Moving Plans

"Where you live in retirement should be part of your life planning,” says Highlands resident-to-be Margaret Patch. “You plan for your education, your marriage, your family, your career. Retirement and where you will live after you retire is another big life chapter. Why wouldn’t you plan for it?”
Highlands Director of Marketing Jodi Gibble agrees. “Senior years can be some of life’s best years, especially if you have a solid plan in place,” she says. “There are important decisions that must be made in financial preparation, as well as in securing the community you want. The longer you wait, the more limited the choices are, and you may not be able to take full advantage of the lifestyle your chosen community provides. All of these factors can greatly impact your overall happiness and well-being.”
Margaret took her own advice and put her plan into place over 12 years ago. “I knew The Highlands was where I wanted to spend my retirement years because there is no other place like it,” she says. “The location is perfect, the community is beautiful and the residents are wonderful. So I put myself on the wait list and joined the Future Resident Club.”
As a member of the Future Resident Club, Margaret visits The Highlands on a regular basis, using the Fitness Center. “During my workouts, I was able to meet many residents, further confirming I made the right decision. I never knew exactly when I’d feel ready to move. I guess I was just waiting for the perfect villa to call home.”
The perfect villa did become available earlier this year. “While I did my due diligence and was prepared to move, I didn’t have set plans,” says Margaret. “But, when I saw the villa, I immediately knew it was right for me. It had everything that was important to me, so I quickly set my plan in motion!”
Margaret was part of a focus group for the new villas that will be added to The Highlands campus next year. “I could wait and move into one of the new villas, but I loved the location of my villa so much, I decided not to wait,” she says. “Besides, The Highlands staff has been very accommodating in making my villa as good as new – maybe better!”
Margaret’s sister, Harriet, moved to a Highlands apartment earlier in the year. “The move has been great for Harriet, which makes me even more excited to join her in enjoying the cruise ship lifestyle The Highlands offers.”
The sisters were both caregivers to their 100-year-old mother, who recently lost her battle with Alzheimer’s disease, and say the fact that The Highlands has available healthcare on campus was a critical factor in their selection process. “You never know what the future holds,” says Margaret. “Harriet and I both find great comfort in knowing that if our health needs change, we’ll be okay here.”
“I plan on living just as I always have. There won’t be any major changes in my daily routine EXCEPT no maintenance,” she says. “I’m going to continue my travels and keep right on moving ahead. I live by my motto: bloom where you’re planted – and I can’t wait to bloom here at The Highlands.”