Coming from a low income background, I never knew how poor I was in the context of La Jolla until we made a visit to the Casa de Manana Retirement Community this past Wednesday, January 30th. The first thing I noticed upon arrival was the ample amount of parking. This was not the case when it came to our visits to past locations. The facility looked more like a expensive vacation resort than a retirement community. And, for that reason, it was priced like one, ranging from $4,000 for a one bedroom apartment to $12,000 for a villa (according to the website). In comparison, my one bedroom in City Heights costs about a third of the price here. Yet, $4,000 for an apartment that includes food, utilities, cleaning services, and the other amenities provided by Casa de Manana is rather normal for the area. It is in the higher range of prices, but not outrageous. I think this speaks to the cost of living in San Diego. There are very few people who can afford that price, yet it’s not too far off from the average price for a one bedroom combined with the associated costs of living.
The seniors living here were clearly not your average senior. For the most part, they’ve lived privileged lives and are continuing that into retirement, not that they’re wrong for enjoying their money. I noticed that living a privileged life does affect one’s physical health and appearance as one ages. The seniors we met here were the oldest we’ve seen and they looked significantly younger than their ages. It was really interesting to hear the seniors tell stories about their lives. They all spoke so vibrantly and enthusiastically. I’m looking forward to our trip back.
The seniors living here were clearly not your average senior. For the most part, they’ve lived privileged lives and are continuing that into retirement, not that they’re wrong for enjoying their money. I noticed that living a privileged life does affect one’s physical health and appearance as one ages. The seniors we met here were the oldest we’ve seen and they looked significantly younger than their ages. It was really interesting to hear the seniors tell stories about their lives. They all spoke so vibrantly and enthusiastically. I’m looking forward to our trip back.