A Tale of Two CCRCs -- make that three and third time is the charm!

[clifffaith]

So of course after being on the wait list four years for one Continuing Care Retirement Community, and having our initial choice reject us for a combination of our age difference (18 years) and net worth, but now suddenly deeming us worthy, we have two viable options. Bottom line, we will be moved in somewhere before Thanksgiving once I rehash the pros and cons again. Realtor comes Monday morning to do listing paperwork-- I think he wants two weeks to get his act together, complete with "some" staging at his cost (a hard one for me because my house is of course "perfect", but I've had several months to get used to the idea). Cliff couldn't get either of our parents to move when they needed help, so here we are moving well before we need it (God willing Cliff's CT scan of his kidneys comes back with nothing and my racing heart can be solved with a medication adjustment).

Carlsbad Village
Beach out the back door, shops and restaurants out the front--what's not to like?
Unit is ground floor courtyard view, ocean peekaboo from small deck when looking left. The bad news here is that Jackson the Friendly Cat is going to be very unhappy with his inability to go out. The grounds being just outside the window will drive him bonkers wanting to roam and visit, and no visible-above-the-railing catio is allowed.
Underground parking; storage cage (inside the building) is 8' tall so Christmas tree fits.
I get to choose my paint and flooring
Small community of 200 or so residents
Assisted living is paid for only when you need it, and in theory I will be able to assist Cliff early on while our investments keep growing.



San Juan Capistrano (adjacent)
Nothing in walking distance, and man o maneschevitz the traffic on Ortega Highway when exiting the CCRC neighborhood is bumper to bumper at 4pm. 6 miles from the coast makes it up to ten degrees warmer in summer
Unit is on second floor, with patio and grass and hillside view. Jackson is unlikely to jump (and wouldn't kill himself because of bush landing), it "appears" he could go out on balcony and be happy
Parking is carport for which we pay extra, Christmas tree will need to find a closet inside, leaving ornament boxes in the easily accessible storage down the hall. There are two or three extra closets here compared to Carlsbad.
This is a new build and all paint and flooring is set, so change at my own cost. Wall to wall carpet required above first floor except in kitchen and bath. Not my choice (cats barf a lot) but I can deal with it. Two bedroom is about 1250 sq ft, so larger than 1100 ' unit in Carlsbad
More expensive buy in price pre-pays for future care which includes the possibility of Cliff needing memory care or assisted living in another building on campus (and this is a true "resort" campus with grounds, gazebos, sitting areas, koi pond) while I still occupy our original home. Only additional fee is that three meal per day are required in advanced care, where we choose a meal to participate in once a day in Independent Living.
Approx 400 units here, so twice the population of Carlsbad

Tomorrow I'll cancel Sedona, Santa Fe, Scottsdale and Pismo Beach reservations scheduled for Oct & Nov. Cliff is set on Carlsbad. I am too, I think, but Capistrano was my choice when we visited our friends at the sister community in Pleasonton. I am thinking to board cats for a long weekend and vacating house to a semi- local timeshare so realtor can have free rein -- with a guest house and downstairs granny flat, I am hoping we'll sell quickly. The less we have to drag the jumbo sized kitty litter pan in and out the better!

 

[VacationForever]

From your analysis, it appears that you prefer the environment within the San Juan Capistrano property even though it is warmer in summer. What about the food? For me, food is probably the most important factor when making my choice. Good luck with Cliff's kidney scan and your racing heart. How many kitties are you down to?

 

[clifffaith]

From your analysis, it appears that you prefer the environment within the San Juan Capistrano property even though it is warmer in summer. What about the food? For me, food is probably the most important factor when making my choice. Good luck with Cliff's kidney scan and your racing heart. How many kitties are you down to?

