Deciding Where to Live As A Senior
When Patricia McDonald decided to move from Victoria to Vancouver to be closer to her family, and to downsize from a house to an apartment, there were many factors that went into her settlement decision. As a single senior, without a car, access to transit was extremely important. The ability to walk to and from errands was a key requirement, both in access to paths and paved sidewalks, and in the proximity to stores, banks and other amenities.
The ability to walk to and from errands was a key requirement
Decades earlier, Patricia had lived in an apartment complex by Park Royal in West Vancouver, which was conveniently located near the mall, many restaurants, and a major transit hub. However, as she aged, she found the area too busy for her lifestyle, with increased traffic, crowded sidewalks, and more noise then she was used to. As well, most of her family were living in North Vancouver, and she wanted to be closer to them for visits and help with occasional errands.
Patricia spoke with family, friends and her real estate agent about various areas she could search for a home. They created a checklist of what she was looking for that included the requirements of her apartment, the type of building she wanted to live in, and the type of neighbourhood she would need.
Some of the items for her neighbourhood requirements included:
- Transit: easy access to transit service or a transit hub for multiple routes
- Amenities: easy access to stores, banks, and services such as pharmacy, library, post office
- Pedestrian friendly: paved streets, sidewalks and access to walking paths
- Pedestrian Safe: lit streets with clearly marked cross-walks/pedestrian safety features
- Acceptable levels of traffic: not too noisy, crowded or unsafe with fast or excessive vehicles
- Sense of community: feeling that people were aware of/helped others
- Help: the neighbourhood is monitored/within short distance for police, fire and hospital
In the end, Patricia was able to find a Seniors friendly apartment complex by Edgemont Village. It offered everything she required on her list, was blocks away from her family and friends, and she was able to make new friends in both her building and in the Edgemont community.
Do you have a similar story to share, or list of what you think is important for a neighbourhood to offer? Add a comments below to share your ideas or experience.