This article appears as part of Casey Weade's Weekend Reading for Retirees series. Every Friday, Casey highlights four hand-picked articles on trending retirement topics and delivers them straight to your email inbox. Get on the list here.

The power of place: As past Retire With Purpose podcast guest, Ryan Frederick, has found, “place” plays an important role in the aging process. Factors such as access to quality food, walkability, housing characteristics and more lend a hand in your overall health and longevity. When retirement could potentially fill one-third of your life, where you live now might not be the best-suited location for where you should live in the future.

That being said, while determining the best place to spend your second act, several important questions to consider are:

📌 Do you have friends or family nearby? Connecting with those in your social portfolio is a major longevity factor.

📌 Where might you access the healthcare you need? In the event of unique health conditions, ensure the proper specialists are nearby.

📌 Are there places to play, to experience and to join others in something new? This could include museums, parks, theaters, etc.

📌 How will you get to the places you need and want? In the event you cannot drive or bike, what other alternatives can get you around?

Your dream retirement home might be somewhere tropical, but before you make the move, ask yourself the important questions that impact your quality of life far more than sunny skies.