Down to two kitties. We have been discussing the possibility of potted "palms" and hanging plants, which in theory should be allowed on patio, then after that "screen" doesn't draw any issues, bringing in a cage that would have an upper lounging level that is about at railing height. But we'll get moved in and see how Jax does when the door is open with the Magic Screen in place. Mocha won't be an issue because she doesn't like strangers -- cat feeder can come for two weeks and not see her. Not worried about the menu dining in either location because there are plenty of daily specials and regular items, and each have a "grab a sandwich/burger/pizza" cafe counter too. Thanks for the well wishes on our medical issues.

 

[geist1223]

From your descriptions Patti and I would prefer Carlsbad Village. Our cats have always been indoor only.

 

[Carlsbadguy]

I am curious how long you were on the waiting list for Carlsbad as considering that community or LA Costa Glen.

 

[clifffaith]

From your descriptions Patti and I would prefer Carlsbad Village. Our cats have always been indoor only.

Well, there's indoor, and there's begging to go out to the backyard under supervision for ten minutes which is where we currently are with Jax.

 

[clifffaith]

I am curious how long you were on the waiting list for Carlsbad as considering that community or LA Costa Glen.

Four years next month on the waitlist for Carlsbad By the Sea. We expected to be rejecting units before accepting something, but it didn't work out that way. I wasn't quite ready until this year, "hoping" that my father would die so we could still support my mother from 30 minutes away rather than 90, but at 2.5 years on hospice care we decided to take the plunge because he could outlive us all. We were told La Costa Glen and all its sister communities other than the new Reata Glen in Capistrano, are full and have waitlists. Reata expects to be full in 18-24 months. We looked at La Costa Glen two years ago, but it is so hard not to pick the beach location if we are going to be in Carlsbad.

 

[bogey21]

I have lived in a CCRC for 20 years and have no words of wisdom regarding the two you are considering. But here is something to consider. There is more to living in a CCRC than physical facilities. IMO a more important consideration is your ability to interact with other Residents. I honestly believe that my interaction with other Residents at my CCRC has been an important factor in my good health and longevity. Another thing along the same lines is to check out the activities offered by the CCRCs you are considering. The more activities they have that interest you, the more you will interact with and meet other Residents. Trust me the last thing you need is to find yourself isolated in your apartment...

George

 

[isisdave]

Carlsbad. Remember the train to SD is outside the front door, and there is LOTS that you can walk to. How you gonna get groceries in SJC if you have to drive everywhere in terrible traffic ten years hence? And can I just say: GelatoLove and Carlsbad Chocolate Bar?

I see it does make the cat problem harder, and farther to your parents. HERE is a hydraulic table lift -- put a small catio on it, and pump it up above the wall for an hour or so at random times. Or Cliff can start with this idea and come up with something more elegant. Maybe Alexa-controlled: "Alexa, launch the cat!" There are bigger ones --- and electric ones.

The "pay up front or pay later" question is hard, it's kinda like insurance, where you're betting against yourself. No good answer there.

 

[Ty1on]

Carlsbad. Remember the train to SD is outside the front door, and there is LOTS that you can walk to. How you gonna get groceries in SJC if you have to drive everywhere in terrible traffic ten years hence? And can I just say: GelatoLove and Carlsbad Chocolate Bar?

I see it does make the cat problem harder, and farther to your parents. HERE is a hydraulic table lift -- put a small catio on it, and pump it up above the wall for an hour or so at random times. Or Cliff can start with this idea and come up with something more elegant. Maybe Alexa-controlled: "Alexa, launch the cat!" There are bigger ones --- and electric ones.

The "pay up front or pay later" question is hard, it's kinda like insurance, where you're betting against yourself. No good answer there.

On the other hand, the train to San Diego is outside the front door. All day and all night.

 

[clifffaith]

I was awake from 2am to 7am last night, then dozed for two hours before getting up. I was in an agony of indecision beautiful resort town on the water/but scant closet space (medium size walk-in and small sliding door closet) and I realize I was looking at kitchen thinking I'll have to downsize more to get my dishes etc to fit -- oh, wait, where do the groceries go? Capistrano has two walk-in closets, a double wide closet, a coat closet and a balcony closet. The kitchen and its cabinets were more roomy -- two people could be in the kitchen at one time.

