COLUMN: Plan ahead if you want to retire in the Upstate

According to one statistic, somewhere, a Baby Boomer is turning 61 every seven minutes. A fair number of these Baby-Turned-Senior Boomers have decided that the Upstate, with its proximity to the mountains, lakes and the East coast, is home. In fact, AARP recently ranked Greenville, South Carolina as No. 2 on its list of Best Places to Live the Simple Life. The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that during the next 20 years, South Carolina will jump to 15th in the nation for the highest percentage of people age 65 and older, when 1.1 million people over 65 are expected to live in our state.

“Seniors” as we like to call ourselves, are a force to be reckoned with. And the fact is, “seniors” covers a broad spectrum. What other age group encompasses three decades of ages? Infants, toddlers, adolescents, teens, 20-somethings, 30-somethings, middle-aged people … none of these groups spans the breadth of ages that the “seniors” does. By comparison, we “seniors” are a group of people that range in age from 65 to older than 100.

As our country’s population ages, and South Carolina’s does at a faster pace than most, our seniors would be wise to consider their strategy for the rest of their lives.

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC) are designed to be a “home for life,” offering active lifestyle options that parallel every phase of retirement in order to meet the member’s needs as they evolve over time. The ideal community offers independent living — houses or apartments — for seniors who have no current need for services, but simply want the assurance that their needs can be met as they arise. It also offers quality of life amenities that keep us active and stimulate our senses — libraries, art rooms, gyms and spas — as well as adult education opportunities to continue to challenge our minds. Assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing options are key to the long-term care of the individuals and should be an integral part of the CCRC.

The Upstate is fortunate to have several first-rate continuing care retirement communities, but I do not think we are fully prepared for the aging explosion that is about to occur. From concept to reality, opening a CCRC takes about five years.

The market is by no means saturated. In fact, in a few years we could face a shortage of housing for seniors if we don’t begin preparing.

In the meantime, now also is a good time for baby boomers to start looking ahead.

Statistics show that only 13 percent of people actively plan how they will live as they grow older, 40 percent actively plan for retirement following a “near catastrophic” health event, and an astounding 46 percent or more never plan for retirement.

Some think they need a reason to move to a Continuing Care Retirement Community, but waiting can be costly; planning ahead allows you to move at your own pace, retire healthier and younger, and enjoy everything an active retirement community has to offer.

So, Baby Boomers (myself included) — most of us are on the verge of retirement and we need to start planning. Waiting for a “near catastrophic” event to trigger talk of retirement plans is not the best way to ensure our needs are met.

Plus, the younger you are when you retire, the happier you will be; and with the impending rise in the elderly population, availability in CCRCs will become scarce. People do amazing things in their 70s, 80s, 90s, and beyond.

Let’s not let our hectic schedules get in the way of planning the rest of our lives!

— Ken Bolt is CEO of Banyan Senior Living, which manages five CCRC’s across the Southeast, including Methodist Manor of the Pee Dee in Florence. He can be reached at .