RETIREMENT VILLAGES: Where to locate the Best Retirement Place?

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RETIREMENT VILLAGES: Where to locate the Best Retirement Place?

Posted On : Mar-03-2010 | seen (877) times | Article Word Count : 1343 |

Find out where the ideal place is to retire. You might be thinking of a place where you can spend the rest of your life without stress. Maybe you can think outside of the box. And you have a flair for adventure. Have you ever heard of the Philippines? Do you know that most people in the Philippines can speak English. Do you that your money will stretch a long way in the Philippines? This article describes possible alternatives to retiring.

Retirement Villages are becoming more fashionable now with the amount of baby boomers retiring. It is important to differentiate between a few terms applied to this idea

Wikipedia describes a retirement residence as a multi-residence housing facility that is planned for older people. The standard pattern situation is that person or couple in the home has an apartment-style room or suite of rooms. And added facilities are provided inside the building. Habitually this includes facilities for meals, congregation, leisure, and some form of health or hospice care. The level of care these facilities varies enormously. Space in retirement homes can be paid for on a rental basis, comparable to an apartment, or can be purchased in perpetuity on the same basis the same as a condominium.

In essence, a retirement home differs from a nursing residence mainly in the extent of medical care given. On the other hand, retirement villages and retirement communities, unlike retirement homes, offer separate and autonomous homes for residents and more.

A retirement community or retirement villages is an awfully broad, generic term that covers many varieties of housing for retirees and seniors. They are especially designed or geared for people who no longer work,or restricted to those over a certain age. A retirement Village differs from a retirement home which is frequently a solitary building or small complex where no "common areas" for socializing exist.

Countless retirement villages are intended for that purpose, and have distinctive conveniences catering to the needs and wishes of retirees, including widespread services like clubhouses, swimming pools, arts and crafts, boating, trails, golf courses, active adult retail and on-site medical amenities.

Other facilities include no or incredibly few common amenities. An Age-controlled community normally requires at least one household tenant to be 55 plus years of age or older (occasionally 50+ or 60+ years of age).

There are in reality three broad categories of retirement communities

1. ACTIVE communities (the whole residential units, no long-term healthcare facilities - also known as "independent living communities"

2. ACTIVE/SUPPORTIVE communities (a combination of residential and healthcare facilities - also recognized as "continuing care retirement communities" - CCRC)

3. SUPPORTIVE communities (all long term healthcare units, like assisted living facilities or nursing homes)

Because more and more healthier and younger people are retiring today the central focus I believe is on the active communities or independent living.

Retirement Villages are frequently built in warm climates, and are widespread in lots of countries.

A number of publishers have constructed lists of the 100 top retirement communities or 100 top places (or towns) to retire. Yet, these lists are not complete and frequently obsolete. In addition, many of these lists are centered on particular Retirement Villages in their prospective countries. Furthermore, allot of these retirement villages are targeted towards high income earners (the elderly and the rich).

Scores of countries are experiencing the same phenomena with the elderly these days. Take for instance, New Zealand with approximately half a million people over the age of 65 in a 2001 census. I would picture today in 2010 there are like over a million people above the age of 65. Add this number to worldwide consensus and you have an enormous sum of people in this age grouping. This is primarily due to the baby boomer period and healthy lifestyles.

The growth in retirement villages as an accommodation
Standard of living and care option is undeniably a reaction to this shifting demographic profile. The village aspect is clearly a quest for an alternative to old age homes of the past.
Community and affordable accommodation within fundamentals of security rank highly amongst people's aspirations.

For example in the United Kingdom retirement villages are becoming more and more prevalent. According to a recent BBC story (Aug 2009) there are nearly 25,000 people across the UK nowadays living inside a retirement village model

Nurses, caregivers and visiting doctors are an vital component of many village operations, while community centers, bowling greens, a swimming pool and billiard tables are a common recreational feature.

I have done some extensive travel looking for a decent location for me to retire. I was concerned about expenses as I have a small pension to live on. Initially, I was interersted in the area close to Lake Chapala situated 45 km southeast of Guadalajara, Mexico. Picture perfect weather and great culture however since of the influx of foreigners the cost to live there is almost the same as it is my own country. I passed on this option.

I also thought of Arizona and Florida as I was a snow bird for a some years. I passed on this option because of the expenditure factor also.

Finally, I decided on Colombia. I traveled to Colombia to try my retirement there. I went to Bogotá, Medellin and Cali. I found that my pension went a long way there. I loved the country and its population, but I had difficulty learning Spanish and this made it demanding to get on with my daily responsibilities.

