Evangelina and Jim have always lived an active lifestyle. For years, they enjoyed a lively social scene at home in Mexico City, and their love of travel took them all over the world in search of new experiences.
But as they entered their late seventies, they found that it wasn’t enough just to meet interesting people in interesting places – they were drawn to cultivating deep connections.
“It was kind of time for us to decide how we want to live the rest of our life – what we want to do when we grow up,” Jim says with a chuckle. “But we had a big house and we needed to downsize.”
Evangelina felt the same. “Mexico City is wonderful and offers so many things we love,” she says. “But there’s also pollution and traffic jams and the chores of keeping a house, so we decided it was time to make a change.”
At first, they weren’t sure what that change would look like. But they knew they still wanted a lifestyle that emphasized wellness, fun and rewarding social connections.
Here are four takeaways from their journey to finding the right senior living community.
1. The importance of timing
A big factor in Evangelina and Jim’s decision was timing.
“We’re in our late seventies,” Evangelina says, “and we wanted to make this kind of move while we were still active and healthy enough to do it ourselves. We didn’t want to wait until maybe some health issues down the road made it harder.”
Many older adults are making a similar choice, approaching the move to senior living as a strategic and empowering life decision rather than waiting until it becomes a last resort. Not only does this allow them to make the most of the wellness and social benefits that senior living communities provide, but it also gives them more flexibility in selecting a community that’s right for them.
“Moving early meant we could take our time and be more selective,” Jim says. “We didn’t have some urgent crisis forcing us to move.”
Having decided they wanted to move to a senior living community, the main question they had to answer was: Where?
2. Location matters
Evangelina and Jim had a “dream list” of features and amenities they were looking for in their ideal senior living community, including a warm climate, a comfortable living environment and a vibrant social life with people they could connect with.
“We wanted a place that had beautiful gardens, a swimming pool and great, great food,” Evangelina says. “And, of course, we wanted to be close to the grocery store, the shopping mall, movie theaters, all those kinds of things. So being in a city was important to us.”
Another factor was being reasonably close to family members, who mostly lived just south of the Arizona border in northwest Mexico. Tucson, Arizona, was just a few hours away – and Atria Bell Court Gardens checked off every item on their list. The spacious outdoor area includes a heated pool, a hot tub, a fire pit and several walking paths. The community also features a library, a salon and barbershop, an outdoor grill and a movie theater.
“We spent two years searching different places and figuring out which ones to visit,” Evangelina says. “But in the end, it paid off.”
Jim agrees.
“We made a wonderful choice,” he says.
3. A focus on wellness
Evangelina and Jim have always been active, so they prioritized finding a community that emphasized fitness, nutrition and wellness.
“I need to get up early and exercise every day,” Jim says. “I need to meditate every day. I need to be in sync with Evangelina and go out into the city and do something.”
Evangelina used to be a ballet dancer, so exercise and eating well have been important throughout her life.
And there’s science behind that impulse. Studies show that regular exercise helps older adults maintain mobility and cardiovascular health, and even improves mood and sleep.
At Atria Bell Court Gardens, the couple has access to the community fitness center as well as daily exercise classes throughout the week. Evangelina and Jim view their commitment to wellness as both an investment in their health and independence and a fun way to stay involved in the community.
“For me, going to exercise class is like having breakfast,” Evangelina says. “I absolutely love it.”
4. The joy of community
Finally, the couple wanted to find a place that offered opportunities to connect and make meaningful friendships.
“We had a lot of friends in Mexico City,” Jim says. “When we started looking at communities, we asked ourselves: ‘Is this a place where we will feel at home?’”
From the day they moved in, Evangelina and Jim knew they’d found a real community. Simple gestures, like being invited to have dinner with other residents, have grown into lasting friendships.
“I remember sending a message to my family at the end of that first day saying how we’d met so many wonderful, kind people already,” Evangelina recalls.
They’ve also found ways to contribute. Shortly after settling in, Evangelina and Jim started a foreign film night where community members gather for movie screenings followed by engaging group discussions.
“One of the things we’ve done here is to try to actively create a community that cares about us,” Jim says. “We’ve been here three months, and we already have friendships that are deep. And that’s terribly important.”
Embracing the next adventure
For Evangelina and Jim, moving to senior living while still active and healthy has opened a vibrant new phase of their life together. Knowing that meals, housekeeping and transportation are all taken care of gives them the freedom to pursue new opportunities and connections.
“Being in a retirement community is not the end,” Evangelina says. “I cannot retire from learning, I cannot retire from having fun, I cannot retire from enjoying life.”
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