64-year-old man wants to retire at Holiday Inn instead of nursing home as it’s cheaper and has many perks
Retirement has become a luxury for many Americans. Amid rising housing costs and medical expenses over half (58%) of respondents surveyed by PGIM Global felt like the country is going through a "retirement crisis." While many of them don't have any retirement savings, one man from Texas planned his retirement in a rather unconventional way.
Back in 2019, in a viral Facebook post, Terry Robinson, 64, shared the idea of spending his golden days in a Holiday Inn instead of a retirement home as it would cost less. The now unavailable post, stirred an interesting conversation, with experts weighing in on the idea, in a USA Today report.
Here's how he zeroed in on Holiday Inn
While listing his reasons for choosing the hotel chain, Robinson explained in the post that the average cost of a nursing home per day was $188 ($297/day now) at the time, but a reservation at the Holiday Inn cost only $59.23 per night with a “combined long-term stay discount and senior discount".
He further said that breakfast is included and some hotels have happy hours too. “That leaves $128.77 a day for lunch and dinner in any restaurant we want, or room service, laundry, gratuities, and special TV movies," he wrote. He then mentioned that some hotels provide a spa, swimming pool, workout room, lounge, and many more amenities.
He said that with a $5 tip, the entire staff would be scrambling to help and they would treat him like a customer and not a patient. Plus, he would have the option to go to another Holiday Inn for a change of scenery if he wanted to. "You're not stuck in one place forever, you can move from Inn to Inn, or even from city to city," he wrote.
Another reason for choosing Holiday Inn was the accessibility. He argued that finding a good nursing home could take months but a room at the Holiday Inn is just a click away. He said that he virtually pays nothing for maintenance at the hotel as staff would take care of anything that breaks.
The competition to find a comfortable room isn't as steep either. Robison wrote, "They fix everything, and apologize for the inconvenience," he claimed.
While Robinson did not mention his state of health, he said that in case he needed medical attention, the staff could easily call him an ambulance. "If you fall and break a hip, Medicare will pay for the hip, and Holiday Inn will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life," he argued.
In a conversation with USA Today, Robinson admitted that he wasn't sure if he would follow through with the plan. He added that the viral post was written with a dash of humor and he was glad that people appreciated it and that it became a way for people to vent.
Here's what experts think of the idea
Caroline Cicero, an associate professor of gerontology at the University of Southern California, told USA Today that the plan has several misconceptions about the needs of seniors. The argument was furthered by Sue Johansen, VP of Partner Services for A Place for Mom, who claimed that while people may save a bit of money by living in hotels, they would miss out on several aspects of living.
She explained that unlike senior homes, hotels do not provide any assistance in developing long-term companionship or mentally stimulating activities. Furthermore, the staff isn't trained to observe and notice warning signs in a senior's health. "You start to look at not only the associated costs but what life would really be like isolated in a hotel somewhere and I think it loses a lot of its appeal," she said.
