‘The move can’t come soon enough!’

Meet future Siena Lakes residents Don and Sharon Higgins

Chloe Jefferson
January 29, 2020

Don and Sharon Higgins, who will move to Siena Lakes when it opens next year, recently sat down with Sales Director Fred Moschetta for a Q&A.

Q: What is something that helped motivate you to move to Siena Lakes? 

A: We've been living in Naples for 15 years and started looking at continuing care retirement communities in Naples a few years back. Aging has affected us and that's why we decided to make the move.

Q: When you think about all the services and amenities that are offered, do you think this community is a good value? If so, why?

A: The services at Siena Lakes are very appealing. We are downsizing and don't want the responsibility of taking care of a home anymore, so we like the one monthly fee and how everything is taken care of. 

We can take a trip, lock the door, and not be concerned about the maintenance. We currently live in a community with similar amenities, so this makes for a smooth transition.

Q: How do you feel about your financial decision?

A: We're pleased with this financial decision. We signed up early for phase one, and because of that, we were on top of the list, allowing us to pick our first choice of apartment.

Plus, you don't pay for the health care until you need it. That was something we liked since we already have long-term health care.

Q: Did you look at other communities before deciding on Siena Lakes? 

A: We did. In the other communities, you paid for the extra health care in the monthly fees. Siena Lakes was more reasonable for what we were getting. 

One of our favorite things about Siena Lakes compared to the other communities is the location. It's very central to everything we use and close to the club we use.

Q: Do you plan on joining any activities or clubs?

A: We play bocce ball and cards now, so we plan on joining those clubs if they become available. We also plan on utilizing the fitness center to stay healthy and active. 

There's also plenty to do outside of the community, right nearby—lots of golf, fine dining, even though we will have four restaurants at Siena Lakes. Naples has something for everyone, like arts and culture centers. There isn't much we aren't familiar with in the surrounding area.

Q: How are you preparing for the downsizing? 

A: We are hoping to sell furniture because we want new furniture for our new apartment home, and we plan on getting rid of a few things we don't use much. 

Your sales team, Fred, has answered any questions we've had about the community. The program includes monthly get-togethers to keep us up to date and remind us of the financial structure, meal plan, and activities. It's been really nice for us to have those opportunities because they have kept us very informed.

Q: What would you say to someone who is skeptical about moving to Siena Lakes?

A: Downsizing isn't for everyone, but then the time will come where you don't want the responsibility of taking care of a house. Then comes the part where you have to find the right place [to live]. Some people are hesitant to move into a retirement community and may go back to where their family is. 

Continuing care retirement communities are becoming more popular though. In our current community alone, we have probably 20-25 families moving to Siena Lakes.

When you get to a certain age, if something happens to you, you don't want your family to have the burden. This is a great opportunity for us to move somewhere vibrant. Siena Lakes is a great community, which is what drew us to do this. Same with our friends.

Q: Is there anything else you want to share?

A: The brochures are great, but that just includes a few steps to introduce you to the community. You see photos, you read more, but you have to make an appointment with a sales representative and have them explain all aspects of the company and their plans for the development. [Siena Lakes has] done a very good job of answering all our questions.

Everything we've heard about Siena Lakes is favorable, which makes us confident that we've chosen the right place. The move can't come soon enough!

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