In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

Alicia's Convalescent Complex

Lake Chapala, Mexico

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

In the past we have written about the costs of Continuous Care in the States and compared these costs to options available in the Chapala Lakeside area in Mexico. I promised that I'd look into individual locations here to give you a better idea of what your money would buy.

This is what I found at Alicia’s Convalescent Complex

This is the front to one of the five homes run by the Alicia's family. Note the garden terraces on the 2nd floor.

Alicia’s Convalescent Complex is a family run business.

Alicia is a nurse and worked in Guadalajara for ten years until circumstances prompted her to begin her own business running convalescent homes. That was twenty years ago and today, together with her husband, son, daughter and son-in-law they own five different care facilities.

This home and the one pictured above are connected through a joint laundry facility

Four of them are located on the same street in La Floresta, and one is on the west side of Ajijic.

The bottom floor private garden entrance to one of the rented rooms.

The monthly price of $1,200 - $1,500USD is determined by the size of the room you choose and includes three meals a day, laundry service, daily room cleaning, WiFi throughout the homes, Vonage VOIP service to call relatives and friends, and Cable TV with programs in English.

This downstairs room has its own entrance to the shared garden area.

Most rooms have their own private bath, but if a particular room does not, then a port-a-potty is wheeled in for nightly convenience.

Both of these rooms have their own private terrace or patio.

A typical ensuite bathroom

Special personal attention is also given, such as help in bathing - should that be necessary.

An upstairs room with opening to shared garden terrace

If you would like to meet friends for lunch, go to the theater in the evening, have an appointment at the beauty shop for your hair or a meeting with your doctor, all of this local transport is included in the monthly price.

Common social area for TV, music or a chat. Notice windows to garden areas and fresh flowers on the table.

Extra costs are charged for the diapers one might need, any personalized medicines and of course, you must pay for your own doctor visits.

Common dining room with kitchen off to the right.

Payment for residency in one of Alicia’s homes is made in advance monthly through one of their US-based bank accounts or the money may be wired here to Mexico.

Another dining room. Spaces were clean, well lit, homey.

If your family is also living in Mexico, your personal check may be dropped off at the complex or paid on your account at their local bank.

Walking out the front door of one of Alicia's homes. Notice manicured gardens and no dead plants.

Bills for the above added services of diapers, medicines and doctor’s fees are itemized and sent to you via email at the end of each month. If you do not have a relationship with any local doctors, Alicia and her family work with many of them and will set this up for you.

Alejandro and Jenny, one of the "comfort dogs" at Alicia's

If you would like a more detailed version of how your loved one is doing, you may arrange for that service.

Common area to visit with Whisky, another comfort dog. 

Alicia’s Complex consists of renovated personal houses and will give you the feeling of living in a real home, not a faceless institution. Emphasis is on personalized care, and when I toured the facilities with Alejandro, he knew everyone by name.

Another ground floor large bedroom with private entrance to garden areas. There is a TV, personal entertainment area, music stereo and desk working area on the left just outside the photo.

Alicia offers three levels of care, depending on your needs. Assisted living is for those who are ambulatory, reasonably healthy but would like assistance in daily tasks like cooking meals, driving to places you want to go, and having the assurance, that should you fall or need help in any way, a staff of nurses and maids is in the home 24 hours a day.

Bright kitchen area with dining room to the right.

Middle care is for those who have just had surgery or have other physical health requirements and want help in the shower, getting dressed or assistance with physical therapy. These homes have wheelchair access to dining rooms, showers, and other locations throughout the gardens and inside the home.

Another bright community entertainment area.

Twenty-four hour care is for those with slight dementia to full Alzheimers. As long as a patient is not violent, Alicia will accept them.

Memory Care Facility common area

Baby monitors are set in the bedrooms for the evenings so that if a resident is struggling or calls for help, someone is able to assist right away. Cameras are everywhere throughout the complete complex and are monitored by Alicia, her husband or their staff.

A large room at the Memory Care Facility

As you have seen, several of the homes have “comfort” dogs so the patients may enjoy the unconditional love that pets provide.

A brightly lit smaller room for an Alzheimers patient.

As you have seen from these photos, there are welcoming community areas, large, well-maintained manicured gardens, swimming pools, dining rooms, kitchens, garden terraces and other places to share doing puzzles or have a chat with another resident or with friends who come to visit.

Swimming pool and gardens at the Memory Care Facility

Alejandro, who speaks excellent English, is an immigration lawyer and can help anyone with visa paperwork or residency requirements. The Mexico health department comes twice a year to make sure there are no health violations in the complex.

Any resident has access to using the pools or shared garden and sitting areas. Alejandro said a solar cover for this pool will be in place in the next month.

Another view of open patio and plants at the Memory Care Unit

If you have further questions and would like to know more, contact Alicia’s Convalescent Complex at aliciaconvalescent@prodigy.net.mx  or visit their website.

About the Authors

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli are recognized retirement experts and internationally published authors on topics of finance, medical tourism and world travel. With the wealth of information they share on their award winning website RetireEarlyLifestyle.com, they have been helping people achieve their own retirement dreams since 1991. They wrote the popular books, The Adventurer’s Guide to Early Retirement and Your Retirement Dream IS Possible available on their website bookstore or on Amazon.com.

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