Kerri Moon is not someone who believes in separatism. What she believes in is bringing people together in community around a common set of principles, and sees lakeside as an ideal place to create such “intentional communities.”
This is especially true for those who are used to living separately but now ready to share ideas and resources with like-minded people, all the while leveraging resources to create vibrant communities.
Traveling back and forth from Northern California’s Bay Area to Ajijic, Moon shares living spaces in both locations. Her Ajijic residence is one form of community living, where the owners live in the main house and renters live in various casitas on the property – some year-round, others short term.
Born in Oklahoma, with a Master’s degree in Human Relations from Oklahoma University, her interest has long been in organization and communication strategies, with a focus on group dynamics. She runs two businesses: Retire Internationally and Kerri Moon Care Strategies.
“I began working with seniors in the Bay Area ten years ago, helping them continue to live fulfilling and connected lives,” she says. “I’m able to link them with resources and with one another.” She also acts as a consultant to families, helping put care plans in place for elder family members.
“I believe lakeside is a great place for leveraging resources. I encourage people to discover how to leverage and share things that are already in place without having to tax resources. Because of the need for affordable care and housing, we can’t stop the flood of people coming here, but we can influence how communities develop. Do we want to recreate the separatism that we had back in the U.S., or do we want to create and join communities?”
This idea seems particularly true for those who are already living here but are not yet ready for assisted living. There comes a point when living alone can become a problem as retirees grow older and require more help.
“I hear the same story from so many people who want their individual space, but within the context of community living in order to create solutions together,” says Moon. “I believe I represent the market I’m attempting to serve: a single woman in my 50s with no children, who enjoys my independence but doesn’t want to live disconnected from those around me.
“Many lakeside residents are finding ways to create communities; anything from a property with multiple casitas, to one large house, to a converted apartment building. By living in community, we have more of a choice as to who our neighbors are. Also, we can share resources. Not everyone has to own a car, a barbecue grill or power tools, but we can share these items and also chip in for paid labor.”
Moon arrived in Ajijic as a result of three friends who had moved here as retirees. One of these friends invited Moon to visit, saying how much she loved lakeside living. Meanwhile, clients were asking how Moon could help them with their senior care needs. Inspired to find less expensive towns for her clients’ retirement, she took off to such places as Morocco, Ecuador, Spain, and areas in Mexico.
Says Moon: “More and more people in the Bay Area are telling me how their parents are running out of money because they’re spending their entire life savings on expensive senior living facilities. They’re asking how I can help with their needs, especially those who can no longer afford the care they desperately need.
Assisted living at lakeside costs around US$1,600 to 2,000 per month versus US$5,000 to 10,000 per month in the Bay Area. People are living longer and need many years of services. The father of a Bay Area family I know died recently, having reached almost 102. He went through a million dollars in savings to meet all his needs. This is not an uncommon scenario. And in most U.S. facilities, if you can’t pay the rent, you’re out.”
With the right attitude, Moon doesn’t think it’s difficult to become a member of an intentional community at lakeside. “Living in community is about giving back, about asking, how can I help my community? How can we help each other shape this community, build on what’s already wonderful about this area and the Mexican way of doing things?”
She suggests getting creative in using the resources already at lakeside, such as transportation and care services. Instead of bringing a car here, which would only add to more traffic, why not take the bus, or hire a driver, sharing the cost and services with others in the community.
“An added benefit of intentional communities cropping up at lakeside is that they’re drawing younger people, with their youthful vitality and creative ideas. If lakeside could become a more multi-generational community, what would be so bad about that?”
For more info: RetireInternationally.com.