Cliff woke up still set on Carlsbad, but the more I talked the more he realized we needed to rethink things. Enter CCRC number three, also in Carlsbad and a sister community to Capistrano. We'd toured it two years ago, but didn't pursue it because we preferred the beach location rather than 3 miles inland. Cliff said "let's go see them now" so we showed up at the front gate and they found us a marketeer. End result was a two bedroom second floor unit with bocce ball court view, and a balcony big enough for humans and cats to lounge on. And we gained a dining table area that was lacking at tge other two locations. More expensive buy in than Capistrano, but monthly fee a couple hundred less. Unit is ready except for the refrigerator needing to be delivered, so they want us paying for it by October which means we'll want to move sooner rather than later. If I can sleep tonight, it looks like this will be it. They tell me actuarially I'll still have five years of funds left when I die, but I'm itching to get home and lay everything out and do the math.

 

[clifffaith]

Carlsbad. Remember the train to SD is outside the front door, and there is LOTS that you can walk to. How you gonna get groceries in SJC if you have to drive everywhere in terrible traffic ten years hence? And can I just say: GelatoLove and Carlsbad Chocolate Bar?

I see it does make the cat problem harder, and farther to your parents. HERE is a hydraulic table lift -- put a small catio on it, and pump it up above the wall for an hour or so at random times. Or Cliff can start with this idea and come up with something more elegant. Maybe Alexa-controlled: "Alexa, launch the cat!" There are bigger ones --- and electric ones.

The "pay up front or pay later" question is hard, it's kinda like insurance, where you're betting against yourself. No good answer there.

That hydraulic lift is a terrific idea! And now with a balcony three times as big at La Costa, plenty of room for cat cages (if needed), and people.

 

[bogey21]

but scant closet space (medium size walk-in and small sliding door closet)

With two of you closet space has to be a consideration. More than once I have talked to couples who moved into a one bedroom at my CCRC because of its lower cost only to pay up to move into a two bedroom. Why? Not enough closet space in the one bedroom...

George

 

[bogey21]

You need to make sure pets are allowed. Don't assume anything. Read all documents. When I moved into my CCRC 20 years ago pets were not allowed. About 15 years ago they changed the rules to allow small pets to facilitate marketing...

George

 

[PrairieGirl]

George has VERY good advice about the dynamic of the community making a huge difference. When I was taking my mother on tours, she chose a brand new facility with the idea that everyone was in at the same level over one that had been around for years because she could feel the "pecking order" and that there was a group of ladies who "ran things" just from our one short visit!

 

[clifffaith]

You need to make sure pets are allowed. Don't assume anything. Read all documents. When I moved into my CCRC 20 years ago pets were not allowed. About 15 years ago they changed the rules to allow small pets to facilitate marketing...

George

One pet is allowed and they know we are moving in with an extra cat. My fervent hope is that two will always be allowed with my second cat being one adopted from the community when a resident dies. One of the things I'd like to become involved in is "you pet sit for me and I'll return the favor".

 

[clifffaith]

George has VERY good advice about the dynamic of the community making a huge difference. When I was taking my mother on tours, she chose a brand new facility with the idea that everyone was in at the same level over one that had been around for years because she could feel the "pecking order" and that there was a group of ladies who "ran things" just from our one short visit!

Cliff has been asking "are there cliques? Is there a Queen Bee?" at every location. Doesn't concern me because I am happily oblivious of those situations, having survived four years at an all girl high school and was never politically in tune with who was vying for which promotion when I was in the corporate world. I think that's what made me a much better business owner than employee and why my window covering business was so successful when not only didn't I work for anyone but myself, after the first five years i didn't deal with employees either. I am very happy as a "one woman band". I don't tend to be a team player and don't necessarily work well with others or want to join clubs or committees. Not opposed to it, but I am happy on my own. Did however let my hair go gray three years ago in anticipation of not wanting to stand out as much younger than some residents, and will have to get Cliff to stop referring to me as his "child bride"!