we, but we can forgive.

When moving to a retirement community, you come in contact with a lot of people, some of which you will become friends with. Don’t filter out people too fast because maybe they are from a different part of the country, maybe they are too formal, maybe they are older or younger, maybe they are a different race, maybe they are too competitive, maybe they don’t have the same religion or politics, maybe they are different than you.

Fortunately, I see that people in our community have a way of focusing on the positive and what we have in common, rather than any differences. We are in this boat together and love our community.

In the context of a retirement community or even a senor center, if you come in contact with people enough, say because you participate in an activity together or maybe even because they are neighbors, you will soon get to know the person a lot better. It is important not to write anyone off based on first impressions. Later, you may see your first impression was not correct.

First Impressions of Communities

One lady who I spoke with at an Active Adult Community in NC, told me when visiting communities to see where to live, she would sit in the clubhouse just inside the front door and see how many people came up to talk with her. She said she visited the community where I now live and that the people were not friendly.

I know that’s not the case in my community, people have been and are very friendly to us during our first year here. If she had asked anyone a question about living in the community, they would have been glad to tell here. It doesn’t sound like she talked with anyone, just did a test to see who would approach her.

In scouting communities in which to live, yes visit the clubhouse and ask the residents questions. All you need to do is ask. Also participate in some of the activities, because then you really get a feel for the people. Play a game of bocce or take a line dancing class or cooking class, like we did when scouting communities.

I honestly don’t think the friendliness of people will be a problem at any of the Active Adult Communities. People are people, but I think you will find people who live in an Active Adult Community are some of the most accepting, friendly, positive and interesting people around.