‘We’re not dead yet,’ Suzanne Herndon, 70, who moved to Sun City, Texas in 2021, told the UK paper DailyMail on why they chose to age in place there. Seniors can be full of life if given the right environment. The north Austin community of Georgetown, Texas, is officially the fastest-growing city in the country, partly due to its wealthy 55-and-older community called Sun City, Texas. The Wall Street Journal found Georgetown has been the top city for population growth for three years in a row. Several other high-growth areas are nearby, like Cedar Park, TX.
Why are Sun City and Georgetown, TX, seeing that growth? Many seniors are moving to the enormous senior-planned community of Sun City because of its lively social scene, which includes community theater, game nights, fitness classes, sports teams, and so much more. They have built a community around aging in place, and even when the seniors reach a point where they can’t live on their own, countless nearby developments offer assisted living or memory care services so they can still live near the community and their friends. Sun City’s median age is 73, compared to the US average of 39. Almost a fifth of Sun City’s residents are veterans, the WSJ found, and most served during the Korean or Vietnam wars.
So why does this work so well for seniors?
All homes in Sun City are designed for active adults aged 55 and over, focusing on low-maintenance living and accessibility features suitable for seniors. The homeowners’ association takes care of common area maintenance, allowing residents to enjoy their homes without the burden of a lot of property maintenance. Residents can access three world-class golf courses, state-of-the-art fitness centers, outdoor sports fields, and six resort-style swimming pools. Of course, it also offers the benefit of its proximity to Austin for activities.
Most importantly, plenty of care resources are available for seniors in the area, including doctors who make house calls and ride services, like the newly offered nearby Round Rock Rides program. Even if you don’t live in Sun City, the north Austin area offers many advantages for seniors looking to age in place. If you are in the area and are helping a senior loved one who desires to age in place, I suggest you follow some of the tips our owner, Stacey Eisenberg, shared with the U.S. News and World Report in their recent article How to Set Up Your Home for Aging in Place. We are happy to do a free home assessment, help you with your senior care coordination, and connect you with resources to keep your loved one aging in place.