Jeff McQueen

Submitted photo

There was a time not so long ago when hitting your 60s and 70s conjured images of rocking chairs, front porches and leisurely rounds of golf. Today, retirement looks a lot different. People are living longer, healthier lives and realizing that age is just a number. Today’s retirees understand that optimizing the second half of life means living fully, with purpose, and in the company of others.

After a lifetime of work, retirees recognize that now is the time to focus on both their health and social lives. Wellness today is a far more holistic concept than it was 25 years ago. While financial planning has long been front-of-mind for people nearing retirement, many are now realizing they must also prioritize their social and emotional needs.

Following months of isolation during the pandemic, there’s been a surge of interest among those 55 and over in finding a community where holistic wellness is woven into the fabric of daily life. This could mean pickleball, yoga, weightlifting or hitting the hiking trails with friends.

Social connection has been identified as an important factor in living a full and healthy life. Living alone in a neighborhood where everyone tends to stay to themselves can be an isolating experience. Recognizing this, some of today’s retirement communities are intentionally designed to foster social interaction.

At the Trilogy Ridgecrest community in Peoria, for example, compartmentalized restaurant seating has been replaced with a club that provides natural opportunities for gathering. Picture open, flexible spaces with abundant seating — sophisticated, upscale and reminiscent of a boutique hotel lobby — where members can meet, dine, drink and socialize at any time of day or night.

Finding purpose is also taking on added importance, especially when a career is winding down and there’s finally time available to pursue passions and explore unrealized dreams.

Identifying areas of interest and joining (or even creating) clubs or communities centered on common interests are bringing together retirees to learn and develop that purpose. This could involve volunteering, traveling the world or simply learning more about gardening, painting or wine.

Finally, in response to the shift in what retirement means today, 55+ communities are evolving to deliver the lifestyle people seek. Arizona, which has the distinction of being the home to the nation’s first active adult communities in the 1960s, continues to offer some of the country’s best developments.

Where you live profoundly shapes how you live, and fulfillment comes from finding a community that offers abundant opportunities to connect, learn, explore and grow.

Editor’s note: Jeff McQueen is co-founder and president of Trilogy by Shea Homes, developer of 55+ and resort lifestyle communities in eight states, including Arizona. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.