When senior housing exec Ken Jaeger was working his way up through the retirement-living industry, he began imagining a better way to handle the decisions families make when parents move beyond the point of living alone. “Daughters were always telling us, ‘I want Mom to be safe and secure,’” Jaeger recalls; “but mom would say, ‘I want to be independent.’”

Ken Jaeger and Katie Yoho of MorningStar Senior Living join residents Marian Hoskinson (left), Dorothy Kinsley and Betty Peters, outside their community in Applewood. more »

Heritage Eagle Bend, on the Arthur Hills golf course off E-470 at Gartrell Road, is celebrating its 10th anniversary…a retirement community that may be getting younger now rather than older. Six months ago the community changed its minimum age from 50 to 45 years (spouses can be younger), and already has six new owners that have joined within that more youthful niche.
General Manager Jeff Powles joins agents Barb Nelson of Cherry Creek Properties and Gwen Arnold of Re/Max Masters at Heritage Eagle Bend’s clubhouse.

Sunday, May 2, you can celebrate with residents at Heritage Eagle Bend’s Open House, featuring 28 homes on the re-sale market (the last new homes sold out two years ago). The tour is free; there are drawings for dinner and golf giveaways. Visit five homes and you’ll qualify for free appetizers and two-fers at the clubhouse’s Eagles Nest bar, a chance to kick back and talk with residents about how they like their lifestyle. more »

New studies show that no matter how old they get, couples will do anything to keep from giving up their single-family house, though retirement places have low maintenance and better recreation. “We never lived in an apartment and would never want to,” Gene Fischer says…while admitting that he and wife Lutie looked at retirement areas all over town as their home in Centennial aged.

Gene and Lutie Fischer enjoy continental breakfast in their clubhouse at The Cottages at Dayton Place, a few doors from their home. Dayton Place’s Jennifer Davidson (left) and sales associate Bonnie Baker meet visitors to the project.

You can come see what they ended up doing…and get a Starbucks card and refreshments today, as well. The Fischers were the first residents to move into The Cottages at Dayton Place, a Southeast Denver enclave that has the advantages of a retirement community, but looks and feels like single-family homes…even down to the 2-car garage. more »