Family experiences drive the creation of a senior care directory in Mexico

Enelin Toneva and Alejandra Arenas co-founded RetireMexico, a free directory of senior living communities in Mexico.

The founders established the platform after facing personal difficulties while seeking care for aging relatives. Toneva moved to Puerto Vallarta in 2021 after years of traveling and working in marketing and sales. She sought a care home for her grandmother, Ene, who had spent her life as a nurse.

Toneva found the available options felt like hospitals and lacked the personal attention she wanted for her grandmother. Ene died in the winter of 2025, and her experience influenced Toneva to create a resource for other families. Arenas, a native of Puerto Vallarta, also drew from personal experience to help build the directory. She watched her great-aunt live with dementia and later cared for Jim, an American man who lived in the area for over 25 years.

Jim died in 2019 after Arenas and her mother provided care for him during his battle with cancer and dementia. These experiences led Arenas to consider how families can help seniors accept support while maintaining their independence. RetireMexico provides information on staffing, room costs, and the specific care residents receive. The founders check these details directly with the homes to ensure accuracy.

They use their personal histories to ask questions about daily life, such as how residents are monitored for withdrawal or how a resident's preferences are respected.