If you are in your 60s or 70s, and you are living in a regular house...

[Anonymous]

The one you've been in, whether it is a TH or SFH, and have no plans to move right now, what are your reasons?

We are always asked "why not move to a one level or over 55 development?"

We live in a regular suburban area, all ages, kids, but also plenty of people over 65 way into late 70s. Original owners, but we aren't. We've been here about 20 years.
We are not infirmed, we have several pets, retired, happy here. There's no reason to go, not now at least. I'm not saying never, but why is it assumed? There are pressing reasons we would definitely move, but it's not imminent. I think our next move will be in our 80s- continual care. That's about 18 years at least.

[Anonymous]

Because we are 65 and 67 and in good health. Why would we move into a place with a specific demographic?

[Anonymous]

OP, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do. People are projecting b/c that's what they would do. No idea what the benefit is in a 55+ community? (BTW, 55 is really f-ing young - why people think this is needed is crazy.)

[Anonymous]

Looking at the elderly people in my neighborhood: the community and familiarity. They walk their dog with neighbors daily (this is people in their 80s), chat with neighbors on their porch, wave to young families and reminisce about when their kids were young. For my FIL it’s not wanting to deal with a move and being stuck in his ways/happy in a familiar environment (my MIL would love to move). A move is a lot to deal with. I think that’s probably common. For my step mother, it was wanting to keep up appearances of wealth and youth, plus just liking a big house.

[Anonymous]

Another good reason to live in a rambler. You can simply age in place, not worry about downsizing or putting in a stairlift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The one you've been in, whether it is a TH or SFH, and have no plans to move right now, what are your reasons?

We are always asked "why not move to a one level or over 55 development?"

We live in a regular suburban area, all ages, kids, but also plenty of people over 65 way into late 70s. Original owners, but we aren't. We've been here about 20 years.
We are not infirmed, we have several pets, retired, happy here. There's no reason to go, not now at least. I'm not saying never, but why is it assumed? There are pressing reasons we would definitely move, but it's not imminent. I think our next move will be in our 80s- continual care. That's about 18 years at least.

It's hard to move at 80. Also things can change very suddenly. My father went from riding a bike to work everyday at 70 to skilled nursing at 75. Thankfully my parents had moved to continuing care in between. When he passed she was settled with friends and support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another good reason to live in a rambler. You can simply age in place, not worry about downsizing or putting in a stairlift.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The one you've been in, whether it is a TH or SFH, and have no plans to move right now, what are your reasons?

We are always asked "why not move to a one level or over 55 development?"

We live in a regular suburban area, all ages, kids, but also plenty of people over 65 way into late 70s. Original owners, but we aren't. We've been here about 20 years.
We are not infirmed, we have several pets, retired, happy here. There's no reason to go, not now at least. I'm not saying never, but why is it assumed? There are pressing reasons we would definitely move, but it's not imminent. I think our next move will be in our 80s- continual care. That's about 18 years at least.

It's hard to move at 80. Also things can change very suddenly. My father went from riding a bike to work everyday at 70 to skilled nursing at 75. Thankfully my parents had moved to continuing care in between. When he passed she was settled with friends and support.

Yeah,but 80 is appropriate to move to a CCC, not really 70.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The one you've been in, whether it is a TH or SFH, and have no plans to move right now, what are your reasons?

We are always asked "why not move to a one level or over 55 development?"

We live in a regular suburban area, all ages, kids, but also plenty of people over 65 way into late 70s. Original owners, but we aren't. We've been here about 20 years.
We are not infirmed, we have several pets, retired, happy here. There's no reason to go, not now at least. I'm not saying never, but why is it assumed? There are pressing reasons we would definitely move, but it's not imminent. I think our next move will be in our 80s- continual care. That's about 18 years at least.

It's hard to move at 80. Also things can change very suddenly. My father went from riding a bike to work everyday at 70 to skilled nursing at 75. Thankfully my parents had moved to continuing care in between. When he passed she was settled with friends and support.

Yeah,but 80 is appropriate to move to a CCC, not really 70.

+1 70 seems too young to me.

[Anonymous]

Early 60s. Kids are still in school! Thank goodness everyone is in good health. We are not sure where to retire, OP (here or our home country), and we don't want to move several times. So this is a discussion we'll have when our kids are older and more established, and don't need us as much. When we do move, yes, we'd like an entirely accessible home.

[Anonymous]

We're 67 and 70. We live in a SFH, 2 floors. We have no reason to move. We're happy here.

If our health deteriorates, then we'll adjust appropriately. But moving to a senior living home isn't always the answer. Plus, are we moving due to dementia?Physical disability? Something else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another good reason to live in a rambler. You can simply age in place, not worry about downsizing or putting in a stairlift.

There are exceedingly few ramblers in the DC area, PP. It's a problem.

[Anonymous]

I have more than a few relatives in the generations above mine who lived in the homes they always had until they died. Many were in their 90s, one 98 and one 99.

Why should they have moved? They liked their homes and were happy in them.

[Anonymous]

A lot of people can't handle the stairs past a certain age. Both my mom and MIL (in their 80s) have a problem with stairs. My mom moved to a ranch when she was in her 60s. They knew stairs was going to be an issue eventually so why wait.

My MIL, oth, was adamant that she could handle the stairs and refused to move when she was in her 60s. FFW to 80, and she was having issues, but she still did nothing to move. We've all been telling her to move for the past 10 years. She finally made the move, but it was more painful than it had to be. She couldn't do anything herself so she had to rely on movers (which she paid for ) and her children, who had to take time off to help her.

Don't be selfish, OP. Don't wait till it's too late to be able to make the move on your own. My parents were able to do everything on their own because they were healthy enough at 60 something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people can't handle the stairs past a certain age. Both my mom and MIL (in their 80s) have a problem with stairs. My mom moved to a ranch when she was in her 60s. They knew stairs was going to be an issue eventually so why wait.

My MIL, oth, was adamant that she could handle the stairs and refused to move when she was in her 60s. FFW to 80, and she was having issues, but she still did nothing to move. We've all been telling her to move for the past 10 years. She finally made the move, but it was more painful than it had to be. She couldn't do anything herself so she had to rely on movers (which she paid for ) and her children, who had to take time off to help her.

Don't be selfish, OP. Don't wait till it's too late to be able to make the move on your own. My parents were able to do everything on their own because they were healthy enough at 60 something.

60s is not 80s. I think that is the whole point here? No one suddenly becomes elderly and infirmed at 60 and has to move our, unless, of course one is not healthy at 60 or 70. One can suddenly get sick at 45, too.