By Laura Hipshire
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Tom Cain may have given himself one of the best Father’s Day gifts of all, and in turn, benefitted his three children too.

He decided to move to Fox Run, a retirement community in Novi, several years ago. “It’s important for seniors like me to maintain our independence,” Cain says. “One of my daughters said, ‘Gee, Dad, it’s such a consideration for us. We love you and care for you, but the fact that you have it all here [means] we don’t have to worry. Everything you need is here,’” he recalls. “That’s very comforting to them.”

Sharing the love
His daughters, Michelle and Melanie, both live in Novi. “We see each other about once a week,” he says. Cain also keeps in close contact with his son Kevin, who lives in Seattle, Wash. Cain says when he made the move to Fox Run, his children told him, “Dad, you did a wonderful thing for us.”

“His daughter Michelle has four children. “Living here frees up a lot of time for me to enjoy my grandchildren,” Cain adds.

Balancing family and friends
Besides being able to frequently connect with his family, Cain says he’s made a lot of new social connections too. “What’s really important to me is the camaraderie here. You don’t have that in a normal condo or even in a neighborhood. You can make very good friends here—it’s easy.

“Those who are considering moving to a retirement community should certainly explore other possibilities, but I don’t think they’ll find anything that matches Fox Run. What I have learned is I should have moved sooner rather than later,” he says. Cain says he loved his career but enjoys being able to control and allocate his time even better. “I can plan an activity for tomorrow, and then tomorrow I may do it or may not do it, but that’s part of the joy.”

Most Father’s Days, Cain enjoys getting together with his family for food and drinks, and perhaps a gift or two.