ORANGE PARK – Lois Swan and her husband, Jim, always believed their life plan was perfect.

Their two sons were grown and moved on to lives of their own. The mortgage on their five-bedroom home was paid off by the time they were in their mid-60s. With no worries and no bills, they were ready to enjoy the benefits earned by a lifetime of sacrifices, planning and saving.

They could sleep in when they wanted, go anywhere or do nothing. After decades of work, life was finally going to be fun.

Eventually, Jim developed Parkinson’s Disease, believed to be the result of Agent Orange from his military service in Vietnam. Then, he was diagnosed with leukemia.

What's more, Lois fell and suffered a seriously broken leg that required a three-and-a-month recovery in a rehabilitation center.

“My husband and I had planned on aging in our home,” Lois said. “We had our home all paid for before we were 65. (We) paid off debts before he retired, so that we could be there until we died. Didn't work out that way.”

Her husband will remain at Isle Health and Rehab Center on Fleming Island until a bed becomes available at the VA Nursing Home in St. Augustine. Lois found a home at Palagio Senior Living on Kingsley Avenue in Orange Park.

“You think you go to assisted living to die,” Lois said. “I thought that, too, but I got educated when I got here in November. I’ve only been here a little more than three months, and I love it here. They keep you busy, busy, busy. That’s the secret: keep your mind busy, as well as being physical.

"I'm a social animal. I fit in well here."

There isn’t an open space on the activity calendar near the elevator. If a resident doesn’t like to play Bingo, no problem. There’s a putting green outside, board games, arts and crafts, a beer or wine bar, darts, trips to Walmart or Publix and blackjack.

“We want to keep them stimulated mind, body and soul, regardless,” said Sales and Marketing Director Ashley Robinson. “Having that social interaction, to talk to each other, they're around the same generation, they have the same issues, if you will. They have the same concerns with what's going on and how things used to be. They find commonalities when they come here.”

Lloyd Henderson and Lois said their neighbors rallied around a project last December to decorate trees that were donated to needy families. Palagio encourages its residents to participate in a project every quarter that connects them with the community.

“Remember Lloyd, all the beautiful Christmas trees we had decorated,” Lois asked. “I mean, you couldn't turn around without seeing a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Then they donated a whole bunch of them to families that couldn't afford their Christmas tree, and they had the decorations already on.”

Henderson said his favorite part of Palagio is the food and his friends.

“They do a good job. You get out of it as much as you put in,” he said. “When I first got here, I realized, all of a sudden, I'm only here the rest of my life. This is not a get-well program. Well, you're not going to get overage. I mean, we all know it.”

Henderson said when it gets warmer, he wants to go outside, use the putting green and throw horseshoes.

“It’s really nice here,” he said.

Robinson said they plan trips to local restaurants for lunch and dinner, so residents know they are part of the Clay County community, not just inside the walls of Palagio.

Robinson knows many seniors initially feel like they’re losing their independence by moving into an assisted living center. She also knows it doesn’t take long for a new resident to realize they maintain independence and gain the care they need while finding friends and activities that stimulate their minds and physical activities.

“I can count on one hand how many times people walk in and just say, ‘I'm so excited to be moving to senior living.’ No, it's either they've had a fall at home that required hospitalization, possible surgery, or rehab, with or without surgery, and now they have been deemed they're not safe to live alone. Maybe the family lives out of town. Perhaps the family around them has jobs, they work, and they can't always be there.

“If they're at home and unsafe, it gets costly to have 24-hour care. We have a full staff that can take care of that and create a lot of things to get them involved in the community.”

It’s the kind of care that’s supposed to add comfort and happiness to the golden years.

Lois chuckled when she said there was a saying among the residents.

“We don't like it here,” she said, “we love it.”

With that, she spun her wheelchair and headed to the elevator. The night was young and there still was so much to do, so many friends to see.