Transitioning to a retirement living community is a big step, but it’s also an exciting one. This new stage of life gives you the freedom to enjoy new experiences and cultivate meaningful connections. That’s why so many people choose retirement communities like Carlyle Place in Macon, Georgia. As the tapestry of your life unfolds, this decision to move represents not just a change of address but also a step toward a more vibrant way of living. You’ve worked hard to reach this phase of your life—now is the time to enjoy it rather than fear it.
Take the Becks, who moved to Carlyle Place earlier this year. Even though Marianne Beck was the catalyst for their decision to relocate from Beaufort, South Carolina, her husband George is very glad they did.
“I went along because she’s my sweetheart,” George says.
All the Right Moves
After touring 11 Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs), they decided on Carlyle Place. Neither of them had ever visited Macon before, so they went down for a few days to get a feel for the city and Carlyle Place. After their visit, they agreed that the friendly people, amenities and downtown Macon itself were exactly what they were looking for. So, they moved to Carlyle Place in early January. But they didn’t do it alone. Thankfully, there’s an in-house move coordinator here at Carlyle Place who helps take care of some of the peskier details of a long-distance move. Fran Ryan has been on the Carlyle Place team for several years, and her job is to make your move as easy as possible.
When you decide to move to Carlyle Place, Fran will become your new best friend. Even though she helps about five residents move in every month, she was never too busy to stay in regular contact with the Becks as they prepared themselves for the move. Although no two moves are the same, Fran’s process is consistent.
“After a resident puts a deposit down on an apartment, one of our Life Plan Specialists sets up a meeting that usually will include a refurbishment coordinator and myself. From there, we get started right away, making selections for paints, finishes and anything else someone might want done to their apartment before they move in,” Fran explains.
Because most new residents are moving from out of state as the Becks did, there can be a lot of moving parts. While the refurbishment coordinator handles the practical details of working with contractors and specialists, Fran acts as the liaison to help keep incoming residents in the know.
“A big thing we do at the initial meeting is to review our moving guide. It has a wealth of information on downsizing to help people decide what they do or don’t need to bring. We always say less is more. You can also find all the moving companies we work with in there,” Fran says.
Take or Toss?
Deciding what to take and what to toss is generally the bulk of move prep when you’re downsizing. And that’s no easy feat. Thankfully, for other moving-related tasks, you can hire people! The Becks used one of the companies Fran recommended to have their home packed and moved.
For the Becks, downsizing wasn’t as tough as it can be for others, “George has a lot more attachment to things than I do. I don’t have that kind of attachment to things. If I have it, great; if I don’t, I’m going on. I would say he had a harder time with that. Some things are here that I would have said no to, but we’ll sort those out eventually,” Marianne joked.
“I had this Rubbermaid tub of slides because we had a ton of pictures from over the years of living abroad and having children. I didn’t have digital copies of any of these pictures, but once I got the price for how much that cost—the slides went right to the dump. We hadn’t looked at them in 20 years. I didn’t care. The girls didn’t care, and it would cost over $3,000 to digitize all the slides. We’re good without them,” George says.
Making it Your Own
The Becks wanted their apartment their way, and Fran and her team were there to help them create an ideal home.
“We had an all-new kitchen, baths and floors. We took a couple of walls out; we did a lot. In fact, our contractor called me one day and said he wanted to talk about my palette of paint colors because we chose four colors, and he said most people only choose one. I said, ‘Well, yes, but not me,’” Marianne says.
With the current housing market, it’s also not uncommon for residents to sell their homes faster than their new home at Carlyle Place is ready. A big part of what Fran’s team does is help place residents in temporary apartments at Carlyle Place and find space to store their furniture until their move-in day arrives. The Becks were lucky to sell their home so quickly, but it happened about two weeks ahead of their official Carlyle Place move-in date. Not to worry, Fran set them up in an apartment on campus with everything they’d need for 10 days. “We cannot say enough good things about Fran. She was there waiting for us when we arrived that January day, and she probably would have helped us unpack our boxes if we’d asked her to,” George says.
There’s No Place Like Home
George was initially apprehensive about moving to a retirement community, but they’re both glad they did, thanks in part to Fran and all her help. George and Marianne were quick to get involved; now, they sit on committees and partake in all sorts of activities on campus. You can catch George playing harmonica in the resident-led club while Marianne learns mahjong.
“Every night, we go to The Pub and have a cocktail or dinner with friends. Sometimes we’ll do something after dinner, but there’s always somebody different to eat dinner with. We’ve always liked interacting with people, so this is our ideal living situation,” Marianne concluded.
Carlyle Place could be your kind of place if you’re like the Becks, who love socializing and being part of a community. Here, you’re free to create the kind of home you want and enjoy the activities that speak to you. Are you ready for the next big chapter? Give us a call at 478-405-4544 to schedule your tour today.
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