Is This the Right Time to Make a Move?

By Christine Hall

For many adults, the question isn’t if they will make a move later in life it’s when. Increasingly, that question is being asked earlier by people who feel healthy, engaged, and excited about what lies ahead.

Many of these individuals think of themselves as active agers. They are not slowing down or fading into retirement. They are energetic, curious, and intentional about how they want to live the next 20 or 30 years. Retirement, for them, is not an ending, it is a new chapter filled with possibility.

This shift in mindset is changing how people approach senior living.

A New Way of Thinking About Timing

For decades, moves later in life were often reactive, triggered by a health event or a home that had quietly become difficult to maintain. Today’s active agers are choosing a different path. They are planning ahead while they are strong and independent, making decisions based on lifestyle rather than necessity.

The right time, it turns out, has less to do with age and more to do with intention.

Choosing More Life, Not Less

One of the most persistent myths about senior living is that it requires giving something up. In reality, many active agers discover the opposite. By letting go of home maintenance, seasonal upkeep, and long lists of responsibilities, they gain back time time for fitness, friendships, creativity, travel, and lifelong learning.

Moving earlier allows people to choose a home that supports vitality and engagement. It replaces urgency with confidence and opens the door to a fuller, more balanced daily life.

Why Active Agers Are Choosing Communities Like Parkside View

Parkside View was designed specifically for this new generation of older adults. Developed by Franke Tobey Jones, a not-for-profit with over a century of experience, the community will add 59 luxury independent living apartments to its 20-acre campus, along with new amenities including dining venues, a bistro/bar, and expanded wellness and fitness spaces. Set beside the historic beauty of Point Defiance Park, one of the largest urban parks in the United States, the community has stunning views of Puget Sound, the park and Mount Rainier.  It also offers spacious apartments, and amenities that support wellness, learning, movement, and social connection—without the feel of a traditional retirement community. Construction is expected to commence in 2027.

Moving Earlier, Living Better

More people are choosing to move into senior living communities at earlier ages than in the past and finding genuine joy in doing so. Living among like-minded peers who value health, engagement, and personal growth often leads to deeper friendships and a stronger sense of belonging.

Rather than waiting for life to narrow, active agers are choosing communities that help expand it.

Planning Ahead—Without Risk or Pressure

For those who prefer to be proactive, Parkside View offers a Priority Wait List that allows individuals to stay informed and preserve choice. A fully refundable $2,000 deposit provides priority access to information and future apartment availability, with no obligation and no financial risk. If plans change, the deposit is returned.

It is simply a way to plan ahead, without pressure, while keeping options open.

A Thoughtful Next Chapter

For active agers beginning to ask whether now is the right time, the next step does not have to be a commitment. It can be a conversation, a visit, or learning more about a community designed for people who expect the years ahead to be healthy, connected, and meaningful.

Because the best moves are not rushed. They are chosen, intentionally, confidently, and with optimism for the future.

Register today for an upcoming informational meeting about Parkside View: January 28 at the Tacoma Country and Golf Club or February 25 at the Tacoma Yacht Club. For more information call 253-218-4482 or visit franketobeyjones.com/were-expanding.