Retired to Benson in an RV: When the Next Stage Starts

Quick answer: For many retirees around Benson and St. David, the next stage arrives quietly. The rig stays parked, the steps get harder, or the spouse who did the driving is gone. You don’t have to wait for a crisis or leave the community. A caregiver who is a senior too can start with a ride to town and some company a couple of times a week, then add more only if it’s needed.

The 2020 census says a lot about who lives here. In Benson, 37.4 percent of residents were 65 or older, and 22.6 percent of households included someone that age living alone. Many of those people chose the place on purpose. They came for mild winters and a clubhouse, maybe a season at a time from November through March, until one spring they didn’t hitch up.

The Year the Rig Stays Parked

Staying put is often a good decision. The neighbors are friendly and the views are hard to beat. Trouble shows up later, and it can look like ordinary life.

Picture your father, a widower, in a park model at one of the area’s RV resorts. All winter there’s a potluck or a game going on. Then the seasonal crowd leaves, the clubhouse goes quiet, and the people who noticed him at breakfast are 1,500 miles away. He tells you on the phone that everything’s fine, and it may be fine, through about May.

Signs Worth a Closer Look

• He’s stopped driving to town and is living on what’s in the freezer.

• The steps into the rig or park home have become something he plans around.

• Maintenance he always handled, like hoses or the awning, has been left alone.

• She used to go to activities, but now she only goes when someone offers a ride.

• Mail, bills or prescription refills are piling up.

• Summer heat is keeping your parent inside all day, and the cooling is harder to manage.

Any one of these could mean very little. Several together are worth a visit from you and a conversation. Bring health changes to your parent’s doctor.

What’s Different About a Park Home

Small spaces can help, since everything is close. But a narrow bathroom leaves little room for someone to stand by, and metal steps can be tricky. Before the first visit, it’s worth finding out whether the park has rules about guests, parking or gate access, so nothing surprises the caregiver or your parent.

Starting Small

Companionship and rides are an easy place to begin, because they don’t feel like care. The City of Benson lists weekday activities like bingo and line dancing at the Benson Community Center, and the Benson Visitor Center lists a senior center for people 60 and older, the Benson Senior Nutritional Center. Call either one to check the current schedule. A caregiver can drive your parent there and stay along for the first few visits, which is often the hardest part of going back.

From there, Light Housekeeping & Meals can keep the small kitchen stocked. Personal Care, including bathing and mobility support, can wait until it’s wanted. For routine concerns, your parent’s doctor is the place to start. Benson Hospital lists 24-hour emergency service, and in an emergency you should call 911.

Your parent may not want to hear that any of this is necessary. A Seniors Helping Seniors® caregiver is a peer who has probably had some of the same thoughts about getting older, and many retirees find that easier to accept than a stranger half their age. We hire for character, and every caregiver is background-checked with Arizona fingerprint clearance.

Frequently asked questions

Do you come to RV parks and manufactured home communities? Call us with the address and the name of the community. We’ll talk through access and tell you what we can do at that location.

My parent still goes north for part of the year. Does that rule out care? It doesn’t have to. We have no long-term contracts and no weekly minimums, so ask at the consultation how a schedule could work around the months your parent is here.

Should my parent move closer to family instead? That’s a family decision, and it may be the right one eventually. If money or housing is part of the question, an attorney or financial counselor can help. In the meantime, some help at home can give everyone a clearer view of what your parent wants.

If the rig has stopped moving and you’re starting to wonder, call (520) 487-4246 or request a free in-home consultation. We serve Benson, St. David, Pomerene, Mescal and the surrounding San Pedro Valley.