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Assisted Living on Wheels; Happy End of the Road for RVers
Topic Started: Oct 28 2011, 10:53 PM (207 Views)
tomdrobin
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Pearl and Bud Crispell hit the road in their RV the day after they retired in 1976. And for decades, that's where they stayed, living in their 40-foot motor home and traversing the country at will.

But, as is the eventual story of all road warriors, the day came when they hit the proverbial dead end. Unable to manage some aspects of their life and care, living on fixed incomes and not wanting to become a burden to friends and relatives, the Crispells pulled in to the country's only assisted-living RV Park, the Escapees Care Center in Livingston, Texas. The nonprofit adult day care and residency program (pictured above) bills itself as a refuge for RVers whose travels are permanently ended because of age or temporarily interrupted because of an illness.

For a monthly fee of $824 per person, or $1,236 a couple, residents get a spot to park their wheeled homes; three meals a day, every day; two loads of laundry service a week; light housekeeping of their unit; transportation to medical appointments; and access to registered nurses on call 40 hours a week.

The Care Center also functions as a land-based community hub for the residents, providing daily activities, concerts, and a place to socialize. Not to mention a chance to get behind the wheel again: Last Father's Day, residents competed in blind golf cart races. The drivers had to be legally blind or wear a blindfold while their sighted navigators yelled directions around an obstacle course of parking cones.

At 93 and 90, Pearl, a retired nurse, and Bud, a former IBM engineer, are not without age-related health issues. But her mind is "sharper than my husband wishes it was," Pearl says. And she has no desire to trade the small confines of their RV for a bigger "land-based residence," as Escapees call conventional houses. "We didn't retire to entertain our family," she says.

Right now the center's 35 sites are all occupied, by vehicles ranging from minivans to 40-footers. Each unit has its own fresh water supply and a private septic system. While a few residents are in their 90s, most are in the mid- to late 80s, says Robert Brinton, the facility's executive director and on-site manager. The center doesn't have a waiting list or immediate plans to expand. Openings occur and there just always seems to be someone who wants it, he said.


Gallery: The Escapees Care Center in Livingston, Texas



Brinton himself joined the Escapees RV Club in 2000 precisely because it has the Care Center. The 60,000-member strong club is founded on the "caring and sharing" principle, which appealed to him, Brinton says. Member donations built the Care Center, which has no mortgage and is thus able to keep expenses low.

The trend toward the "village" approach to aging in place is growing, says Nancy Thompson, senior media relations manager for AARP. She defines it as "co-housing" with a self-selected group of people who build a community together. It allows people to stay in their homes by providing easy access to services, especially transportation. Villages like this "are springing up all over the country," she said.

Other co-housing units --also known as affinity communities -- exist based on other shared commonalities. In Burbank, CA., the Burbank Senior Arts Colony is home to retired artists, musicians, actors and writers. The high-end Rainbow Vision in Santa Fe, N.M., is home to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender residents. In addition to its assisted living, it has a cabaret, an award-winning restaurant and a spa, reports AARP.

An AARP story notes that "With 3 million GLBT older Americans -- a figure projected to nearly double by 2030 -- and typically no adult children to care for them, such communities are expected to multiply."


http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/10/28/happy-end-of-the-road-for-rvers-assisted-living-on-wheels/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl5%7Csec3_lnk1%7C108173
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Mike
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Escapes has an RV park here in Southern Nevada. I have met a few folks who have been living the life of gypsies for years. I admire their independence but too cramped for me.
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tomdrobin
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I could live the full time RV lifestyle. I love the homestead, but am tiring of the work it takes to maintain it. Every year I look forward to summer and all the RV and vacation plans. But, it seems so much of my time gets eaten up by the yard, the garden, the landscaping, the honey do's. Some, including my dw really enjoy the gardening. I've other interests that I prefer more like cycling, watersports and traveling. Now, I'm rushing trying to get all the get ready for winter chores done. While I'm not a big fan of winter, it sure cuts down on the yard work.
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Thumper
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I would think that the gas prices would put a damper on full timing. We are currently wintering in our RV but we really do miss our home. It is a lesser of the two evils I suppose, the cold and the enjoyment of our home. As for projects around the house, I like to keep busy and productive so I don't mind the hassle of home ownership.
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