WRITTEN BY ANNE GABBIANELLI
“I’m watching the maintenance man shovel this morning as I sit inside on this snowy day,” said Rick Bowles with a chuckle, as he shared the endless benefits of living in an active 55-plus community.
“Our decision to move from our home state of Texas was very difficult, but we wanted to be closer to our children and grandchildren,” said Bowles, whose wife Joy chimed in. “We enjoy the Penobscot Shores community and the new friends we’ve made here, the unfamiliar but wonderful wildlife and marine environments, the opportunities to go sailing, and experiencing unfamiliar dining experiences.”
Three years ago they settled into a cottage on the shores of Penobscot Bay in Belfast with their yellow labs, leaving their small ranch in the Texas hill country near Austin. Initially, their biggest challenge was the physical uprooting, but now it’s “the lack of food ingredients we had become familiar with in Texas,” Rick said.
Susan Remsberg has been a resident of Penobscot Shores for seven years. When she and her husband moved from Northport, their daughter inherited their home and gladly assumed responsibility.
“Actually, we became more active moving here,” Remsberg said. “There are raised garden plots here for residents to grow their own veggies or flowers.”
In 2023, Remsberg’s husband passed away, but today she is managing. “Folks here are great, and with all the activities available, you can participate as much or as little as you want.”
Steve Bowler, executive director of Penobscot Shores, said the main reasons why older adults look for a community like this is so they don’t have to worry about any home repairs.
“As we age, we physically can’t do the work ourselves any more,” Bowler said. “I see a huge relief from residents when they move here.”
hilip Seib, who resides at Parker Ridge Retirement Community in Blue Hill, agrees.
“I definitely do not miss such tasks,” Seib said when talking about household maintenance.
Seib moved to Maine over three years ago from California.
“I was tired of big-city crowds, traffic, crime, and such,” Seib said. “My parents had lived on Rackliff Island near Spruce Head, so when considering where to live after retirement, Maine was at the top of my list.”
Seib not only enjoys exploring Maine’s coast, but has explored Baxter State Park and Rangeley and Moosehead lakes.
His comfortable apartment is nestled amongst what he called a “community that comprises people of varied backgrounds and ages. We interact as much or as little as we choose, and the same goes for the many activities that are offered. Also, the food — we are provided dinner every night — is consistently excellent.”
Senior community living can be expensive. Meredith Townsend, director of marketing and community relations for Parker Ridge, said, “For a community like ours, residents have either planned financially for quite some time, their careers have afforded them the ability to live here, or some people have the ability once they sell their homes.”
Alice Drinkwater lives at Solstice Senior Living in Bangor and agreed.
“You have to have the financial means,” Drinkwater said. “You need to consider the safety of the grounds, research meal plans because of particular dietary needs, and the activities available.”
“Socialization is a key factor to a healthy lifestyle and we offer exercise programs, educational lectures, musical programs, field trips, and so on,” Bowler said.
If retirement community living is on your mind, it’s suggested you act now.
“Someone coming on our waiting list today can expect to wait seven years before there is an opening for them to purchase,” Bowler said. If you plan to rent, your wait time averages two to four years.