Back in 2006 I spend a couple of days visiting my friend Maree wo lived in a senior housing community. I was impressed by the amenities and beautiful surrounding and well-kept grounds. It felt very comfortable and safe and I knew that one day I could imagine myself living in such a community. Maree was happy to have found one person with whom she clicked and she said it is a matter of chance to find like-minded people among the people living there. Previously established groups made it difficult for her to connect to others and she wished for more diversity and age diversity. 

A while ago I was contemplating my own mission in life while doing a home exchange and this experience came to my mind. Then and there I decided to create this network to help members in different senior living communities connect with each other and make new friends.

For many years I have been an avid home exchanger and a couple of times I did hospitality exchanges, where I hosted someone, and I was hosted in return. I have met wonderful people like this. This way of travelling allows for a change of tapestry and I can experience a new place like a local and with the help of the host's recommendations. A bonus is that you can use the kitchen, which a Hotel doesn't offer, and you get to live a more local and different lifestyle: coastal, mountains, city, rural, hot temperature or cold. 

55plusExplorers enables people who are planning their retirement or are already living in a senior living community to get a glimpse of other senior communities. And people in senior living communities get a chance to vacation at low cost outside of their community in a members' private home.

I feel that we can learn something new and inspiring through each person we meet and it is important to feel connected to others.

Enjoy.

Vanessa, Founder of 55plusExplorers