The Pikes Peak region’s top, luxury retirement communities competed in the “Best of Showcase” Saturday, June 25^th during the 3^rd annual Showcase of Retirement Communities.

The Showcase featured four retirement communities Saturday and included free food, tours and giveaways. Active seniors and their families enjoyed a day of entertainment as they previewed the maintenance-free lifestyle provided at each community.  Guests voted on “Best of Showcase” awards.

“This annual event provides seniors and their families a sneak peek at some of the housing resources available to them in the community. By visiting multiple independent living locations in one day, guests were able to compare them and assess how each location fits their individual needs,” stated Shannon Rodgers, executive director of the Senior Resource Council.

The following communities received accolades based on attendees’ votes:

• Best of Show: MacKenzie Place
  • Runner-up: Palisades at Broadmoor Park
• Best Place for Mom or Dad: MacKenzie Place
  • Runner-up: Inn at Garden Plaza
• Best Value: Inn at Garden Plaza
  • Runner-up: Palisades at Broadmoor Park
• Best Dining: Liberty Heights
  • Runner-up: MacKenzie Place
• Friendliest Staff: Palisades at Broadmoor Park
  • Runner-up: Inn at Garden Plaza
• Best Activities Program: MacKenzie Place
  • Runner-up: Liberty Heights
• Best Services and Amenities: Liberty Heights
  • Runner-up: Palisades at Broadmoor Park
• Best Colorado Landscape: Liberty Heights
  • Runner-up: Palisades at Broadmoor Park

Showcase attendee Herman Livingston commented, “Liberty Heights blew me away with their amazing truffle mashed potatoes and hors d’oeuvres. I was impressed by the quality and variety of offerings at each location, and was surprised to find how accommodating the prices were.”

More senior community tours are planned for 2012. Stay tuned for more information!

Are you a senior looking for resources in Colorado Springs? Do you have a tooth to be fixed, need help moving, have money to invest or want to volunteer? The Seniors Blue Book and SeniorsBlueBook.com have it all for you! With over 50 categories of community resources in addition to detailed information on home health care, non-medical home care and all levels of senior housing, the Seniors Blue Book is your one stop resource guide to everything senior in the Springs! Our books are distributed all over the Springs at hospitals, libraries, senior centers and the like. Pick one up and use it today! For more information you can contact our Regional Director, Lucy Crandall at either 719-641-6850 or on line at Lucy@seniorsbluebook.com.

Companionship is important for keeping active and healthy at any point in our lives and the losses often experienced in later life make it more difficult to gain the same level of intimacy found in well-established relationships. For those without children, it is more difficult to find companionship as well as reliable care, whether it is needed around the clock or just in case of emergency.

Choose an independent living option that has a range of activity options built in, offering flexibility when you want it. A retirement community can provide all sorts of luxuries, such as exquisite dining and personal fitness training. In addition to these health benefits, they also provide a variety of ways to meet peers. There is just as much or as little social interaction as the residents seek. The following are some ways to form new relationships or even improve the ones you already have.

• Be a mentor or volunteer. Everyone has a skill, talent, or particularly enjoyed hobby; sharing these with others – whether peers or younger individuals – is satisfying for both parties and can be a great way to build new relationships based on activities you already enjoy. Join a knitting club and help others learn your pastime, or take a moment to reminisce and support others who served in the military.
• Be open to new opportunities. You don’t have to reach too far outside your comfort zone – try something similar to activities you already enjoy or remember taking part in previously, and start small. Communities offer everything from wine tasting to tours of the inspiring Olympic Training Center, to organized cruise options or weekend getaways to the mountains.
• Make goals and take control. It’s never to late to want to accomplish something! Setting new goals – whether it is to learn something new, meet a certain number of people, call or visit your children more often, or get back into a hobby – allows you to keep track of your efforts. Join a group of friends with similar interests; you can hold each other accountable when you share your goals and support one another in achieving them.

