As part of the registration process, Otterbein Pemberville included a form for us to list all our current expenses at the house, for example, taxes, utilities, cable TV, repairs, etc. These figures were written in a column, beside which was another column of what those costs would be at Otterbein, which were all pretty much “Free” or “No Charge.” Bottom line, Otterbein bears the expense of cable channels, utilities, taxes, and all repairs. When we compared the two columns, we saw that it was essentially a wash — we would be almost breaking even in the bargain! (That’s not quite true, but close enough.)
The cable TV is a real bargain, and among the channels is Otterbein Pemberville’s own internal channel (more about that in a future post), but it doesn’t include the Internet, which is a small expense for a blindingly fast connection (over 100 mbits, for you geeks). What we didn’t fully realize is that the Village offers all kinds of free programs, such as concerts, excercise classes, and my favorite, yoga four times a week. The yoga instructor, Cassandra, teaches in the local university’s music department, and she and her significant other perform in a live concert once a month here. She’s even had some of her students perform, as well. And this is just the tip of the iceberg, as far as musical performances go, but more about that in a future post.
It seems like every week Otterbein Pemberville has a tour arranged at a nearby tourist attraction, transportation provided, often meal included (for a small, extra fee). These are first-rate tours, and the food is prepared by local restaurants. The bus is air-conditioned, the tours are guided, and the experience always unforgettable!
This is just a sampling of the perks at the Village. I bring them up here for two reasons — 1) There’s plenty to do that would cost a lot of money if you did it in your old life; and 2) Every time you take a class or go on a tour, think of it as lowering the cost of living at a CCRC. You just might learn something new in the process.
