Crazy Condo Neighbors

[Helene2013]

Now we have this big nice house. Good neighbours all around...but for this wacko on one side but we try to ignore him. Wife is ok but him...ish...weird things in his mind! oh well, can't have it all.

But funny this discussion taking a turn as we too are retiring in about 5 years and our criterias are changing for housing. No more stairs, or very minimal. With my knee issues, it will not get better. Also, tired of always being up/down 3 levels (including basement) when you want to get something.

We are thinking selling our home and being full-timers in our motorhome. Summer somewhere in Canada and 7 months somewhere in the States where it is warm. Hubby is more insecure and would like to keep a foot inside somewhere. I'm not sure I want to pay to maintain a home when 7 months you are not using it (on top of paying for someone to remove the snow, visit to make sure all is ok - insurance obliged!), etc. But we'll need to make sure that wherever we live, there are on one-floor, near hospital services (we can't ignore that we will be using more those services as we age), bus service or taxis available for days we no longer will be able to drive, no more rural home area, etc. It is a lot to ask but at the same time Canada is so big I am sure we will find a new place to live in that will meet all of standards. Right now it is harder because of our 3 dogs and 3 cats. But dealing with a geriatric home (4 pets out of 6 are over 10 years old), we are sure that by retirement, 3 of them will be gone, if not 4 of them. We'll be only 57 then, so still young. But you never know what the future holds for you and I want to be ready.

But right now, I enjoy what I have have and only wished I started road cycling many years ago. But then again, we've always did sports, just different ones. Now we're hook to cycling but who knows what we will like in 5 years. We change with time and adapt to new realities too.

[shootingstar]

. But we'll need to make sure that wherever we live, there are on one-floor, near hospital services (we can't ignore that we will be using more those services as we age), bus service or taxis available for days we no longer will be able to drive, no more rural home area, etc. It is a lot to ask but at the same time Canada is so big I am sure we will find a new place to live in that will meet all of standards. Right now it is harder because of our 3 dogs and 3 cats. But dealing with a geriatric home (4 pets out of 6 are over 10 years old), we are sure that by retirement, 3 of them will be gone, if not 4 of them. We'll be only 57 then, so still young. But you never know what the future holds for you and I want to be ready.

No doubt this thread, probably sounds positively geriatric to some readers (who haven't spoken up at all yet.)
However I have been living in a 1-level condo unit, ever since I was 32 yrs. old. I'm not a great housekeeper, am not into gardening, so it just suits me. Yes, of course, there has to be storage space for bikes.

No doubt Helene, you and hubby will land on place. Maybe a medium size city with amenities. Will it be outside or within Quebec? Your rv home..will depreciate over time. Not appreciate. It's a home vehicle. However maybe other TE members, have more info., on assessed value of a rv.

Trek, what I have now is a short-term disability. A few days after my injury, I had to ask for go-cart transport assistance at the airport in Jan. because I could not walk a significant distance through crowds of people. It was an effort to get my request met because....I don't look elderly nor frail.

More likely, some of us later may accidentally fall and break /sprain a limb. So we have to find ways to deal with daily living. I couldn't shower for the first 3 days after my injury. I was afraid of falling in the shower. Going up and down stairs at that time: not for me.

[Helene2013]

Nah...not a geriatric thread. Just one deviating once in a while from point A to B. hihi

Oh we know a VR is not an investment. Thus the need to not go out once our home is sold to buy the biggest RV on the market. It would be ridiculous as one day, we may need to go back to a "real" home/condo/whatever and that would be money lost. So we need to be "frugal" in the way we'll be using that type of living. We currently have a motorhome (a class A 34 feet). It is ok to travel a few months a year. We don't need bigger. But if we are going to live in this box year-around, it needs to have wider space, which means slide-outs. Not only one like we have now. For vacationing it is great. For living 24/7/365...not sure.

We are thinking getting out of QC. We were looking for either Ontario or Alberta. But no big towns, nor suburbs. Like you said, mid-size towns, even smaller ones (but not small that they don't even have a store or gas station, or require a car to get anywhere hihi). Like where we live now. About 8,000 people, but the city is so wide-spread that we are 8km from a grocery store, etc. We have only 1 bus in the morning and one back from Montreal downtown in the evening - week days only. So we need better services when we're retired.

Only thing that scares me is that if we decide to move into a condo. You truly need to love your neighbours are they are very close. In a motorhome, if you don't like them, you can ask to move to another spot, or just leave and go to another campground. haha Not so easily done if you bought the condo.

