Let the good times roll

UNESCO Courier, Jan, 1999 by Amy Otchet

Looking for a carefree lifestyle in the US, the over-50s flock to gated communities which keep youngsters out

"Heee-haw!" rips from a row of dyed-blond women, hip-swinging to the "hot tamale" dance step and grinning wide to the twangs of country music. No, this is not a bar scene in a b-grade movie about lonesome cowboys. It's 10 o'clock in the morning in a suburb outside of the northeastern US city of Philadelphia. These gals are out for fun and fitness, making the most of their retirement at the Four Seasons at Hershey's Mill, one of the many "adult communities" mushrooming in affluent areas across the United States.

At first sight, it looks like a typical middle-class neighbourhood, with new single-story homes and postage stamp lawns at a starting price of about a quarter of a million dollars. But on a Tuesday morning when most of American suburbia resembles a no-man's land with kids in school and adults at work, this area is bustling with golfers on the 18-hole course, joggers along wooded trails and couples congregating in the local restaurant for a lecture on art history. And a look inside the homes offers other signs that this community is designed for older people. There are very few stairs to climb and the light switches are all placed low on the walls to minimize any painful stretching of an arthritic shoulder. And in case of a health emergency or a burglary, two "panic buttons" in the salon and bedroom will alert security guards. "Only in America," laughs Michael Sykes, a builder at Hershey's Mill. "We don't just sell a home but a lifestyle. We're catering to baby-boomers who feel they've worked hard and deserve a carefree life." So social activities, from Yiddish classes to bingo, are organized between tennis games and a swim at the pool, while maintenance crews look after the gardening. Guard patrols along with wooden and concrete gates enclosing the community offer a sense of security and prestige. You won't find any teenagers blasting their stereos. At Hershey s Mill, as in other adult communities across the country, federal law stipulates that 80 per cent of dwellings for the elderly must be occupied by at least one person over the age of 55. The remaining 20 per cent is open to those over 43. But residence is strictly forbidden for anyone under the age of 18.

"It's like a resort here," says Tom Carroll, a Hershey's Mill resident. "When you get to my age, 62, life's about having fun, fun, fun. No more kids to support or so many things to buy." About 80 per cent of residents are retired. "But that doesn't mean we're not busy," says Carroll, who proudly unveils the "Barbie doll house" he is building in the community wood-shop. "It's for the grandkids. Eight of the 10 of them live within 20 miles of here. Who needs 'em any closer?"

More people like Carroll are choosing to stay in adult communities close to where they raised their families instead of moving to retirement hot-spots like Florida and Arizona. Already about 10 per cent of Americans over 55 live in these communities and more are springing up, particularly in northeastern states like Pennsylvania where about 25 per cent of the population falls in this age group.

Not everyone is so charmed by the lifestyle. "We like diversity," says Bill Hoffman, who has decided not to move in after visiting the community. "It can be depressing to always be around older people." Chuck Hennessy just signed the mortgage for a new home at Hershey's Mill. "Where I live now, I have all kinds of neighbours - couples of all colours, singles, lesbians. I like that mixture", which he won't find in the overwhelmingly white new neighbourhood. "But aside from the occasional party, there wasn't enough socializing to miss." For Lucille Jorgenson, the lack of diversity is compensated by "a sense of oneness" forged by common interests. "My husband and I moved here because we felt comfortable in knowing that if one of us died, the other would be established in a community of people our age, with activities we could take part in."

The downside of such a tightly-knit community lies in the many rules to follow, covering everything from where kids can play to the obligatory white window curtains to ensure a classic look from the outside. "It's a problem when our grandkids visit," says Martha Turney. "I'm allowed to rollerblade, but my six-year-old grandson isn't." As her husband Bob explains, "A lot of people have trouble adjusting to this group mentality but they get over it. There are also those who just love to argue over the trivial rules like where you place a flower pot. But then again, you'll always find people who need to argue about something. What else do they have to do?"