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Planning Ahead Karen shared that when she and Bar- ney first started considering moving to Shell Point, she resisted. “I really liked my house. I liked my neighborhood. I liked my life,” she said. “And why did I want to move in with all these old people?” Barney, a self-proclaimed fledgling golf- er who plays weekly with friends at the Shell Point Golf Club, added, “I thought of retiring here as just a progression of planning the “back nine”of our lives.” He said he and Karen did their re- search before becoming residents, but after settling in, he started to wonder whether the value was really there. Yet as the months passed, costs they had underestimated as homeowners qui- etly disappeared, and their calendars became full. “People don’t realize how much better their time management can be here,” said Barney. “You can spend your days mowing the lawn, cleaning the garage, worrying about the next roof. Instead, we’re spending our time on things that are really worthwhile.” For the Pultzes, the decision also comes back to their three daughters. With careers and families of their own, the last thing Barney wants is them to face a crisis without a plan in place. Here, the health- care team already knows the Pultzes’ history, Larsen Health Center is on site, and the con- tinuity of care is built in. “Our children are never going to have to call a realtor,” he said. “We are giving them a blessing, a gift, by setting it up so they nev- er have to have that conversation among the three of them.” The life the Pultzes have built at Shell Point extends beyond routine. They are stron- ger, connected to the community, and free to focus on what Karen said matters most: “our health, our family, God, and each other.”
“You can’t really explain it to people who don’t live here. They are still doing chores at home. Here, you have the time and the freedom to explore what you’d like,” said Barney. “Your time is your most valu- able asset.” Group fitness classes at Wright Wellness Center also provide something no assess- ment can measure. “After four years we’re
the broader Fort Myers community through his membership in Fort Myers Rotary South, starting with connecting an ACC football refer- ee from his Rotary club to present at a sold-out Academy class. He also serves on the board of Project Dentists Care, a United Way and Lee County Human and Veteran Services-support- ed nonprofit that provides free dentistry to Lee County residents in need.
friends with everybody in the class, so it’s a social event as well as a fitness event,” said Barney. “Everybody kind of looks out for everybody. I think that’s a pretty strong incentive not to miss.” The same people tend to show up each week, creating both encouragement and ac- countability. If someone misses a class, the group notices. “They’ll ask, what’s wrong? Why weren’t you there?” said Karen. “It’s an extra layer of support.” “You can get lazy when you
“ You can spend your days mowing the lawn, cleaning the garage, worrying about the next roof. Instead, we’re spending our time on things that are really worthwhile. ”
just go by yourself to the gym,” Barney added. “But when you have a friend group there, it makes it much easier to get up and go.” That sense of connection extends be- yond the Wellness Center to their life at Sundial. “People aren’t knocking on your door all the time. But if you need some- thing, they’re there,” said Karen. She is part of Sundial’s social committee that organizes a first-Saturday coffee every month, season- al barbecues, ice cream socials, restaurant outings, and holiday celebrations that have become building traditions. The Pultzes are also active volunteers. Karen is part of the Larsen Healthcare Aux- iliary, and Barney, a member of Shell Point’s Veterans Group, organizes a monthly veterans’ breakfast at King’s Crown. Barney is also work- ing to build bridges between Shell Point and
While Karen and Barney intended to remain active in their church in Fort Myers, they decided to become members of The Village Church after connecting with Pastor Andy Hawkins and his sermons. Now, Kar- en is a Deaconess and plays the handbells, and Barney serves on the Church’s Finance Committee. Barney said retirees have more to offer— and more to gain—when they stay plugged into the world. “People our age are looking for experiences and social connections,” he said. “We don’t want to sit and watch TV. We want to fill our time in ways that are re- ally worthwhile.”
Shell Point Life | Fall 2026
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