[shootingstar]

We are thinking getting out of QC. We were looking for either Ontario or Alberta. But no big towns, nor suburbs. Like you said, mid-size towns, even smaller ones (but not small that they don't even have a store or gas station, or require a car to get anywhere hihi). Like where we live now. About 8,000 people, but the city is so wide-spread that we are 8km from a grocery store, etc. We have only 1 bus in the morning and one back from Montreal downtown in the evening - week days only. So we need better services when we're retired.

Only thing that scares me is that if we decide to move into a condo. You truly need to love your neighbours are they are very close. In a motorhome, if you don't like them, you can ask to move to another spot, or just leave and go to another campground. haha Not so easily done if you bought the condo.

So what is the appeal of Alberta? Keep in mind in Canmore foothill town outside of Banff, was partially flooded in 2013 by the massive river disaster that also impacted Calgary. I wouldn't buy real estate there if you don't know the floodplain area. There is Red Deer, Airdrie....which well, are just prairie small cities. Except for Calgary and Edmonton, there are no other big urban centres. The towns are far apart and very car dependent in the prairies.... Cycling infrastructure does exist in Calgary and Edmonton, but it's a huge ongoing battle.

I'm here in Calgary because I was offered a good job. Not because I like the lifestyle, milieu here.... That's all.

Prairies, the politics, etc. is quite different in Alberta compared to Ontario. It's not as pleasant in my opinion as Ontario cities of Kingston, or a place just outside of Ottawa, Niagara on the Lake, Stratford, Guelph, London.... I grew up in Kitchener-Waterloo. I lived first 40 yrs. in Ontario and also biked within Toronto and outside in some other (no transit) areas, Perth, Merrickville, etc. Going north towards Goderich there are some pleasant towns but very little to do in cold seasons. So feel free to PM me, Helene, since I still visit Ontario with friends and family.

I've named Ontario cities/towns with some older, historic cores with cultural, outdoor activities, universities/colleges (good for interest courses) and services where they aren't dying off.

[shootingstar]

Stairs for keeping fit and probability of being still mobile to navigate stairs:

I certainly hope to keep reasonably healthy and fit. But I know I don't need to have internal home stairs for this. There's a good chance myself and others in family, could well live long beyond 80 yrs. or so.. Just by the current track record in family recent genes in Canada. But what is sad that my father was quite fit (aside from his cancer) up to 85 yrs. last year. No cardio, respiratory problems at all. Then he had difficulty because of the cancer, chemo weakening him, then later he couldn't use the stairs anymore 4 months before he died (in the hospital, palliative care).

I also think of my partner's mother who walked 2 km. round trip for her own grocery shopping up until she was around 88 yrs. Then she sold her 3 level house, moved into 1 level apartment for seniors before nursing home as last stop. She never learned to drive. (Would have been too nervous for that, anyway.)

These were quite healthy seniors. Now, I feel sorry for a single good friend who is close to 80 yrs. She has lived solo for most of her adult years but is a socialable person. She broke her hip 3 yrs. ago and did heal after rehab. Now she broke her right hand wrist for the 2nd time. She's having a tough time doing some daily stuff. She lives in a different province. She did own a house, then sold to condo (twice) and now end up apartment. She is also reasonably alert and fit....loves to walk. She gave up her car about 5 yrs. ago. This is in Toronto.

Everyone makes a choice. And my choice is not to live in a manner that is more isolated as someone without children, and that requires a car to get life necessities, food and get health care services/ requires a car for people to visit me because of no transit/no sidewalk for safe walking, etc.

[Crankin]

It sounds like you know yourself, Shooting Star, so that is good. It's funny, I don't really consider having children into my planning for this. One of my kids lives in the area, about 30 minutes away by car. But, I really don't ever want to depend on either of them for my care. I am ok with assisted living or nursing home for a long term situation, but in the short term, I would like palliative care, like my dad had, if I am in a terminal situation. We just redid our wills and the son here is our health care proxy, so he knows all of this, as does the other one.
My older son has already been through a palliative care terminal illnesss with his FIL, so he kind of was exposed at a younger age than most.

[shootingstar]

It sounds like you know yourself, Shooting Star, so that is good. It's funny, I don't really consider having children into my planning for this. One of my kids lives in the area, about 30 minutes away by car. But, I really don't ever want to depend on either of them for my care. I am ok with assisted living or nursing home for a long term situation, but in the short term, I would like palliative care, like my dad had, if I am in a terminal situation. We just redid our wills and the son here is our health care proxy, so he knows all of this, as does the other one.
My older son has already been through a palliative care terminal illnesss with his FIL, so he kind of was exposed at a younger age than most.

