Young at Heart

Central Virginia’s mild climate and architectural traditions combine to provide retirees with plenty of inviting porches and comfortable rocking chairs. It’s also a great place to launch an “encore” career, perfect your game, become a valued volunteer, and entertain family and friends. Perhaps most important, the community offers the healthcare supports and housing options you’ll need to keep on rockin’—literally or otherwise.

There are dozens of compelling reasons why retirees relocate to Central Virginia. The climate consists of four distinct but relatively benign seasons. Healthcare is both highly rated and affordable. Taxes are some of the lowest on the East Coast. A wealth of cultural and recreational activities keep seniors (and their guests) engaged year round. In addition, all indications suggest that the region will remain a remarkably stable place to settle down and spend some truly golden years.

A Safe Bet

Lynchburg is one of the safest and most secure mid-size cities in the United States. In 2010, the Farmer’s Insurance Group analyzed a long list of potential threats—crime, foreclosures, housing depreciation, job losses, extreme weather, terrorism, pollution, life expectancy—and determined that the Lynchburg area was well protected from many of the problems prevalent in other regions of the country. The city was awarded the excellent rank of No. 9 among 127 metros in its class.

Other recent reports like Forbes 2010 “Best Places for Business and Careers” also gave Central Virginia a big thumbs-up. This is good news for retirees considering second careers or looking to establish small businesses.

Of course, relocating may mean investing in a new place to live. Not only is the Lynchburg housing market resilient, it includes a wonderful range of options. Builders in Central Virginia have been busy designing homes with the 55+ crowd in mind. The region has retirement housing geared to a variety of income levels and health requirements, with more in the works—and not just by private contractors. Colleges, religious communities, and hospital corporations have become partners in the process.

The Perfect Fit

Many retiree-friendly developments in Central Virginia promote active lifestyles, offering mixes of free-standing homes, duplexes, or apartments surrounded by amenities like pools, golf courses, tennis courts, walking trails, and clubhouses—all with associations that provide hassle-free maintenance.

For seniors in search of additional conveniences, the area’s independent-living communities offer housekeeping and transportation services, recreational programs, and meals served in cozy communal dining rooms. Some residential communities are designed to attend to specific personal and healthcare

needs, providing assisted-living, skilled-nursing, or memorysupport services. A few comprehensive-care communities feature accommodations at every level, allowing seniors to transition seamlessly back and forth between independent-living and healthcare-support facilities as needed.

If possible, many older citizens prefer to remain in their own homes. Both seniors and caregivers in search of in-home support, from routine errands to skilled nursing, soon discover the benefits of living in a close-knit community. In addition to offering responsive, top-notch professional services, the Lynchburg area is home to a number of local government agencies and nonprofit organizations that help families find the right home-based assistance.

“Age Wave” Planning

Denise Scruggs, director of the Beard Center on Aging at Lynchburg College, reports that according to the AARP, eight thousand baby boomers in America are turning 65 every day and this growth will continue for the next 18 years. Central Virginiais no exception. By 2030, the number of persons age 65 and older in Lynchburg and surrounding counties will steadily expand to one in every five persons, with localities like Bedford City increasing to one in three.

The Region 2000 Consortium on Aging is helping the community address this “Age Wave.” Under the leadership of the Beard Center, this group, composed of more than 70 agencies, organizations, and businesses; 10 supporting businesses; and a number of individual supporters, promotes healthy aging and a positive quality of life for all ages. Young people are also involved in these efforts, which are helping to eliminate the disconnect between generations and prepare everyone for the future. Activities include advocating for older adults, offering health fairs, and providing positive aging workshops, family caregiver training, and an annual conference on aging.

In addition, the consortium is working to identify community-wide needs and solutions. “Altavista’s new public transportation system, the Aging and Caregiving Resource Center located at the Central Virginia Area Agency on Aging, and the computer training program for adults at Campbell County Parks and Recreation are a direct result of the group’s past initiatives,” said Scruggs. “Future plans include expanding Aging and Caregiving Resource Centers to all localities, growing educational opportunities, increasing caregiver support, and promoting in-home, community, and residential services that help meet the needs of our aging community.”

Giving Back

When there’s work to be done—pounding nails for Habitat for Humanity, planting and pruning trees in the city parks, or touring schoolchildren around Bedford County’s D-Day memorial—you’ll always see plenty of silver hair shining in the sun.

Central Virginia offers hundreds of volunteer opportunities, from one-time special events to long-term commitments. If you already fundraise for a favorite charity or volunteer directly with a hospital, school, church, or other nonprofit organization, you’ll be able to continue your efforts here. If you are just starting to explore the possibility of applying your skills toward a good cause, search Volunteer! Lynchburg at the City of Lynchburg’s website, lynchburgva.gov.