Week 1 Research

In starting to research for my documentary short on the lives of individuals who have reached retirement age, I discovered a wide assortment of options for seniors ranging from active adult communities to independent living communities to traditional retirement communities, such as senior apartments and 55+ places, including the differences of each. North Carolina alone has over seventy communities in various cities and has become a popular spot for living due to its mild climate and geography, and cultural/recreational activities. Seniors have the complete freedom to pick and choose what kind of amenities they would like to have available to them and what kind of opportunities they would like to pursue whether it be taking classes, engaging in physical activities like golfing, swimming, biking, etc., or going to events outside their neighborhood with other people of a similar age. Some possible places our group can check out right in the Wilmington area are: Coastal Plantation, Plantation Village, Brightmore of Wilmington, and Carolina Bay at Autumn Hall in order to talk to both residents and staff. As far as seniors that live outside of these types of communities are concerned, I would like to try to find either individuals that live with their family or completely on their own in order to understand both the pros and cons to being immersed with both young and old people.