Stuff got confirmed where I've been living...not just now..but for the last 52 yrs., my choice makes sense for me. First 3 years don't count since I don't remember for a town of 2,000 people. (Terrible for my mother who was very isolated, stuck in the house with her lst 3 very young children and not speaking English.) Always living close to transit, services, shops..walking distance. My parents made that choice when we were children. They did live in the suburbs for a decade after most of us flew their coop. That was when I found it was such a hassle whenever I visited them, to be car-dependent for everything in the 'burbs except for occasional bus service. I was already in my 30's then.

Maybe I don't know any better.
My father died just 2 wks...... before I had my head injury on this Jan. lst. It's been a lot of compressed living in the last few months for my family and thoughts of future.

I would love to believe that I will aim to be as healthy as possible (just like some real people I know from family) for best quality of life, and have made effort not to cause unnecessary suffering for myself because I didn't take preventive, long-term health and safety measures outside and within home.

[Crankin]

Frankly, I am not looking to make all of the changes you all are talking about for my next move. We are going to put our house up for sale in about a year. I doubt we would ever find a one story home here, as there are very few ranches, and they tend to be old and ready for tear down status. Of course, there are condos on one floor, but I think we have really decided to just buy a smaller home, locally, where we can pay cash for the house. Our biggest goal is to have no mortgage, and this will be possible when we sell. We are willing to spend a good bit to remodel, too. However, being able to walk to a few types of places is a definite requirement. There is a commuter rail here, but it's not something I would depend on, so just having it is fine, I don't need to be able to walk to it, although the area I am targeting, it would be possible to walk there from some locations. I don't plan on quitting work for at least 5 years, and it is important for me to stay within the same short commute I have now, or at least not more than 7-8 miles. And, I may continue working at least one day a week until whenever I can't talk and write! Basically, we are looking for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home, with a flat yard. We will pay for gardening and snow removal, although, in a smaller home, DH may enjoy doing some of that, at least for awhile.
I do not want to move into a more urban area, or even some of the suburbs east of here, that have more services. I just can't take being too close to people. Where I live is not super rural, or anything, but sort of suburban-rural, with some towns having village centers, sometimes, more than one, with services. Most of all, I don't want to leave the area I am in. I've moved a lot, and I want stability. We also still have the idea of buying a small condo/second home out in western MA, so that is a consideration, too.

[ny biker]

My parents are in their late 70s, and are up and down stairs all day in their house. I actually think it has helped them stay fit. They could live on one floor of the house, but won't do that unless they really have to.

[Trek420]

My parents are in their late 70s, and are up and down stairs all day in their house. I actually think it has helped them stay fit. They could live on one floor of the house, but won't do that unless they really have to.

Somewhere I read that someone asked Betty White how she stays in such good shape. She said she has a 2 story house and a bad memory.

[zoom-zoom]

Somewhere I read that someone asked Betty White how she stays in such good shape. She said she has a 2 story house and a bad memory.

Ha! I remember how worn out I was when we moved into our house (almost exactly 2 years ago). I was up and down the stairs all day long for a week or two (2 story home...3, with basement). I didn't feel so bad about being too busy to get legitimate workouts in for a while.

[Crankin]

That's exactly how I feel, NY. I am not planning my life to be stair free. It keeps me fit. In fact, when I am too lazy to go outside or I don't want to get on the trainer, I run up 3 flights of stairs/walk down for 20 minutes. That is a workout! Sure, I could get hurt or incapacitated in some way, but I just can't base my life on what might happen. Right now I have a 4 story home, so 2 floors will seem like nothing. I feel like i am just starting to live the second half of my life, with lots of travel and less work; most people in my family live until their early 90s, with a good quality of life, so I suspect my next move may not be my last.

[Trek420]

My parents are in their late 70s, and are up and down stairs all day in their house. I actually think it has helped them stay fit. They could live on one floor of the house, but won't do that unless they really have to.

My Dad lived to his early 80's. If you'd met him up to his last year you might not have guessed his age. You'd have thought maybe 70's. And you'd never have guessed he was seriously ill. He'd take you on a tour striding around the 3 acre garden or out chopping wood or turning a mountain of compost. After his death mom moved from the single story home she'd designed for them to a place of her own. Also one story.

We worried how she would do alone although my brother and I lived nearby. She started gardening almost immediately and we knew she'd be ok. Mom went on living actively and independently, raising heck, fruit and veggies. She passed away almost a year ago at 92. I remember her saying when someone asked how she kept so alert and active "just keep moving."

There's genetic luck of the draw, nutrition, but perhaps activity was key. For them that was gardening, close community and friends, that and cross word puzzles.