Ask our residents, and many will tell you it took months, or even years, to reach a decision. They visited many retirement communities and weighed the social and cultural opportunities, and amenities and services at each. They thought about the setting and the proximity to activities they enjoy. Would they find a personal emergency alert system and 24-hour staff coverage? Would they be near — but maybe not too near — their children and grandchildren? Were airports and railroad stations accessible so it would be easy to travel? And, most important, would the community be affordable, not just now but into the future? And was top-quality health care available both on- and off-site?