A long time ago in a land far, far away, many people thought of retirement communities as places to “retire” from everything. Given this mindset, it’s no surprise that for many older adults, the move to one of these communities was often a last resort when they could no longer live independently. Thankfully, that thinking has evolved and so have today’s retirement communities—more aptly referred to as senior living communities.
Senior Living with an Emphasis on Living
A growing number of singles and couples who recently stopped working (and even some who haven’t) would rather spend their days enjoying their favorite hobbies, taking up new ones, meeting new friends, and doing things they want to do, not things they have to do—all without the responsibilities and hassles of home ownership. At John Knox Village of Central Florida, we’re happy to oblige. One visit to our beautiful Orange City senior living community and you’ll quickly understand why the average age of “older” adults who move here is getting younger every day.
Pat and Joe E., who are in their mid-sixties, moved into one of our brand-new Valencia Villas six months ago from their beach home in New Smyrna, and they’ve been living their best lives ever since.
The couple had been planning their retirement, and their move to a senior living community, for years. And while they were deeply familiar with all aspects of John Knox Village from visits with Pat’s mother—a resident for the past fifteen years—they still have one lingering question: Why would anyone wait to move here?
And according to Pat, that positive experience started before moving day. “They sent Interiors for Seniors to our home a few weeks before the move with copies of the floor plans so we could map out what would fit, what wouldn’t fit, and where we wanted everything to go,” she says. “We didn’t have to do anything. They packed everything up, set it up in our new home, and even took away the empty boxes.” She was particularly impressed with how thorough they were down to the finest details. “They took pictures of everything, including the knickknacks on our shelves, so they could set up our new home the way we wanted, which I thought was brilliant.”
The Age-Old Question
Despite their best attempts to convince friends and former neighbors to make the move, the couple repeatedly hears the same response—they’re not old enough yet. “We have lots of conversations with friends from New Smyrna who keep asking why we moved here at such a young age,” Joe shares. “And our answer is always the same: ‘Why not?’ We have a beautiful home in a community with so much to do, and we’re healthy enough to enjoy it all. If you wait too long, you can’t enjoy everything that makes it such a vibrant community. The staff does a great job of motivating everyone. There are lots of folks in their young seventies who ride bikes, work out, play pickleball, and more. We play tennis with people who range from our age up to ninety. It’s a community of active seniors, not an old folk’s home—there are no wheelchairs lined up in the hallways.”
Yes, That’s Included
Joe and Pat believe another reason many people put off moving into a senior living community is because they think they can’t afford it.
“Folks look at the entrance fee and the monthly fees, and it can seem staggering,” Joe says. But they don’t understand that it covers absolutely everything from taxes to insurance. Your light bulb goes out in your bathroom, you call maintenance, and they come over and put a new bulb in for you. They take care of all the lawn work, the landscaping, the pest control. You don’t have to join a gym or a racquet club or have a pool guy come out—it’s all covered.”
“And the whole Life Plan part of it is huge—being able to age in place and bring somebody in for a couple of hours a week if you need a little help but you still want to stay in your own place. All that’s doable right here. Once you’ve figured out the finances, it’s all about how you can just have fun.
And Then There’s the Food…
John Knox Village residents can choose from a variety of dining options across five venues that include everything from chef-prepared five-star dishes and extensive wine lists to soups, sandwiches, and other comfort foods—not to mention fresh-scooped ice cream. And the best part is, they can use their monthly food allowance to pay for meals, snacks, and even bottles of wine to go.
The restaurant-style dining is one of Pat’s favorite parts of John Knox Village. “You know the “R” in CCRC (continuing care retirement community) is supposed to stand for “retirement,” but for us, it’s a ‘resort’ community—an all-inclusive one,” she says. “I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve cooked since I’ve been here, and I’d still have fingers left. I was so tired of deciding what to make and then going to get all the stuff for it. Here, we can get whatever we want. And it’s delicious.”
Joe adds, “When friends or family come visit us and we take them to dinner, they’re blown away. We don’t go to cafeterias; we go to restaurants and order off of a menu. I like scallops at the main restaurant here. You get four big scallops and sides and it’s like $22—and we don’t pay tax on food or drink, and they don’t accept tips. If a neighbor calls up and says they want to go to dinner, you don’t have to argue about who’s going to pay for dinner. You give your name, it goes on your account, and you’re done.”
FAQs About Senior Living Communities
Pat and Joe feel that the first step to planning for retirement is to understand your options. To help get you started, we’ve provided answers to a couple of the most common questions people have about moving to a senior living community.
What are the Different Types of Fees Associated with Life Plan Communities
There are two fees paid by residents of Life Plan Communities. The first is a one-time entry fee paid when you move into the community. This fee covers lifetime access to all levels of care, should your needs evolve. The second type of fee is a monthly service fee. This is a recurring fee that helps pay for normal living expenses, which may include rent, maintenance, food, and utilities.
How Much Does it Cost to Live in a Life Plan Community?
Each senior living community has their own fees and inclusions. Throughout the U.S., entry fees for CCRCs can range from $100,000 to $1 million depending on location and amenities and monthly fees can vary based upon your contract type.
What are the Monthly Fees at John Knox Village and What’s Included?
At John Knox Village, monthly service fees start at $2,355 but are determined by the apartment, cottage or villa you choose. This recurring fee covers your meal plan, unlimited use of common spaces and campus amenities, complete home maintenance, regular housekeeping, transportation on and off campus, water, cable TV, utilities, and more. If you live with a second person, they will pay a significantly lower monthly service fee.
What are the Different Contract Types for Life Plan Communities?
Type A: This type of contract requires a higher entry fee to cover future healthcare costs, but offers a relatively stable monthly service fee, which includes residential services and amenities. The entry fee is one-and-done, but the monthly fee may increase based upon rising operating costs. This contract is considered all-inclusive with predictable future expenses, regardless of healthcare needs that may arise.
Type B: Just like at a Type A community, you’ll pay a (usually lower) one-time entrance fee and a monthly service fee. However, the care structure is vastly different from the Type A contract, as it only provides for a set number of health services for a predefined time frame.
Type C: This contract offers the lowest entry fee and covers some or all the residential services and amenities available through Type A and B contracts. However, if assisted living or skilled nursing care is required, the monthly fee will increase to cover the full market rate for the cost of care.
Which Contract Type Does John Knox Village Offer?
John Knox Village offers a Type A Contract structure, which we also refer to as our Premium Plan. Residents who sign up for this contract are guaranteed a bed and unlimited stay at our Majestic Oaks Skilled Nursing neighborhood for a nominal fee in addition to their one-time entry fee and monthly fees. This fee is drastically discounted from the cost for nonresidents entering Skilled Nursing.
Still Have Questions About Moving to a Life Plan Community?
At John Knox Village, we’re here to answer any questions you may have about our residences, contract types and why now may be the best time to plan your retirement. Call 386-775-0788 to schedule a tour and see firsthand why Pat and Joe couldn’t wait to call our community home.