By Gwyn Herbein
Retirement, an empty nest
or other life change can mean that, for adults over 55, it’s time to consider
one of the many housing options Atlanta has to offer.
Acadia Homes & Neighborhoods
Acadia Homes & Neighborhoods has a wide variety of homes, floor plans and
pricing, all across the metro area. For active adults 55 and older, Acadia offers
two standout properties: Wellstone at Middle Creek in Cumming and Arbor Green
in Kennesaw. Both properties boast maintenance-free living, with landscaping
and other fees built into the price of the home. Best of all, both facilities
have many ways to stay active. At Arbor Green, there are walking paths that
lead to a community green space, as well as a covered pavilion with gas grills
and benches, perfect for summer barbeques. Residents also have easy access to
the Marietta Country Club, Kennestone Hospital and Town Center Mall. Two- or
three-bedroom floor plans start at $210,000. Wellstone provides a clubhouse,
community garden, pool tables, and an outdoor pool, sauna and fireplace. Both
the shores of Lake Lanier and the bright lights of Atlanta are easily accessible
from Wellstone, and floor plans start at $237,000. “Since location has
a lot to do with where people choose to live, [these properties increase the]
value of what people are able to get for their money,” explains Sam Bass,
vice president of sales and marketing for Acadia.
Wellstone at Middle Creek: (404) 788-5957; Arbor Green: (404) 304-1304; acadiahomes.us
Park Springs
Park Springs is one of the few continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs)
in the metro area. The facility offers all levels of care, from independent
living in freestanding homes or cottages to assisted living, memory care and
rehabilitative services—all located on its 54-acre campus at the foot
of Stone Mountain. Being so close to the park affords members plenty of opportunity
to enjoy their surroundings, starting with the park’s 36-hole golf course.
Other on-campus amenities include four dining venues, a fitness center with
an indoor lap pool and a clubhouse with a theater, art studio, library and woodworking
shop. Members can also take care of their finances at Park Springs’ branch
of Georgia’s Own Credit Union. On the health care side, Park Springs is
Medicare certified and has an onsite clinic with a full-time geriatrician. Members
pay a one-time entry fee, which ranges from $143,000 to $500,000, depending
on the size and location of their home. Monthly fees that cover utilities, taxes,
insurance, landscaping, home maintenance, dining allocations and other amenities
range from $1,875 to $4,600. Best of all, living at Park Springs means no worries
about household upkeep. “If it breaks, we fix it,” says Director
of Sales and Marketing Kevin Isakson.
1 (800) 267-7126; parkspringscommunities.com
Del Webb - Village at Deaton Creek; Del Webb - Sun City Peachtree; Del
Webb - Lake Oconee
All three locations of Del Webb’s age-restricted (55 years or older) active
adult communities in the metro area have an expansive and enviable list of amenities:
indoor saline pool, outdoor pool, billiards room, arts and crafts room, tennis
courts, bocce ball courts and miles of walking trails. Sun City Peachtree and
Village at Deaton Creek also have sports complexes that include softball fields
and a dog park. For those looking to get outside, Sun City Peachtree has an
onsite 18-hole golf course, Lake Ocnoee has lake access and Village at Deaton
Creek has access to the golf course at the Château Élan resort.
Each of the three communities has between seven and 10 floor plans to choose
from, and prices start at $130,000 at Sun City Peachtree, $150,000 at Lake Oconee
and $170,000 at Village at Deaton Creek. “Del Webb is very focused on
finding the best locations at the best prices and offering an extensive ‘lifestyle’
choice for the active adult,” explains Marketing Manager Irene Hall. “Those
[who] choose a Del Webb community are looking to live in a resort-style community,
with maintenance-free living—offering a world-class lifestyle at an affordable
price.”
Village at Deaton Creek: 1 (866) 678-4114; Sun City Peachtree: 1 (866) 889-5623;
Lake Oconee: 1 (866) 433-5932; delwebb.com
Parc at Piedmont - East Cobb; Parc at Duluth - Johns Creek
With two communities in the metro Atlanta area, Parc at Piedmont and Park at
Duluth, Parc Communities was created to serve seniors with the utmost in care,
in addition to providing an element of luxury living. In the planning process,
founder Roy Dickson consulted with Horst Schultze of the Ritz-Carlton to develop
a unique hospitality-centric model of service. “The concept of providing
active seniors an upscale retirement community was differentiated from the market
by mixing in hospitality industry service standards,” says Teri Fahey,
vice president of operations at Parc Communities.
The community offers a number of amenities to its residents, including a private
library, media room, lap pool and deck, landscaped courtyard garden, restaurant-style
dining room, hair salon and fitness center. For those whose health needs may
change as they age, levels of care are integrated in a full-service model, in
which independent, private care and assisted living are all in one campus or
building. “The management team takes great pride in making these transitions
as easy as possible,” says Fahey. “We start by keeping up with all
our residents from the time they move in through any health challenges.”
Parc recently added a licensed home care service to their array of options and
created ParcCare to exclusively serve Parc residents, which provides assistance
with activities of daily living in private apartment settings.
Parc at Piedmont - East Cobb: (770) 565-8828; Parc at Duluth - Johns Creek:
(770) 622-6880; parccommunities.com