17 June 2013
GETTING READY
Americans, young in
spirit, hate to talk about growing old, let alone plan for how they are going
to manage the inevitable. They are just beginning to hear about virtual
retirement communities designed for managing the practicalities and the
sociability of later stages of life. And people between 50 and 65 are just
beginning to realize that people need to participate in such organizations as
an essential part of preparing for retirement. They need to add their strength
to the virtual retirement communities – now -- to make sure that the
wide-ranging services of these “Villages” are available at the unpredictable
moments when needs arise.
Sure, Americans spend
decades preparing -- saving for retirement and buying health, disability, and
long-term care insurance. But the prospect of declining physical capacity, of
depending on others, of being brushed aside, shuts the thinking down just when
it should keep going. We tend to have the same reaction as the balky
three-year-old who doesn’t want to hold Mother’s hand crossing the street. We
tend to ignore the fact that a 65-year-old American today is likely to live
another 20 years.
Everybody on the
threshold of retirement needs to reflect that autonomy, the self-reliance that
enables a person to continue aspiring into old age, is a matter of
anticipation, of foresight exercised every day – in advance of need. Living
safely and confidently in the home you love, and getting out of that home for
enjoyment and stimulation, both depend on organization. Serenity is based on
order, for young and old alike. And order takes management, not only attending
to your own to-do list but also reaching out for help from people you know and
trust. As you always did, you have to plan, and you have to delegate. Virtual
retirement communities are an important tool for this.
In a world where
elderly people form a fast-growing proportion of humanity, self-help
associations of neighbors are not just a private matter. Only so much of
humanity’s money can go to people who depend in part on contributions from
people who are still salaried. Older people have to seek as much efficiency as
they can, not just to stretch their incomes but also to fulfill their
aspirations to help younger people and the society generally. And the key to
efficiency is organization, banding together with others in the same position,
with the same hopes and needs – in advance of need.
An overwhelming
portion of Americans over 65 want to live out their days at home, not in
nursing homes, assisted living, or life care facilities. And only a minority of
America’s
elders are poor enough to qualify for municipal senior services. In the last
decade, as people have faced the extent of the management challenge, virtual
retirement communities like Cambridge at Home have begun springing up to meet
huge needs. Nearly 100 are already operating and hundreds more are forming.
These communities have proven that they can perform a growing range of tasks,
connecting their members to tested, trusted suppliers of practical services as
well as enjoyment. They now need a decisive accession of strength from people preparing for retirement.
Victor K. McElheny
President, Cambridge at Home
Victor K. McElheny
President, Cambridge at Home