Relish your retirement surrounded by friends, family and fun in a beautiful setting right here in northwest Florida.

With the opening of Hatton House apartments on Hwy. 90 in Sneads early next year, seniors can live independently in a pleasant environment minus the demands of home and yard upkeep. Not an assisted living facility, the complex basically will be like any other spacious, new apartments available for rent, except all units will be wheelchair accessible, and residents must meet minimum age requirements.

"Besides struggling to maintain large homes and yards that have become too difficult for them to manage, some seniors are isolated out in the country" says Hatton House Manager Janice Cox. "This is a place where they can feel secure and enjoy contact with other seniors."

The two-story apartments will include 76 one- or two-bedroom units ranging from 610 to 925 square feet. Four of the units will be structurally modified, with lower cabinets and other features designed specifically for handicapped residents.

The apartments will be unfurnished but equipped with all major appliances -- a stove, frost-free refrigerator with icemaker, dishwasher and garbage disposal -- as well as a med-alert pull cords in the living area and bathrooms in case of an emergency. The apartments each will have heating and air conditioning controls, but no washer and dryer connections; a laundry room will be located on each floor.

The two-bedroom apartments will include two full-size baths, and all units will have large walk-in closets, Berber carpet in the living areas and bedrooms and vinyl flooring in the kitchens and bathrooms. "It's going to be an affordable but top-notch facility, tastefully decorated with beautiful furnishings and landscaping," Cox says.

A large multi-purpose room with tables and chairs, a large screen and a fireplace will provide Hatton House residents with a place to sit and talk, play cards and hold social events. For a minimal fee, they can dine on a continental-style breakfast and a hot noontime meal in a cafeteria on the premises. The facility also will feature an elevator, an arts and crafts room, a dayroom on each floor, a library with computers, an exercise room, a spa and an enclosed heated pool that can be opened when the weather permits.

A lobby entrance facing away from Hwy. 90 will add security and privacy, and residents will need a card to gain entry. However, they are free to come and go and entertain visitors when they wish. Parking will be ample, but a van on-site will be available for shopping trips, doctor visits and other outings at no extra charge. Hatton House's location also is a plus, offering convenient access to the nearby grocery store and shopping center.

Because Hatton House is built under a tax credit program, rents on all but eight of its units are regulated and based on a yearly assessment of the average annual income and assets of seniors in the area. The eight apartments exempt from the regulations are called market rate units, and are the larger, balconied units. Leases include all utilities except telephone and cable television.

For additional information, contact Janice Cox at (850)593-5777 or visit the Hatton House leasing office at 7979 Hwy. 90 in Sneads.