The Priority List: A Fun and Risk-Free Way to Explore Retirement Living at Riderwood

People tend to equate retirement planning with financial planning. While having the financial resources to maintain a good lifestyle is critically important, there is much more to successful retirement planning than just having money in the bank.

A good retirement plan should also include an assessment of your goals and interests. How do you envision your retirement lifestyle? Where will you live?

Studies show that a retirement lifestyle that includes community engagement, strong social ties, and physical activity contributes to greater happiness and better overall health and resilience.

The right community can enhance your lifestyle, so it’s important to explore your options.

Erickson Senior Living, a nationally recognized leader in continuing care retirement communities, gives prospective residents a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the active, worry-free lifestyle through each community’s priority list program.

Join the list

Priority list members experience the community’s lifestyle at their own pace and on their own schedule.

“Joining the priority list is an opportunity to enjoy and engage with the community, which regular visitors don’t get to do,” says Sharon Baksa, a director at Erickson Senior Living. “This is not just a waiting list. This is like a club that entitles you to privileges. Members enjoy dining in our restaurants, attending special events, and getting to know the staff and residents. We celebrate the fact that you are a priority list member, and you are entitled to the privileges afforded to members of the club.”

Priority list privileges

Priority list members can reserve a specific apartment home design before members of the public. For anyone who has a strong preference for a particular model, an early spot on the list can make all the difference.

“It’s more important now than ever before to join the Riderwood priority list,” says Sales Director George Mishraky. “We have seen record demand for the community in 2021, so joining the priority list is the only way to ensure that, whenever you’re ready to move, the apartment home you want is available to you.”

Priority list members also receive invitations to special events, and they are the first to receive community news and updates.

“I joined the priority list five years before my move,” says community member Sue Shawhan. “Conversations with my aging parents illustrated that we typically don’t plan for the future as perhaps we should, so I wanted to make a decision on where I would live next.”

“I was well acquainted with Riderwood,” she adds. “I experienced great peace of mind making the decision to join the priority list, as did my two sons. It’s important to note that you can always change your mind, but having a plan is so comforting.”

“Since moving, I’m so happy,” Sue says. “People are so welcoming and friendly, and I have never been so well cared for. In fact, I’m hosting many of my friends and sharing my experience.”

Expert advice

Another exclusive benefit of joining the priority list is access to the Erickson Realty and Moving Services program.

From recommending a trusted real estate agent to sell your current home to advice on decorating your new apartment, Erickson Realty and Moving Services staff help priority list members have a stress-free move every step of the way.

“People sometimes think the Erickson Realty and Moving Services program is only for people who are about to move, but priority list members are not necessarily ready to move immediately. They might want a specific apartment home design that isn’t available yet or they may be waiting for the right time to move,” says Baksa. “People who join the priority list should know that we can help them with whatever challenges they’re faced with as they start to think about transitioning from a house to an apartment home.”

Live the Life

Priority list members also have a unique opportunity to “test-drive” retirement living through Riderwood’s Live the Life program.

“Live the Life is a complimentary overnight experience customized for each priority list member,” says Brian Hance, a senior director at Erickson Senior Living. “We tailor each itinerary to the interests of the priority list member. Those who are interested in the cuisine will want to experience a few of the restaurants, others want to try a fitness center class. It’s a chance to get to know the layout, talk with residents, and spend time in an apartment home.”

Your journey begins with a $1,000 priority list deposit, which is applied to the apartment home you choose or fully refundable should you decide to change your priority status, and a nonrefundable $150 application fee per person.

Joining the priority list is a commitment-free and financially sound way for prospective residents to see for themselves the benefits and amenities that come with living at Riderwood.

The first step to enjoying maintenance-free retirement living at Riderwood is to request a brochure.