US : New Trend Shows Retirees Moving to College Towns

Increasingly, Baby Boomers opt to retire in college towns where they can enjoy cultural and athletic events, educational opportunities, and the excellent medical facilities tied to educational institutions.

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Retirement community planners and colleges have teamed up to provide campus tie-ins for seniors planning their retirement lifestyle, according to Tom Wetzel, president of the Retirement Living Information Center (see http://www.RetirementLiving.com). Today there are more than 50 of these communities, and more are underway.

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« Many of the seniors moving to college communities are alumni, » said Wetzel. « In retirement, today’s seniors are looking for the stimulation that comes from lifelong learning. Many are finding it in college towns. »

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Some colleges intentionally cater to the senior lifestyle, creating communities for their alumni with golf courses, clubhouses, and condos, houses, and assisted living facilities. Penn State, for example, has developed the « Village at Penn State » retirement community. It is now open and residents can enroll in classes, volunteer on campus as teachers, and attend university-sponsored cultural and sporting events.

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http://www.RetirementLiving.com, the largest retirement relocation resource on the Web, has launched a new section that tracks college-linked retirement communities. This new section, called « Great Places to Retire, » contains information on 83 great college towns for retirement plus 50 retirement communities that have relationships with colleges.

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In addition to information about retirement in a college town, Great Places to Retire contains in-depth reports on over 130 outstanding retirement destinations in 30 states.

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Each destination report contains information about the town and it arts & cultural activities, recreational and continuing education opportunities, along with information on senior services, hospitals, airports, local newspapers, taxes, and weather. The company continues to add new reports.

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Great Places to Retire includes a Decision Guide that will help retirees focus on a lifestyle that will enable them to meet their retirement objectives. It will even help them decide whether they should move or not.

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RetirementLiving.com is operated by the Retirement Living Information Center based in Redding, Connecticut. The site provides essential information to help seniors plan their retirement years. Known as « The Gateway to Resources for Senior Living, » it presents information that supports decision- making.