Retirement Living—Welcome Home!

by Dave Reynolds

If you're traveling through the Shenandoah Valley for a few hours or a few days, think about what it would be like to spend a few years here. Have you thought of retiring here? More and more seniors and empty nesters, relocating to the Valley for their retirement years, say they first considered moving here while on a brief visit—perhaps while just passing through or while taking a son or daughter to college. First impressions count, and the Shenandoah Valley is definitely ready to impress, with verdant landscapes, breathtaking vistas, starry skies, nearby mountains and big cities; Southern charm; and a choice of lifestyle—rural, small town, suburban, or city—with all the opportunities each of those affords.

Actually, retiring in the Shenandoah Valley is often worth more than a passing thought. Why not trade a costly, cold, and crowded region for a less expensive, warmer, and quieter place? Why not trade up to a better quality of life at a better price?

First, though, decide if the Valley is a good fit. The fit is important, becasue retiring here is not the same as moving to desert country or to Florida. We don't offer warm sunny days year-'round, but we do offer a moderate climate and a great location—often closer to family and dear friends. Typical Valley retirees see their retirement years as a time of balance between activity and leisure, a significant change from the pressure and 'requirements' of their pre-retirement days. Healthy retirement includes physical activity, mental stimulation, and social interaction. The reasons the Valley offers such a good balance in retirement living are many—history, colleges (many of which open their course offerings to seniors), culture, climate, and proximity to much of the eastern US. You'll find friendly, unpretentious folk here in abundance, too!

The Shenandoah Valley has residential retirement communities, open acreage and small farms, gated communities and life-care centers. The Glebe in Daleville and Kendal at Lexington are just two of the many fine residential retirement communities attracting active seniors to the Valley. Both of these communities are life-care centers, with a full array of independent and assisted living options, so that you will be among friends, in a familiar atmosphere throughout your senior years, confident that all your health care needs and challenges will be efficiently, appropriately, and well met.

Make arrangements to tour (or even stay in!) one of these communities during your visit to the Shenandoah Valley. You can explore the facilities, of course, but more importantly, you can get a real feel for what everyday life in a retirement community might bring. You can also get to know some of your new neighbors while you're there!

Article text ©2008, Shenandoah Specialty Publishing, LLC.
May be printed for personal use only.

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