Enjoy Your Dream Lifestyle Before Retiring: Why Our Residents Move Before They Retire

For many older adults, “retirement community living” is a bit of a misnomer. That’s because, while they may be enjoying the lifestyle at a senior living community, they’re not exactly retired.

More and more older adults are selling their homes and moving into community living, yet choosing to continue working in retirement. For a number of reasons, a senior living community like Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay is proving to be an ideal fit for people still working after age 70.

So maybe you’re of retirement age — say, age 65 or 70. Perhaps you’d like to keep working after 70, but you’d also like to move into senior living for the resort-style amenities. Can you still work and live in a retirement community? 

The answer is a resounding yes! You absolutely can have the best of both worlds. But before you make your move, it may help to understand why you still want to work, and discover the benefits of choosing a senior living community even if you’re still working.

Reasons why seniors still work

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10.6 million people 65 and older were in the workforce in 2020. A vast majority of them have nonfinancial reasons motivating them to continue working. 

In fact, a 2008 study showed that while 18% still worked because they needed the income, an equal amount said they want to feel productive and useful. Also, 31% said they’d be bored if they didn’t work.

Here are seven not-entirely-financial reasons older adults cite for continuing to work in retirement:

1. They still enjoy working. Whether it’s part-time or full-time, older adults say they still get a lot of enjoyment from their jobs.
2. They find fulfillment in their company’s work. Older Americans want to stay in their jobs because they continually find new challenges that will reward them emotionally.
3. They like having extra money. Working may not be a financial necessity, but older adults who still work find that they prefer to earn money instead of drawing retirement or tapping into their Social Security benefits.
4. Working is one way to continue to support worthy causes. Retirement presents older adults with a unique opportunity: switching to a totally different field and putting their life experience to work serving causes they believe in.
5. Work keeps them mentally sharp. It’s important to many older adults to stay curious and find things that engage them mentally. Many people aren’t the “sit on the beach and chill out” types of people. Working can keep the human brain stimulated. 
6. Working keeps them social and wards off loneliness. Work is a great place for older adults to find an invaluable sense of camaraderie. It’s well established that staying socially connected is good for older adults’ overall health and wellness.
7. They want to help support other family members. Many older adults say they have enough money for their own retirement, but they want to help their family with college, or the purchase of a first home. It’s not uncommon for older adults to continue working because they want to help their kids and grandkids financially.

One or more of these reasons seniors continuing working in retirement might resonate with you. Moving into a senior living community also sounds pretty enticing. But you may not know all the advantages senior living offers to those who want to work and live in a community. 

Five benefits of senior living, even if you still work

1. No more home maintenance or lawn work. Hands down, this may be the best benefit of living at a senior living community like Westminster-Canterbury. Weekly housekeeping, lawn care, exterior and interior maintenance, and much more is covered by the community’s staff.
2. You basically live in a resort. Imagine coming home to a community full of amenities — heated pools and a fitness center, dining, gardens, trips and classes, an ever-changing calendar full of social, educational and spiritual opportunities — and that’s just scratching the surface.
3. You have a culinary team and multiple dining venues. Who hasn’t gotten home from work so tired that they pop a frozen pizza in the oven? Quick, yes. Nutritious, no. A senior living community is a better solution. Westminster-Canterbury residents don’t have to worry about grocery shopping or meal prep. They have three dining venues to choose from, and delicious, nutritious menus created by the community’s culinary staff.
4. You can live in a location you’ve always dreamed of. If you’re an empty nester, you don’t have to stay in a big house any longer. Instead, you can sell your home and live anywhere — like near the Chesapeake Bay. Westminster-Canterbury residents love their lives on the bay because the  views and the proximity to the beach make the community one of the best places to retire in the Virginia Beach area. 
5. It’s almost impossible to be bored. There may come a time when you really do want to retire and enjoy the fact that each day is truly all yours. If you live at Westminster-Canterbury, you’ll find a community of residents who share your same interests and hobbies. You’ll discover countless opportunities to meet new friends over drinks, dinner or a social activity. One thing is for sure: You won’t have to worry about your social circle getting smaller. 

If you’re convinced, let’s connect

Now you know you can still work and live in a retirement community — maybe you’ve learned Westminster-Canterbury may make it even easier to work after 70 because you live here. So make your next move a really good one: Contact us, request a brochure or schedule your personal visit.