Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort

The Florida philosophy

ISABEL CONWAY

It attracts thousands of retirees with its beaches and golf courses, but can Florida really turn back the clock? Its residents seem to think so

‘AGE.” The platinum blonde in tight raspberry capri pants, waving impressive sculpted nails, fingers adorned with rings the size of golf balls, shrugs. “As far as I am concerned, 80 is the new 60 or maybe even 55, at a push.”

It is early afternoon inside Galleria, an upscale shopping mall in Fort Lauderdale, a pleasant waterfront city of towering retiree condominiums, north of Miami.

People who appear to be middle-aged or younger are snoring gently in the deep leather sofas put there to take the exhaustion out of shopping. Senior citizens, escaping the blinding June heat outside for the cool of the mall, are hopping in and out of demonstration massage chairs, barely listening to sales pitches.

Glamorous and sprightly elderly women are mulling over halter neck beach dresses. A man with a shock of jet black hair and enough wrinkles to put him in the octogenarian age bracket dances across the menswear department of Neiman-Marcus, politely asking me which shirt he should choose: would it be psychedelic palms or the red and purple checks? A tough choice, so he opts for both.

The nation’s headquarters for retirees, Florida’s major industry is the “age wave”. Targeting here is relentless, from law and accounting firms, specialising in estate matters, to clinics treating conditions from stiff necks and arthritis to cosmetic surgery and impotence.

Then there are the “early bird” seniors dinners, the happy hours, the casino incentives for elderly gamblers, the cut-price furniture and clothing for those magically entering the twilight years zone. Inevitably, also, there are the many funeral homes.

Retirement communities in Florida continue to attract people from all over the US and abroad, notably Scandinavia, drawn by affordable luxury homes that have fallen in price since the property slump. Sunshine, beautiful beaches, golf courses, highly organised aged-related services, and a more affordable cost of living are the main attractions.

Property promotional bumph describes Florida as a hotbed of physical activity. Vigorous oldsters are depicted swimming, cycling, playing tennis, jogging – not so much growing old gracefully as staying young forever.

So, is it a myth, that lure of rejuvenation, turning back the clock, a madly optimistic hormonal silliness, a place where people come to believe that 80 is indeed the new 55?

The Westin Beach Resort & Spa | My Fort Lauderdale Beach ...

Find the road to renewal—on the water! Enjoy a spectacular oceanfront setting, endless activities, and the best of southeast Florida fun. Our waterfront setting offers diving, sailing, fishing, or just quiet relaxation. But beachside bliss is only the start: we have a rejuvenating spa and fitness center, serene oceanfront pool, and enticing dining, all right on-site for your enjoyment.

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