Aging in Place on Skidaway Island: From The Landings to What Comes Next

Most people do not move to The Landings thinking about the day their house may become too much. They move for the golf, boating, friendships, natural beauty and the freedom of getting around by golf cart.

But if you are choosing Skidaway Island as your long-term home, it is worth understanding what comes next. The good news is that needing a smaller home, less maintenance or more support does not necessarily mean leaving the island or the community you have built.

Aging in Place Does Not Always Mean Staying in the Same House

People often use “aging in place” to mean remaining in one home forever. I think it is more helpful to look at it as remaining connected to the place and people you love while choosing the level of housing and support that works for your life now.

For some residents, that means modifying their current Landings home. For others, it means downsizing to an easier property within the community. Eventually, it may mean moving to independent living, assisted living or memory care without leaving Skidaway Island.

The best time to think about these choices is while they are still choices, not when a fall, health change or exhausted family member forces a rushed decision.

Option One: Stay in Your Landings Home and Make It Work Better

Many residents remain in their homes for years by making practical changes and bringing in help as needed.

A home that supports aging in place may include:

• Single-level living or a first-floor primary suite
• Minimal steps at the main entrance
• Wider doorways and clear walkways
• A walk-in shower with appropriate safety features
• Better lighting
• Easier access between the house, driveway and golf cart
• Lower-maintenance landscaping
• Space for a caregiver or visiting family member

In-home services can also help with transportation, meals, housekeeping, property maintenance, medication reminders and personal care.

The Landings Association’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors program may provide temporary transportation assistance, companionship, simple household help, occasional meals and access to borrowed medical equipment. It is a wonderful community resource, but it is not a substitute for professional home care or emergency services.

The house itself still has to make sense. A beautiful two-story home with multiple levels, a large yard and constant maintenance may eventually become more work than someone wants, even if they are still perfectly capable of living independently.

Option Two: Downsize Without Leaving The Landings

Sometimes the answer is not leaving The Landings. It is choosing a different home within it.

A smaller home, single-level floor plan, more manageable lot or location closer to a preferred gate or clubhouse may allow someone to keep the friendships, Club membership and golf-cart lifestyle they enjoy with considerably less responsibility.

This can be a good middle step for homeowners who:

• Still want to own real estate
• Remain active and independent
• Want less yard and household maintenance
• Prefer a first-floor primary suite
• Want to remain close to established friends
• Are not ready for a senior-living community
• Need a home that will function better over the next ten or twenty years

Downsizing within The Landings also requires realistic planning. Smaller does not automatically mean less expensive, and the easiest home to live in may be highly desirable to other buyers looking for the same features.

It helps to understand what the current home may sell for, how much equity will be available and whether the next purchase should happen before or after the sale.

Option Three: Move to Independent Living on Skidaway Island

Some residents reach a point where they are ready to give up home maintenance but do not need daily assistance.

Independent living can provide a private residence with services such as dining, housekeeping, activities, transportation and property maintenance. It can remove many of the responsibilities of owning a house while preserving independence and social connection.

Skidaway Island currently has two significant senior-living options: Thrive on Skidaway and The Marshes of Skidaway Island.

They are not interchangeable. Their levels of care, contracts, costs and long-term structures are different, so families should compare more than floor plans and dining rooms.

Thrive on Skidaway

Thrive on Skidaway offers:

• Independent living
• Assisted living
• Memory care

This allows someone to begin with a maintenance-free independent-living apartment and potentially add a higher level of support if their needs change.

Thrive may appeal to residents who want a more traditional senior-living structure with multiple levels of support available in one community. Pricing, apartment availability, included services and care costs should be confirmed directly with Thrive.

The Marshes of Skidaway Island

The Marshes of Skidaway Island is a Life Plan Community offering:

• Independent living
• Assisted living
• Skilled nursing
• Short-term rehabilitation
• Long-term rehabilitation

The Marshes uses an entrance-fee and continuing-care structure rather than functioning like a standard apartment rental. Its model is designed to give residents access to additional care as their needs change.

The contract, refund provisions, monthly fees and health-care access should be reviewed carefully with The Marshes and the resident’s financial and legal advisors.

One advantage of both communities is location. A resident may be leaving a Landings house, but not necessarily leaving Skidaway Island, nearby friends, familiar routines or the part of Savannah that feels like home.

Comparing the Next-Step Options

There is no universally correct choice. The right answer depends on health, mobility, finances, family support and how much responsibility someone still wants.

What Happens to Club Membership After Selling a Landings Home?

Do not assume Club membership automatically continues after selling the property.

The Landings Golf & Athletic Club offers a limited number of non-property-owner memberships, but availability and eligibility should be confirmed directly with the Club before selling.

This can matter to someone moving to Thrive or The Marshes who still wants access to Club dining, golf, fitness or social activities. Confirming those details in advance prevents an unpleasant surprise after closing.

When Should You Start Planning?

Earlier than most people think.

Good planning does not mean listing the house tomorrow. It means knowing the options before you need them.

Questions worth discussing include:

• Could the current house function safely with reasonable modifications?
• How much ongoing maintenance does the property require?
• Is driving becoming more difficult?
• Would a smaller Landings home solve the problem?
• Is in-home care financially and practically sustainable?
• Would independent living provide more freedom rather than less?
• What level of support may be needed if one spouse’s health changes?
• How much equity is available in the current home?
• Are there waiting lists at Thrive or The Marshes?
• What happens to Club membership after the property is sold?

Waiting until the situation becomes urgent usually means fewer choices and more stress.

Preparing a Landings Home for the Next Move

Selling a longtime home can be emotional, especially when it contains years of furniture, collections, paperwork and family memories.

The first step is not throwing everything away or immediately renovating the entire house. It is determining:

1. What the home is worth in its current condition
2. Which repairs or updates would meaningfully improve the sale
3. What should be sold, donated, moved or stored
4. Where the owner is going next
5. How the sale and move should be timed
6. How much the owner is likely to net after closing

Some homes need updates before listing. Others are better positioned honestly and sold without putting the owner through months of construction. The decision should be based on the market and expected return, not a generic list of projects every seller is told to complete.

How The Trisha Cook Team Helps

Our role is not to decide which level of care someone needs. That belongs to the individual, their family and the appropriate health-care professionals.

Our job is to make the real estate side less overwhelming. Trisha Cook is a certified Real Estate Planner, meaning she has taken many courses on estate planning, transitioning to your next phases in life, estate planning, tax planning and probate. 

The Trisha Cook Team can help homeowners and their families:

• Determine the current home’s realistic market value
• Evaluate whether repairs or updates make financial sense
• Build a preparation and marketing plan
• Coordinate the sale with a move to another Landings home, Thrive or The Marshes
• Connect the family with trusted local vendors
• Explain estimated proceeds and closing costs
• Manage the listing, marketing, negotiations and closing
• Help family members who may be coordinating the move from outside Savannah

For someone who has lived in the same house for twenty or thirty years, this is more than a real estate transaction. It is a major life transition, and it deserves a plan that respects both the financial decision and the person making it.

Aging in place on Skidaway Island does not have to mean holding onto a house that no longer works. It can mean adapting the home, downsizing within The Landings or choosing a nearby community with the right level of support.

The goal is not simply to stay put. The goal is to remain safe, connected and in control of what comes next.

If you or a family member is beginning to think about downsizing or selling a home at The Landings, contact The Trisha Cook Team at Compass at 912-737-2935. We can help you understand the home’s value, the real estate options and the steps needed to make the transition without rushing the decision.