Retirement Communities Books

Retirement Communities Books, Books on Places to Retire To, and Popular Adult Health Books

"The New Retirement"

The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life" Comes highly recommended by such as AARP, National Education Association, and the Washington Post's "The Color of Money Book Club."

Co-authors Jan Cullinane and Cathy Fitzgerald guide you through everything from planning for retirement to choosing specific retirement communities. Available at major bookstores and online.    

Read the interview on this website with Author Jan Cullinane on retirement topics and her book "The New Retirement"

More Retirement Communities Books: 

  • "Where to Retire: America's Best and Most Affordable Places" 

By John Howells. The classic and one of the best, if not the best, on retirement places.  

  • "Choose the Southwest for Retirement"  - By John Howells
  • "Choose the Pacific Northwest for Retirement" - by John Howells  
  • "Retirement Places Rated" - by David Savageau
  • "America's 100 Best Places to Retire" - by Elizabeth Armstrong
  • "Choose a College Town for Retirement" - by Joe Lubow
  • "50 Fabulous Places to Retire in America" - by Ken Stern

More Retirement Communities Books:

"Healthy Aging" by Andrew Weil - Lifelong guide to physical and spiritual wellbeing by popular health writer."

"Aging Well" From the landmark Harvard study of adult development by George E. Vaillant, MD

"Retirement Migration in America" by Charles F. Longino Jr. - tracks leading migration trends of persons over 60 from state to state and even county to county. A new retirement communities book about retirees moving trends.

"Retire Downtown" by Kyle Ezese, Urban Planner.

Retirement Communities Books:

A Favorite: Norman Ford:

"The 50 Healthiest Places to Live and Retire in the United States." The author, Norman D. Ford, 50 years as a free-lance writer, has written numerous retirement books. They are not necessarily about retirement communities  but encompass many subjects of interest to seniors especially retirement places.  

Some of his books are dated and can be found on Amazon at very cheap prices, but still provide excellent timeless information.  I highly recommend his many books for an enjoyable read.

"You Can Do It" - Boomers Guide to a Great Retirement by Jonathan Pond. Available at online bookstores or through his website at www.jonathanpond.com

"Mindset. Reset Your Thinking and See the Future" - By John Naisbitt who wrote the hit book "Megatrends."  Adjusting to change in our world.

"Getting the Most for your Home in a Down Market" by Dan Lieberman and Paul Hoffman.

"Dress Your House for Success" by Martha Webb.

"Moving in the Right Directions" by Bruce Nemovitz. - This book may help you or your loved ones with the most difficult decision of moving from your home to a retirement community and the fears. Written by Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) who gives a plan for moving.

"Longevity Revolution," by Dr. Robert Butler, Pulitzer prize-winning author of "Why Survive." Dr. Butler is also CEO of the International Longevity Center and says he wants this  book to be "a call to action."  We need to be better prepared for the aging population.  

"Don't Just Retire: Reformat," by Dr. Lynda Falkenstein. A quote she uses from George Burns: "Retirement at 65 is ridiculous. Gee, at 65 I still had pimples." You can read about her book and buy it from her website www.retiresmiling.com.

"How a Second Home Can Be Your Best Investment," Tom Kelly with economist John Tucillo.  Also, "Real Estate Boomers and Beyond: Exploring the Costs Choices and Changes of Your Next Move.

Gilbert Guides, guidebooks on many subjects of senior interest.

  Famous Octogenarians:  

"The First Billion is the Hardest," by T. Boone Pickens -   At 80+, Pickens reflects on his life after 68 and events and management practices that helped him make his first billion.  More active than ever, he is a lifelong athlete and firm believer in physical fitness and, I believe, an inspiration to all over 55.

"How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of your Life," by Mark Victor Hansen and Art Linkletter. Highly recommended book on how to deal with longer and healthier lives by those who have been there.  Anti-aging theme.

