The best advertisement is word of mouth. That was certainly true for Dick and Penny Courreges, who moved to Carlyle Place almost two years ago. They were living on a lovely island in South Carolina but were on the lookout for retirement living options. A friend of theirs suggested they join her on a tour of a community in Macon, Georgia. That community turned out to be Carlyle Place.
Dick and Penny loved their idyllic coastal home, but the longer they lived there, the more updates they’d have to make. Ultimately, the cost of home maintenance outweighed their desire to stay put. They saw their neighbors getting younger and wondered if relocating might widen their friend network.
“We told our daughter, who lives in Pennsylvania, we were thinking about moving. She said, ‘If you’re going to move, get away from hurricanes,’” Penny explained.
Get a leg up on your next chapter
Ever the planner, Dick suggested they visit some of the retirement communities their friends had moved to over the years. They toured communities along the East Coast in places like Hilton Head and Savannah but decided to broaden their search in Georgia to include Greenville and Atlanta, with a stronger preference for the latter.
“Just as we’d made this decision, an old friend came over for a glass of wine and said she was moving to a Continuing Care Retirement Community in Macon, Georgia. ‘Why Macon?’ we asked. It hadn’t been on our radar,” Penny said.
As they researched, they started hearing the terms Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) and Life-Plan Communities more but weren’t quite sure what they meant. Most of the communities they toured had skilled nursing and personal care options. In their discussions with some communities, the term “Life Care” contracts came up as well. They wondered about the differences between these terms.
What they learned was that not all Life-Plan Communities are created equal. In their jaunt around Carlyle Place, they discovered that Life-Plan at Carlyle Place means a full continuum of quality care that’s accredited by CARF International. And that “Life-Care” refers to the financial element of residing at Carlyle Place. CARF is an independent, non-profit accreditor of health and human services that is the gold standard in senior health services. They were comforted to know that if they ever need healthcare services, it was available and wouldn’t increase their monthly fee.
Find activities you love
Not only was the healthcare appealing, but the activities offered on campus made it an easy decision. Getting involved is simple at Carlyle Place, either on the brand-new Pickleball courts or in one of the many art classes; the opportunities to mix with new people are abundant.
Carlyle Place is proud to provide access to the Wesleyan Academy of Lifelong Learning (WALL) so residents can interact with college students of all ages in classes that are interesting and enlightening, regardless of their prior education.
There are plenty of ways residents practice self-expression like painting, theater, woodworking and much more. Live bands and singers also frequently perform at Carlyle Place for music and dance lovers.
Not everyone is a joiner by nature, but with so many group activities available, socialization is hard to resist. Making friends later in life can be difficult, but the warm and friendly atmosphere at Carlyle Place promotes rewarding interactions between neighbors. The best way to get involved is by joining one of the many resident committees or outside volunteering opportunities to enrich the surrounding community.
Making the move
“After the tour, we knew we’d decided Carlyle Place was right for us,” Dick said.
They jumped right into community life at Carlyle Place. Nearly two years later, they’re still as happy as they were when they moved in. Making friends came naturally through joining clubs and activities. They’ve also gone on several of the group travel trips Carlyle Place organizes for residents. “Each time we return from a trip, we feel like we’re coming home,” Dick said
Penny added, “Our sensational staff goes over and above to please, and plan a myriad of fun and varied activities.”
Dining at Carlyle Place is one of their favorite things to do with friends. Most nights they spend with their neighbors, chatting over the culinary creations dished out by our chefs. Fresh seafood, prime-cut beef, produce and garden-picked herbs are some of the many ingredients cleverly blended to craft made-from-scratch dishes. Creative menus offer ample choices to suit everyone’s preferences and are continuously adapted based on resident feedback.
It’s no wonder so many residents regularly invite friends to join them for meals at Carlyle Place. For a quick bite, the Bistro serves breakfast hot off the griddle, freshly baked pastries, fresh salads and sandwiches, burgers, paninis, homemade soups and more. Many residents gather in The Pub for a casual meal or to have a beer while watching the game. In the evenings, residents like Dick and Penny enjoy a chef-prepared meal in the main dining room.
Just as Dick and Penny were tipped off about Carlyle Place by a friend, they’ve spread the word to others. They’re so enthusiastic about their community, they convinced two of their South Carolina island friends to move to Carlyle Place. If Dick and Penny’s story made you curious about life at Carlyle Place, call us at 478-405-4500 to speak to one of our friendly Life-Plan Advisors today.
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