Then one day I was chatting to man who talked about the Philippines. He mentioned the low cost of living in the Philippines and the fact that most Philippinos could speak English. He went on to say that the English language was on all signs, menus and legal documents. In Colombia I had a difficult time just opening up my cable account.

Later, shortly after meeting this man I made up my mind, sold all my belongings and trotted off to the Philippines. At long last, I found my home where life is trouble-free and affordable.

Below is a sample budget of my cost of living in the Philippines:

Housing (rental of a luxury three-bedroom apartment): $250 monthly
Utilities (including, phone, Internet, and cable television): $100 montly
Maid (twice a week): $10
Cook (twice a week): $10
Groceries: $150
Water $12 a month
I rent a new Yamaha scooter for $125 a month. Gas is around $20 a month.
A beer is around 60 cents in the store and $1 in the bar.
1 kilo Italian style tomatoes in the market 12 cents
1 kilo fresh water fish in the marketplace $140 1 kilo
Clothing: $20 a month. No need to wear shoes or slacks here. Most of us wear shorts and sandals

Entertainment (two people dining out eight times a month at top restaurants or other entertainment): $200. I take my girlfriend out to a place she likes and it costs me $4 for the two of us. I take her to an upscale restaurant and she doesn't like it. My costs for dinning out is around $30 total.

Health care (four $30 visits to a physician per year for two people, divided by 12 months): $20

Will Irwin, author who is currently writing his next book 'The Coming Real Estate Boom in the Philippines' explains that one of the most inexpensive places to retire is the Philippines.

He goes on to note that there are a few 'secret' places in the Philippines which are developing fast with new retirement villages for expats. Mr. Irwin remarks that this is an investment opportunity unnoticed by most due to the lack of media coverage.

According to Mr. Irwin one of the best places to retire abroad has to be the Philippines since it is developing fast at this moment. Therefore opportunities are rich for expats and investors, more than ever in Samar and Tablas (Romblon). This is the one of the premium places to retire overseas because of the low cost of living at the same time as the surroundings are as beautifull as Boracay which has 1 million visitors per year.

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<h1>RETIREMENT VILLAGES: Where to locate the Best Retirement Place?</h1> Author: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/profile_fiona madella.aspx'>fiona madella</a> Retirement Villages are becoming more fashionable now with the amount of baby boomers retiring. It is important to differentiate between a few terms applied to this idea

Wikipedia describes a retirement residence as a multi-residence housing facility that is planned for older people. The standard pattern situation is that  person or couple in the home has an apartment-style room or suite of rooms. And added facilities are provided inside the building. Habitually this includes facilities for meals, congregation, leisure, and some form of health or hospice care. The level of care these facilities varies enormously. Space in retirement homes can be paid for on a rental basis, comparable to an apartment, or can be purchased in perpetuity on the same basis the same as a condominium.

In essence, a retirement home differs from a nursing residence mainly in the extent of medical care given. On the other hand, retirement villages and retirement communities, unlike retirement homes, offer separate and autonomous homes for residents and more.

A retirement community or retirement villages is an awfully broad, generic term that covers many varieties of housing for retirees and seniors.  They are especially designed or geared for people who no longer work,or restricted to those over a certain age. A retirement Village differs from a retirement home which is frequently a solitary building or small complex where no "common areas" for socializing exist.

Countless retirement villages are intended for that purpose, and have distinctive conveniences catering to the needs and wishes of retirees, including widespread services like clubhouses, swimming pools, arts and crafts, boating, trails, golf courses, active adult retail and on-site medical amenities.

Other facilities include no or incredibly few common amenities. An Age-controlled community normally requires at least one household tenant to be 55 plus years of age or older (occasionally 50+ or 60+ years of age).

There are in reality three broad categories of retirement communities

1.  ACTIVE communities (the whole residential units, no long-term healthcare facilities - also known as "independent living communities"

2.  ACTIVE/SUPPORTIVE communities (a combination of residential and healthcare facilities - also recognized as "continuing care retirement communities" - CCRC)

3.  SUPPORTIVE communities (all long term healthcare units, like assisted living facilities or nursing homes)

Because more and more healthier and younger people are retiring today the central focus I believe is on the active communities or independent living.

Retirement Villages are frequently built in warm climates, and are widespread in lots of countries.

A number of publishers have constructed lists of the 100 top retirement communities or 100 top places (or towns) to retire. Yet, these lists are not complete and frequently obsolete.  In addition, many of these lists are centered on particular Retirement Villages in their prospective countries.  Furthermore, allot of these retirement villages are targeted towards high income earners (the elderly and the rich).