"Brain Games" - Mental fitness is as important as physical fitness.  

Chess - Beginners can obtain a copy of "Bobby Fisher Teaches Chess" - by one of the greatest chess players.  

Newest numbers mind game: "Sudoku" -- Challenge your aging brain cells.

Crossword puzzles

Scrabble

www.brainage.com - Learn about Nintendo Brain Age gameswww.lumosity.com - free trial of memory-enhancing gameswww.braingle.com - 17,000 free brain teasers and puzzleswww.positscience.com - demos and info about their programs

Retirement Communities Magazines

"Where to Retire" - www.wheretoretire.com - retirement information. See their Special Reports.

"Living Southern Style" - www.livingsouthernstylemagazine.com - Some great articles on subject of retirement. See their Fab 50 communities list. This list is not all "over 55" communities, however, but still interesting for areas in the South and Southeast.

"Professional Builder Magazine" - Information on home building industry."Grand Strand New Home Guide" - If you are interested homes in the Myrtle Beach area, this is very helpful.

"Carolina Living" - Where to live, travel, retirement articles.

"Traveler" Conde Nast - Good for finding the "hottest" resort areas.

"Travel and Leisure" - Good for finding new resort areas.

"The Beacon" - Monthly newspaper for DC-MD-VA residents over 50 but anyone can enjoy their informative articles for seniors www.thebeaconnewspapers.com Also ask for a copy of their seniors Resource Guide for the area

"Erickson Tribune" by Erickson Commmunities - newspaper for seniors - some slanted toward their communities but lots of genuinely interesting articles

"Retirement Lifestyles" www.retiresouth.com - good articles on communities and areas in the Southeast and South. Not so big as to be overwhelming.

Articles

"Ritzy Retirement Communities" by Sara Clemence for Forbes magazine - Feb. 2006.

Retirement Communities Awards

JD Power Award - Ranks reputation of builders based on reviews of hundreds of new residents.

National Housing Quality Award

"Where to Retire" magazine's retirement communities award  

Senior Housing Award

National Council on Senior Housing Award

National Association of Homebuilders

Websites

www.aoa.gov (Administration on Aging)

www.agingeye.net (Aging Eye Times)

www.aarp.org (American Association of Retired Persons)

www.eatright.org (American Dietetic Association)

www.notsobig.com - small houses

www.city-data.com - Good site for area information.

www.tourvelo.org (Norman D. Ford's tips for bicycle tours especially for seniors.)

www.elderhostel.org - trips for seniors focused on lifelong learning.

www.colettevacations.com - travel tours - ones for seniors

www.eatbetteramerica.com - healthifies your favorite recipe.

www.TSA.gov - don't know the latest info on airline travel - this site will answer your questions.

www.newstarget.com - fun site for interesting nutritional news

www.simplelivingforseniors.com - downsizing and moving help also for help see National Assoc. of Senior Movers

www.crimemapping.com - put in your zipcode and see crime in the area.

www.greenhotels.com - listing by state of hotels that meet green standards of Green Hotels Assoc.

For the current real estate market

www.stagedhomes.com
www.seniorstages.com
www.helpseniorsmove.com

Careers and Jobs for Seniors

"225 Best Jobs for Baby Boomers" Michael Farr and Laurence Shatkin

"Expert Resumes for Baby Boomers," Wendy S. Enelow and Louise M. Kursmark - also see their book "Expert Resumes for Career Changers" and "Expert Resumes for People Returning to Work."

Products and Fun Websites

Lunch Box Bunch website - See their Blog for excellent nutrition tips for kids and adults both.  Read the Blog, Healthy-Happy-Life.com for nutrition recipes and ideas. Seniors should eat more fruits and veggies and so should kids.  

Going Gray," by Anne Kreamer - amusing and philosophical book about seniors and aging and a woman's decision to let her hair grow out to its natural gray color and why.

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Modern Resources and Programs at Public Libraries for Older Adults