Finding the Right Senior Community from Firsthand Experience

By: Tyrone Johnson

When my wife, Ann, and I decided to move from our house in Rockville, Maryland to a senior community, it was a very difficult decision. We went back-and-forth (and then back again), weighing the alternatives and trying to determine what would be the best option for us.

On the one hand, my wife had owned the property for nearly 30 years and it was our home – plus we had put a lot of work into it and felt proud to live there. But on the other hand, we recognized we were getting older. The biggest factor pushing us towards a senior community was Ann’s arthritis. Our Rockville home was also built in the 1940s and required a lot of upkeep. Did I really want to spend the next chapter of my life and the early years of my retirement worrying about making and financing home repairs?

Ultimately, we decided that moving into a senior living community and renting, rather than buying, our next home was the best option for us. This decision would free us of certain burdens and allow us to spend more energy on the hobbies, activities, and experiences we enjoy.

Finding The Right Fit

Once we committed to our decision, like many other baby boomers, we didn’t know where to start. We weren’t familiar with senior living communities in the area, so we began by researching the different options and scheduling tours.

What began as excitement for the process quickly turned to pessimism with each tour we took.

I may be 69 years old, but I refer to myself as a “young 69” and have a very active and vibrant life. The first few communities we visited didn’t match up with that reality. I didn’t want to pick any old bleak building, I wanted it to be a lively, spacious, high-quality community that fit our needs and our active lifestyle. I began to think we would be better off just making do with our two-story house in Rockville.

We hesitantly decided to keep looking and finally toured Pointe View at Aspen Hill in Silver Spring, Maryland. Finally, we had found a community that checked all of our boxes.

Driving up my first impression was the exterior. A far cry from the other buildings we visited, it looked more like an upscale, modern hotel than a senior living community. I liked that the building was indistinguishable from any other luxury apartment complex and looked like a place where anyone, of any age, would be happy to live. Pointe View at Aspen Hill also offered different shared amenities I could see us regularly enjoying, such as resident happy hours, a fitness center, and hair salon.

The property management staff suggested we consider a first-floor apartment because it would be easiest with my wife’s mobility issues. Ann – a “Martha Stewart” type as I like to call her – was drawn to the apartment’s contemporary features, modern appliances, and luxury vinyl tile floors. I knew we would both enjoy decorating the new apartment and making it feel like home.

But finding the right community is about more than layout, fixtures, and amenities. The building was in good shape now because it was brand new, but I had to trust and rely on management for long-term upkeep and maintenance. This is something I wasn’t used to doing as a homeowner. Throughout the tour, I made sure to ask questions and gauge their commitment to the maintaining the building. I could tell the management staff were qualified and their enthusiastic responses and willingness to address any questions or concerns I mentioned eased any final reservations I had.

At the end of the day, selecting Pointe View at Aspen Hill was easy because we could picture our life there. As soon as we saw the apartment, we knew it had to be ours.

Now as I sit outside our new home, enjoying the spring weather and pleasant professional landscaping, I can’t help but look back on our decision and feel grateful we found exactly what we were looking for. Having made the transition, I frequently have friends ask what advice I would give to other seniors thinking about their options.

I say find a community that doesn’t feel like an ending, but rather a fresh start. A clean slate to grow, learn, and enjoy new things. That’s what I did.

Mr. Johnson and his wife currently own and operate a daycare center in Montgomery County, Maryland. The couple moved into Pointe View at Aspen Hill in Silver Spring, Maryland in the spring of 2020.