Will I Fit In at an Active Adult Community?

One of the biggest concerns that people have when considering a move to an active adult community is: Will I fit in?

One person may say, “I am not religious and not too political. So, will l I fit in with the people in a 55+ community who are?”

Another person may wonder about the age difference between themselves and others in a particular community. Will that be a problem? Will it limit their friend pool?

Others may hail from a different state or part of the world and fear that regional differences may keep them from fitting in.

Still, some others may have an unrealistic view of life in a 55+ community. They may picture elderly folks on walkers, living out what’s left of their twilight years in quiet sedation. Understandably, the people in this category may think, I don’t want to be lumped in with those old fogies!

Wow, those are a lot of concerns to address in one post. Having lived in a Del Community for over a year now, here’s my take.

Community Living Is for Everyone!

In general, just about everyone living in our community seems to be very interesting, engaging, and active. Different backgrounds and experiences make this a much more interesting place to live than your run-of-the-mill subdivision. People just want to have fun. Community comes from the realization that we’re all in this together. Just about everybody wants to make new friends and get along.

First, let’s tackle the age concern. In our community, there’s a wide range of ages, all the way from 55 to 95. That’s 40 years! My wife and I are blessed to have friends from every one of those decades.
You’ll meet people your age. But here’s the thing: it doesn’t make any difference. Some of the most interesting people I have met are in their 80s. Even on the bocce and pickleball courts, competitors in their 80s can beat me at my baby age of 68.

As far as religion and politics go, most people have good sense and don’t discuss those things. I’ve heard that we older people can be very opinionated. By this time of our lives, we know what we believe. However, most folks in our community just want to have fun and get along. There have been different opinions since the dawn of time, and there always will. Just let it go. It’s their truth, not yours. No need to try and convert everyone to your way of thinking.

Some of the people who moved from other regions enjoy living here most. They love to explore surrounding towns and attend local events. It’s like they are on vacation all the time, as everything is new to them.

Bottom line—you won’t have any trouble fitting it. This isn’t high school. There aren’t any cliques. So long as you are friendly, open, and willing to embrace new experiences, you’ll be an asset to your active adult community. Be yourself, and you won’t have to even to look for new friends. The right people will flock to you.

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