A few questions…for the next time you play Covenant Village Trivia: 

What is the average entering age of Covenant Village residents?

How close did you come?

The answer: 79.8 years young!

I recently visited two Life Plan Communities in another state. One was a downtown high-rise community, and the other was quite similar to Covenant Village (rolling hills and an open-campus feel). Both communities shared that their entering age averaged between 83 – 85 years!

Which resident group at Covenant Village has the youngest average? Apartments; Cottages; Stonecrest Villas?

Drumroll, please…answer?
Cottages — 75.6 years young 

Over the last 10 years, has the average entering age increased or decreased?

Increased, but only slightly — by .59 from 80.3 to 80.9 years.

Saving the best question for last…

How would the next 10 residents we met in the hallway respond to: Did you come to Covenant Village too late, or too early?

We used to say in marketing conversations, 10 years ago, that 5 or 6 of the 10 Residents would say they came too late.

Today…that number has exploded to 9 out of the 10 residents saying they wish they had moved sooner.

Why do we wait so late…and not come sooner?

Let me start by saying this is common throughout our entire senior living industry—not just at Covenant Village. Our industry has not discovered the marketing “sweet sauce” to break the “too late” quagmire.

Let’s be honest with one another. The human condition typically waits until it is “too late”—likely after a life-changing situation forces us to look for the care and services of Covenant Village.

Okay…that is way TOO many words on being “too late!”

Let’s focus on why some residents come to Covenant Village EARLY!

Choosing “Just the Right Time”

What differentiates those forward-thinking residents — the ones who chose to come sooner?

They didn’t wait for an eye-opening moment to define their next chapter. Instead, they chose to define it themselves!

They came while they could fully enjoy and benefit from everything a Life Plan Community offers — building friendships over shared meals, exploring new interests, staying active, refining their life’s purpose and meaning, and embracing a lifestyle free from the constraints of home maintenance and uncertainty. They made the decision not out of necessity or limitations, but out of freedom, independence, and opportunity.

These Residents understand something powerful: 

Moving earlier doesn’t mean giving something up — it means gaining more time to live well. More time to engage. More time to connect. More time to focus on the purpose and meaning in their lives. More time to thrive in a vibrant, supportive environment designed for the future and potential needs as they arise.

They also recognize a deeper sense of peace. By planning ahead, they’ve lifted a future burden from themselves and their families. There is confidence in knowing that whatever tomorrow brings, they are already in the right place — with the right support, the right community, and the right plan.

When you talk to those who came early, you hear a very different message. It is not, “We waited too long.” It is, “We planned it just right.”

Perhaps the real question isn’t whether someone comes too early or too late. Perhaps it’s whether they arrive in time to truly enjoy the life they’ve worked so hard to build.

One resident commented recently that he planned to “buy a weekend getaway” when he moved to Covenant Village but decided against it within weeks of moving. To his surprise, he found the Covenant Village community to be more than expected, and he didn’t want to get away—he wanted to stay—connected, engaged, and motivated!

At Covenant Village, we believe the best time is when you can still say, “Yes!,” to everything that makes life full—Where Life Is Full of Promise! And for those who choose that moment—who step forward with vision, hope, energy, excitement, confidence, and purpose—it’s never too early.   It’s just right.

—Dale Melton, CEO

Is this the right time for you? Plan a visit to find out. Schedule a tour here.