David AmmonsDavid Ammons is president of Retirement Living Associates, Inc. (RLA), a company which provides planning, development, marketing, and management services for new and existing retirement communities. He has worked in and with Senior Living Communities since his graduation from Wake Forest University in 1985.
The task of writing a regular article seemed daunting as the voices of many of my professors rang in my ears regarding run-on sentences, lost themes, misspelled words, and other writing concerns. After finding a proof-reader with a keen eye, my apprehension went to the challenge of providing helpful, relevant resources of interest.
Having spent my entire adult life and career in the retirement industry, it will take a while to exhaust subject opportunities. I am now filled with positive anticipation and look forward to sharing information and resources about the options, solutions and choices available in retirement living on these pages.
I plan to stay very much retirement “industry” focused, but I will share now that I am certain my admiration and respect for those persons of retirement age (yes, I know that might mean 45, 65, 85 or 105) will come through. I worry often that society, corporate America, and even families often under-appreciate the value of the WISDOM stored in the mind of our senior citizens. Please understand that I subscribe to the theory that wisdom is usually a byproduct of time on the planet.
I grew up in the Triangle and began working in 1985 at one of the area’s earliest retirement communities, Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community, a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). In the ’80s we referred to continuing care as “Life Care” or referred to the “three levels” of care. Today, RLA extends beyond Raleigh to six North and South Carolina communities including SearStone in Cary, Methodist Manor in Florence, Mars Hill Retirement Community just outside Asheville, and SpringShire in Greenville, N.C.
The retirement industry has become very sophisticated, with an abundance of terms, labels, niches and categories. I will share in my articles what I believe to be true and representative, but I am sure there will be points that can be challenged. There are dozens of “right solutions,” and I look to honor those dedicated professionals who serve the retired with independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing care.
So let’s get started: The retirement industry has many solutions which include communities, services, products and people. The range of solutions broadens daily. Where we once had emergency response buttons attached to a phone to dial for help, today we have technology options to monitor movement, vital signs, light switches, appliance usage and even discreet viewing via a webcam. The “county home” has become an active adult community, filled with floor plans designed for active empty-nesters.
There are more changes on the horizon as “baby boomers” retire and make their voices heard. Their combined buying force has impacted the heart of industries including healthcare, technology, retail, and now the retirement industry. There is strong agreement among my peers that we will see more solutions, more options, and more answers to the choices demanded by a new population wherein the older segments are growing.
I will work hard to write material worthy of the time it takes to read, and I welcome your comments and suggestions. I plan to rely heavily on others in the Triangle and beyond to deliver a wide range of commentary. I am actively involved with industry associations and professional affiliations which expose me to information one might have trouble accessing. I intend to share freely from the resources and information available to me and of value to YOU and yours. Thank you for listening.