Being single has its perks - drinking straight out of the bottle, sleeping across the bed, keeping the house at any temperature you want. Some will say they love the freedom of going wherever they want, whenever they want; others will tell you about the simple joy of having complete, total autonomy over the remote control, or peace of mind that the leftover pizza will remain safe at the back of the fridge.

The single residents here will tell you that Plantation Village enhances the single lifestyle by providing an environment where it’s easy to meet new people and form lasting, fun relationships. Many of our residents often compare life at Plantation Village to their time in the college dorms, since the abundance of free time creates a relaxed, casual vibe where it’s possible to quickly make lots of new friends.

For Nancy Kirby, a “sophomore” who moved here from Raleigh one year ago to be closer to her daughter, the best part about living here has been the social calendar.

“There’s always something going on, and you can do as much or as little as you like,” she joked. “It’s been wonderful to have an opportunity to meet so many people. There is a really diverse group here from all over the nation, and it’s been great to get to meet so many people with such different backgrounds that I might not have met otherwise.”

A close second for Nancy has been experiencing the joy of not cooking. In fact, she has only cooked twice since moving here! Nancy loves going to the dining hall to check out the different specials, and has never felt uncomfortable going alone.

“When I moved here, I didn’t know anyone, but everyone is really friendly, so that changed in a hurry. I was always meeting someone new, whether it was in one of the classes, through playing cards, or going to an event,” said Nancy. “It was actually a little surprising for me when I was looking through my phone the other night to see I had made over 160 new contacts in the past year alone.”

Jim George said the function circuit class he attends at 5:00 a.m. three days a week has provided him with a great opportunity to make new friends. The class typically includes about 10-12 other dedicated souls and Jim likes that the workouts have different routines that allow for some variance. Jim is no stranger to discipline, as a former member of the Secret Service Uniform Division. A native of Pittsburgh, he served our country in the Navy and spent 18 years in the U.S. Customs Service before retiring in 1996.

In his professional life, Jim made a career out of protecting our freedom. Now, as a resident of Plantation Village, he says that one of the things he loves most is freedom from the constant necessities of interior and exterior maintenance.

“The maintenance crew and the housekeepers take care of everything,” said Jim. “I love it here. This is the definition of easy living.”

Jim noted he even had time to go to the movies the other day and recommended the new Star Wars flick. It’s easy for me to imagine that a person as disciplined as him might not have treated himself to something like that had he been responsible for maintaining a home.

Having free time to spend with friends and build relationships is essential. And considering a recent study showed that being isolated and having a lack of social connections can be as damaging to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, taking the time to make new friends and establish connections should be viewed as vital to living a long and healthy life.

For a guided tour of our campus, or to find out how you can become a part of the next freshman class, give me a call at (910) 319-1416. You can also visit us on the web at www.PlantationVillageRC.com.

Lisa Polanski is the director of marketing at Plantation Village. Plantation Village is a non-profit continuing care retirement community that offers independent living on a 56-acre campus in Porters Neck, just minutes from downtown Wilmington and area beaches. Residents enjoy first-class services in a wide variety of home styles, from one- and two-bedroom apartments to cottage homes and two-bedroom villas. Plantation Village is managed by Life Care Services™, the nation’s third-largest elder care management company.