It was the most memorable conversation I’ve had since I began working in senior living nearly 20 years ago.

A few months ago, be.group opened Lil Jackson Senior Community in Oceanside. It is our 25th affordable housing community, now home to more than 80 very-low-income older adults.

At the official opening event, one of our new residents approached me, anxious to share the story of how he came to live at Lil Jackson. He explained that he had met with housing administrator Eileen Haller to coordinate his move. They reviewed move details and paperwork—this being government-subsidized housing, there was a lot of both—before it came time to schedule a move-in date.

When Eileen explained that he would have use of the elevator for three hours on that day in order to move in all his belongings, he became quiet. Finally, he … Read More »

I looked at this issue’s cover and thought I had the magazine upside down. Then I briefly panicked, wondering how we possibly could have run the cover photo upside down. The realization finally came that the photo is upside down because the subject is upside down. And then I started laughing as I recognized White Sands resident and nonagenarian Lou Payne.

Lou is a great example of successful aging, but visit any of our communities and you will realize he is not alone (OK, he may be alone in the bungee-jumping department). What a great way to celebrate a 90th birthday! I am sure there are some out there who will see this photo and read the article and think Lou is crazy. If he is, we all need a bit more crazy in our lives.

I sometimes tell the … Read More »

Welcome to the first issue of be.magazine. It was conceived with one purpose in mind—to upend the stereotypes and misconceptions so many people have about life beyond “a certain age,” and to celebrate the realities.

Many of us labor under the same assumptions about growing older. We believe that the final third of life is inevitably marked by a decline in health. Increasing isolation as family and friends move (or pass) away. Greater disengagement from the things we once enjoyed. A retreat from life in general.

The truth, as one of our residents once told me, is that those assumptions are “a bunch of baloney!” What I’ve seen among be.group’s more than 1,400 residents is quite the opposite. Every day I meet someone launching a second, third or fourth career. Newlyweds in their 80s. So-called “retirees” who are busier now than they … Read More »