Maintaining an active social life has been shown to benefit seniors. Not only will you experience the immediate gratification of social involvement and relief from loneliness, you will continue to reap the benefits in the form of lowered incidence of physical and mental disabilities over time. In the case of a loss, having a network of friends and other social outlets provides support and can act as a buffer against depression. You have worked your entire life to be independent and capable of taking care of yourself; now is not the time you want to give up control over your activities.

Seniors face a unique difficulty as their adult children have grown and started families of their own, often moving away from the home. Their peers provide a special system of support that can be very beneficial. Those who maintain a socially active lifestyle are twice as likely to be free of disabilities that can interrupt daily activities. Make that tee time with a friend or sit down and chat with your neighbors, and reap the benefits of improved health and happiness! Visit the Showcase of Retirement Communities on June 25 to check out the social schedules available with independent living.

While living in unassisted housing after retiring, you not only have the freedom, but at the moment you have time to really live!

You’ve worked your whole life on someone else’s time clock. Now you’re on your own. You now have the free time to do the things you love, and also some things you never thought you would ever do. So break out the pen and pad and get ready for a list that you won’t want to forget.

Sports

Not everyone will be able to participate in a triathlon after retiring, but there are plenty of other ways to get outside and get active. Everything from swimming to golfing can be great activities. Hiking is also a great sport to participate in. There are hiking groups and hiking trails for all levels of fitness. A great alternative to outdoor sports is Wii Sports by Nintendo. With Wii Sports you can go at your own pace and do tons of outdoor sports that you wouldn’t normally be able to do.

Other sports- (Tennis, Shuffleboard, Sailing, and Yoga)

Tourism

Finding time to see the world was probably the last thing on your to do list ten years ago. Now, it can be the first! You no longer have to set a schedule for your vacations and can truly take time out to enjoy and experience as much as possible. Make a list of places that you’ve never visited before or always wanted to visit. It could be Disneyland, the Grand Canyon, or even overseas, to places like Jamaica, or Greece. If you find planning your trip to be a bit overwhelming, a travel agent can be a great resource. Through a travel agent, you can find great deals on airfare and also on hotels.

Hobbies

Hobbies can fulfill a majority of things in your life. They can make you money, feed your soul, or just be a way to kill time. Below is a list of inexpensive and fun hobbies:

• Writing
• Scrapbooking
• Art
• Theater
• Playing an Instrument
• Dancing
• Knitting & Sewing & Quilting
• Gardening

Some of these hobbies can be done alone or with others in groups.

Volunteer

Volunteering can be a benefit to you and your organization of choice. Research has shown that volunteers experience better health, make new friends, and learn new skills. If you have a hard time looking for volunteering opportunities a good place to start is (http://www.seniorcorps.gov). There you will find a convenient search engine that will filter opportunities by your location (Zip Code or State) and area of interest. Volunteering your time to someone in need is the greatest gift of all.

Go Back to School

You know the saying, “It’s never too late to go back to school”. Well, it’s true! Deciding to go back to college can be a daunting task; you will be changing much of your lifestyle by walking on a college campus. But, the positives far outweigh the negatives. After so many years at the same job, and raising a family, it is very easy to lose sight of who you are and going back to college gives you an opportunity to reconnect with yourself. You can do this through taking courses in things you love, and exploring new ideas about the world around you.

Here are few helpful tips to help you make the through college life:

• Take Good Notes- Sometimes it can be really different to keep up with the pace of notes you need to take. A great substitute is to use a recorder, so that you can review the lecture later.
• Cost- Paying for college is a difficult task no matter what age you are. There are many scholarships and grants that are made for senior citizens. Talk with your schools financial aid department to discover all the ways you can lessen the cost of college.
• Take Online Courses- If transportation is an issue for you, online degrees are available. Just remember that you may miss out on some of the things students in class have, such as being able to ask the professor questions.
• Get Into a Program That Interest you- It can be difficult to pay attention in class when the professor is lecturing on the “cytoplasm of a cell”, when you would much rather be learning about how to create a website for business. So enroll in a program that is important to you. Many colleges have academic advisors that will help you sign up for the classes you find most essential.

With a little determination and hard work you’ll be walking across that stage in no time.

