HappilyRetired.Com

New Choices magazine thinks its sixth annual survey of retirement communities has identified America’s Best, or at least the top 20. Selections all boast state-of-the-art facilities, beautiful settings, and the best value for your money. In order to qualify, the retirement community must welcome newcomers of all races and religions. The 20 communities are located in 14 different states. Here’s the list, identified by nearest major city.

* ARIZONA
Green Valley (Tucson), Sun City Grand (Phoenix), Saddlebrook (Greater Phoenix).
* CALIFORNIA
Sun City Palm Desert (Palm Springs), Sun City Roseville (Sacramento).
* COLORADO
Battlement Mesa (Aspen).
* FLORIDA
Century Village at Pembroke Pines (Ft. Lauderdale), Heritage Golf & Country Club (Naples), Villages of Highlands Ridge (Sebring).
* ILLINOIS
Cambridge at Carillon (Chicago).
* MASSACHUSETTS
Villages at Great Hill (Boston).
* NEVADA
Sun City Summerlin (Las Vegas).
* NEW JERSEY
Hovnanian’s Four Seasons (Lakewood).
* NEW YORK
Heritage Hills of Westchester (New York City).
* NORTH CAROLINA
Carolina Trace Country Club (Raleigh), St. James Plantation (Wilmington).
* SOUTH CAROLINA
Callawassie Island (Beaufort).
* TEXAS
Sun City Georgetown (Austin).
* VIRGINIA
Ford’s Colony (Williamsburg).
* WASHINGTON
Port Ludlow (Seattle).

If you’re interested enough to have read down the entire list, then you’re likely to be a details-oriented person. That’s good. So here’s another important detail. Make sure that the community is operated by a management company experienced in the retirement industry. And, more importantly, make sure that the management experience is in the same level of care provided by the current community, i.e. rental, assisted living, continued care, life care.
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com