Scores of countries are experiencing the same phenomena with the elderly these days.  Take for instance, New Zealand with approximately half a million people over the age of 65 in a 2001 census.  I would picture today in 2010 there are like over a million people above the age of 65.  Add this number to worldwide consensus and you have an enormous sum of people in this age grouping.  This is primarily due to the baby boomer period and healthy lifestyles.

The growth in retirement villages as an accommodation
Standard of living and care option is undeniably a reaction to this shifting demographic profile. The village aspect is clearly a quest for an alternative to old age homes of the past.
Community and affordable accommodation within fundamentals of security rank highly amongst people's aspirations.

For example in the United Kingdom retirement villages are becoming more and more prevalent.  According to a recent BBC story (Aug 2009) there are nearly 25,000 people across the UK nowadays living inside a retirement village model

Nurses, caregivers and visiting doctors are an vital component of many village operations, while community centers, bowling greens, a swimming pool and billiard tables are a common recreational feature.

I have done some extensive travel looking for a decent location for me to retire.  I was concerned about expenses as I have a small pension to live on.  Initially, I was interersted in the area close to Lake Chapala situated 45 km southeast of Guadalajara, Mexico.  Picture perfect weather and great culture however since of the influx of foreigners the cost to live there is almost the same as it is my own country.  I passed on this option.

I also thought of Arizona and Florida as I was a snow bird for a some years.  I passed on this option because of the expenditure factor also.

Finally, I decided on Colombia.  I traveled to Colombia to try my retirement there.  I went to Bogotá, Medellin and Cali.  I found that my pension went a long way there.  I loved the country and its population, but I had difficulty learning Spanish and this made it demanding to get on with my daily responsibilities.

Then one day I was chatting to man who talked about the Philippines.  He mentioned the low cost of living in the Philippines and the fact that most Philippinos could speak English.  He went on to say that the English language was on all signs, menus and legal documents.  In Colombia I had a difficult time just opening up my cable account.

Later, shortly after meeting this man I made up my mind, sold all my belongings and trotted off to the Philippines.  At long last, I found my home where life is trouble-free and affordable.

Below is a sample budget of my cost of living in the Philippines:

Housing (rental of a luxury three-bedroom apartment): $250 monthly
	Utilities (including, phone, Internet, and cable television): $100 montly
	Maid (twice a week): $10
	Cook (twice a week): $10
	Groceries: $150
	Water $12 a month
	I rent a new Yamaha scooter for $125 a month.  Gas is around $20 a month.
	A beer is around 60 cents in the store and $1 in the bar.
1 kilo Italian style tomatoes in the market 12 cents
1 kilo fresh water fish in the marketplace $140 1 kilo
Clothing: $20 a month.  No need to wear shoes or slacks here.  Most of us wear shorts and sandals

Entertainment (two people dining out eight times a month at top restaurants or other entertainment): $200.  I take my girlfriend out to a place she likes and it costs me $4 for the two of us.  I take her to an upscale restaurant and she doesn't like it.  My costs for dinning out is around $30 total.

Health care (four $30 visits to a physician per year for two people, divided by 12 months): $20

Will Irwin, author who is currently writing his next book 'The Coming Real Estate Boom in the Philippines' explains that one of the most inexpensive places to retire is the Philippines.

He goes on to note that there are a few 'secret' places in the Philippines which are developing fast with new retirement villages for expats.  Mr. Irwin remarks that this is an investment opportunity unnoticed by most due to the lack of media coverage.

According to Mr. Irwin one of the best places to retire abroad has to be the Philippines since it is developing fast at this moment. Therefore opportunities are rich for expats and investors, more than ever in Samar and Tablas (Romblon). This is the one of the premium places to retire overseas because of the low cost of living at the same time as the surroundings are as beautifull as Boracay which has 1 million visitors per year.About the Author: For more information, see this blog about <a rel="nofollow" href="http://retirement-villagers.vox.com">RETIREMENT VILLAGES.</a>
Fiona Madella is an amateur writer who usually surf the internet during her free time. She also loves to <a rel="nofollow" href="http://sibonga.com/samar-romblon.htm">travel</a> on the different part of the world and explore. Right now she is active writing articles online and learning SEO at the same time. Article Source: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/Article_RETIREMENT-VILLAGES-Where-to-locate-the-Best-Retirement-Place_12384.aspx'> http://www.articleseen.com/Article_RETIREMENT VILLAGES: Where to locate the Best Retirement Place?_12384.aspx</a>

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For more information, see this blog about RETIREMENT VILLAGES.
Fiona Madella is an amateur writer who usually surf the internet during her free time. She also loves to travel on the different part of the world and explore. Right now she is active writing articles online and learning SEO at the same time.

Keywords : retirement villages, retirement community, best place to retire, travel, leisure, recreation,

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