Retirement Calculator

What this book is NOT is a guidebook to Continuing Care Retirement Communities, a comparative rating of them, or even a listing of such communities. Rather, it is the very readable story of one couple's experience with the PROCESS of selecting an appropriate community for themselves. As such, it lays out a careful, well-organized, effective approach for making this important decision. Because I am in this rather involved process myself, and because I have been a guest off and on over an eight-year stretch in my parents' CCRC apartments -- in independent, then assisted living -- Ms. Hunt's detailed description of their adventure certainly resonates with what I have observed. This book should perhaps be among the first volumes on the shelf of anyone considering entry into a Continuing Care Retirement Community; it is a virtual roadmap for the process and would have received a fifth star if the title weren't slightly misleading.

Although the author allegedly did research on a number of retirement communities, she refuses to name them nor to give the specifics of her research. Definitely not worth the money.

This informative and important guide is indispensible, not only for those who have already decided to explore continuing care retirement communities, but for every adult who, sooner rather than later must think about health care and quality of life for their aging parents and for themselves.

I, for one, was totally ignorant of CCRCs until I learned about them from Bernice Hunt, the author of this wonderful little book. Mrs. Hunt shares with us the personal journey taken by her and her husband, from their first thoughts about what would become of them when they got old and, possibly, sick, through their thought processes, research, emotional struggles and decision making.

Unlike other books of its type (and I know of no others that deal exclusively with CCRCs), this one is not only educational but is actually a "good read". It reads almost like a short story and even has a surprise ending. The writing is clear and accessible, and informative without being dry or pedantic; I felt like Mrs. Hunt was sitting in my living room telling me of her experiences and addressing all my concerns, worries and reservations. She has figured out exactly what we all worry about and want to know, and she addresses issues that we never thought of or didn't know enough to consider. She shares her good and bad experiences and points out the pros and cons of CCRCs in an honest, straightforward manner.

Bernice Hunt has thought of everything and includes, at the back of the book, an appendix full of helpful suggestions, checklists, work sheets, and resources. Her book is truly enlightening. I cannot recommend it more highly and have already passed it along to several of my friends.