- Being surrounded by seniors changed this woman’s life for the better.
Most people aren’t particularly looking forward to moving to a retirement community. That said, for seniors, they can be perfect homes, with their slower pace of life and more-or-less like-minded company.
A retirement village also turned out to be the ideal home for Alice Amayu.
Despite being only 38, Amayu lives in a retirement community in Australia. She was in desperate need of an apartment, so she applied for an apartment in the same place where her aunt lives.
As she says herself, it turned out to be the best decision she’d ever made. Her reservations about living with older people quickly vanished.
A year later, Amayu loves her new home. Maybe she’s just a senior at heart.
Fresh Start
Now, Amayu doesn’t need to live in a retirement community, or any kind of assisted living facility for that matter. The only issue in her life has been a recent case of heartbreak.
“My ex and I previously shared a home, but after our long-term relationship ended, it made sense to move out and start fresh,” Amayu told Business Insider.
However, there weren’t any suitable apartments immediately available. So, Amayu moved to an Airbnb for what she hoped would be a short stay.
It wasn’t. Two months later, she was still staying at the Airbnb, and it was starting to prove exorbitantly expensive.
Unexpected Suggestion
One weekend, Amayu went to visit her aunt, who resides in a retirement community. She complained about her problems with finding a place to stay, so her aunt made an unexpected suggestion.
Why not move into her old folks’ village?
Amayu’s aunt told her that an apartment down the road had recently become vacant. She encouraged Amayu to submit an application for the place.
However, Amayu wasn’t instantly enthused about the idea of living in a retirement village. First of all, she didn’t meet the age requirements to live in the place. Additionally, she wasn’t sure if she’d fit in.
“I wasn’t sure how I would relate to older neighbors or rules like time limits on guest visitations and quiet hours, as I’ve never really been a stickler for rules,” said Amayu.
However, her aunt brushed her worries aside. She said the community had made exceptions for young’uns before and that she’d put in a good word for her niece.
Finally, Amayu gave in and applied for the empty apartment. Six weeks later, she got a phone call.
She was in.
‘Kind of Haven’
As soon as Amayu moved in, she felt welcome. Her neighbors came to introduce themselves right away, and two older gentlemen even put get bed and TV stand together for her.
Now, living in the community comes with one significant upside — it’s dirt cheap. Amayu’s rent is only about US$330, while a similarly-sized apartment in the nearest city would set her back around $2,000 a month.
However, Amayu has found that her senior neighbors are the best part of her new home. She was surprised to find out that slower and more relaxed pace of life in the retirement community suits her to a tee.
“I’ve stopped considering it a stepping stone to a better place, and I now see it as my home. I’ve never felt out of place, and living around people who are not in a rush to live life or consumed by tech has been great for my mental health,” she explained.
“It’s a kind of haven,” Amayu added.
It’s OK to be Old
Mornings in the retirement community are peaceful affairs. Amayu said she often hears to faint sound of a record playing golden oldies before going to have her morning coffee.
She might join a yoga class or a quick bike ride before pulling up her sleeves and getting to her freelancing work. Once her day wraps up, however, she still has plenty to do.
Every Wednesday, she attends the community’s bingo night. Yet, her favorite thing to do is simply talk to her neighbors.
“My neighbors talk about their life experiences, the books they’ve read, the jobs they miss, and offer unsolicited yet meaningful advice. I meet their friends and family, making new friends along the way,” Amayu said.
Living in the retirement community has shaped her worldview. Now, Amayu doesn’t dread getting older, having seen that it’s perfectly possible to still be happy in your old age.