Suggested reading: How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free: Retirement Wisdom That You Won’t Get from Your Financial Advisor – Ernie J. Zelinski

Calculate Your Expenses:
While calculating expenses, keep in mind that all the expenses listed below are included in the Retirement Communities Showcased.

Single Family Home VS Retirement Community

Typical Monthly Expenses                           Your Expenses

Rent/Principal & Interest on Mortgage                 $_______

Property Taxes, Monthly                                             $_______

Miscellaneous Expenses (Homeowners                 $_______
Association, Recreation Center Fee, etc

Utilities
Water                                                                    $_______
Trash Collection                                               $_______
Gas                                                                         $_______
Electricity                                                           $_______

Home Maintenance (Plumbing, Roofing, Electrical         $_____
Repairs, Security, etc.)

Grounds Keeping                                                               $_____

Snow Removal                                                                     $_____

Pest Control                                                                         $______

Housekeeping                                                                      $______

Three Chef-prepared Meals Daily, Plus Snacks
Groceries                                                               $_______
Restaurants, Tips                                               $_______

Transportation
Car                                                                            $_______
Public Transportation                                      $_______

Entertainment (Social Outings, Movies, etc.)         $_______
$_______
Total

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Showcase of Retirement Communities 
 Award Winners Announced

DENVER, CO- The Best of the Showcase of Retirement Communities award winners were recently announced following the unique parade of homes-style event featuring senior living options at the region’s top retirement communities.

 Classic Residence by Hyatt in Highlands Ranch was named Best of Show, with St. Andrew’s Village in Aurora taking runner-up honors. 

 During the two-day event, Classic Residence by Hyatt staff highlighted the community’s unique features, such as the beautiful setting and amenities offered.  “Our beauty sets us apart. We have a large campus with great views,” said Executive Director Deann Daniel. 

 St. Andrew’s Village also took the Best Place for Mom or Dad award, while Classic Residence by Hyatt was runner-up in the category.  Garden Plaza of Aurora was named Best Value, with Wind Crest in Highlands Ranch voted runner-up. 

 In the Best Dining category, Classic Residence by Hyatt was the top vote-getter and St. Andrew’s Village won runner-up.  St. Andrew’s Village was also runner-up in the Friendliest Staff category, where Garden Plaza of Aurora won the vote. 

 Activities and amenities categories were dominated by Classic Residence by Hyatt and Wind Crest.  Classic Residence by Hyatt won the Best Services and Amenities award and placed second for the Best Activities award.  Wind Crest took top honors for the Best Activities Program award, a category in which Classic Residence by Hyatt was also named runner-up.

 The Cottages at Dayton Place received recognition as a guest favorite for their unique concept in Independent Living.

 The South Denver 2009 Showcase of Retirement Communities featured five retirement communities in this two-day event that included  free food, music, drinks, entertainment and tours. Each community hosted prospective residents or their caregivers throughout the weekend.  Guests who visited all five communities voted on the Best of Showcase awards.  The event was sponsored by Aetna, All the Comfort of Home, Senior Care of Colorado and SeniorsResourceGuide.com.

 More senior community tours are planned for North Denver in March, Boulder in April, Colorado Springs in June, and South Denver again in September 2010.  This unique event was produced by Red Energy Public Relations, a Colorado Springs-based company. Additional tours are being coordinated nationwide.

Notify the Post Office that you are moving. Your local post office will have a change of address form, or you can go online to www.usps.gov.

Other places you will need to do a change of address form include:

• IRS
• Department of Motor Vehicles
• Voter Registration

Other places to notify/switch over service:

Utilities

• Electric
• Gas
• Water
• Telephone
• Sewer District
• Trash
• Cable/Satellite

Financial

• Accountant
• Insurances
• Bank Accounts
• Investments
• Credit Cards
• Social Security

Medical

• Doctor(s)
• Dentist
• Medicare/Supplement
• Insurance Carrier
• Pharmacy

Services

• Newspaper
• Magazines
• Lawn/Gardner
• Security
• Clubs/Organizations
• Lawyer
• Place of Worship