As I get older, I do look forward to doing less maintenance around the house. That is one of the major benefits of living in a retirement community.
What are ten benefits of living in a retirement community?
- No Outdoor Maintenance
- Living With Your Peers / Security
- Different Levels Of Care Within One Community
- Community Classes Or Activities
- Independence
- Relaxing And Quiet Community
- Little Fluctuating Monthly expensive
- Nearby shopping And Healthcare
- Transportation Services Available
- Special Taxes
With the senior population growing everyday, there has been a massive need for Retirement Communities. As their kids move out and start their own journey, many parents are left with a large house, yard work, upkeep, housekeeping and much much more. There is also turnover in the neighborhood as older generations move out and new generations move in. This is the time to think of an Active Adult Community to move into.
These growing Communities can give the level of care from blend from Active Adult to Assisted Living. The growing population of the 55 years and older will make these communities high demand. Check out the amazing growth below U.S. Census
Data courtesy of the U.S. Census
No Outdoor Maintenance
For all of you that love the nice weather but would love the extra time to enjoy it, here it is– a maintenance free Retirement Community. I know you love the color changes of the leaves but you hate the raking, bagging and blowing.
Cutting the lawn once or twice a week is so time consuming. Don’t forget about fertilizing and edging around your sidewalk.
What about that messy job of sealing your driveway. Or, worse yet, having to replace it.
For you snow lovers, digging out of a foot of snow or trying to make a path to the side walk.
None of this is your responsibility any more. You will have a lot more free time and less trips to the chiropractor.
Living With Your Peers / Security
There are many advantages to living in a community of your peers. The companionship of friends your age that you can socialize with everyday is crucial for good mental health. Interaction is key to combating isolation. Just the everyday walk around the block, saying “Hi” to neighbors is a great way to get out and be social.
As a community you all will be going through a lot of the same experiences of aging.
- More frequent trips to a healthcare facility (Doctor’s, Blood work, Physical Therapy).
- Family and friends passing away.
- Becoming grandparents or great grandparents.
- More vacations
- The need for more services.
You will be able to discuss all theses experiences with your neighbors. All of you can benefit from sharing your experiences and knowledge with each other.
In a Retirement Community, there is always someone home. This is huge for the sense of security. If something comes up, it’s a good possibility that your neighbor is home and can come over in a minute or be able to get help quick.
If there is a strange car or person in the neighborhood you can call each other (because most of you are home) and let them know not to open their doors to strangers. This can be very beneficial until authorities arrive and verify this person is supposed to be in the community.
Some Retirement Communities have onsite security which, itself, a peace of mind with you and your family.
Different Levels Of Care Within One Community
Many Retirement Communities consist of thousands of houses, condos, apartments and nursing home facility all in one large community.
You may move into a house as an active adult and as you get older you may need additional services. In a Retirement Community you will be able to get additional services still living in your home.
There may be a time you need assisted living. You can move to an assisted living facility still within your Retirement Community and only be a few streets away from your neighbors where your house active adult house was.
These Senior Living / Retirement Communities where they have care from Active Adult all the way to nursing homes are called Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). It is sometimes called Life Planning Community.
Community Classes Or Activities
Now that you are retired and have little or no maintenance, what are you going to do with your time? Living in a retirement Community, there are all kinds of community classes or activities that you can do. Here’s just a few:
- Daily walks are great since you have nice sidewalks to stroll on.
- Swimming is fantastic exercise and easy on the joints.
- Biking.
- Book club.
- Movies, take advantage of matinees during the day.
- Cooking classes (now you have the time to learn different cuisines)
- Art classes (pottery, drawing, sculpting).
- Continuing Education.
- Music club (have to keep the oldies but goodies going).
- Dancing class.
- Volunteer (there are so many things to volunteer for).
One of the best things about this is that now you have the time to try something new. You can take as much time as you need to learn a new craft or skill. For Active Adults you have endless opportunities to do something that you truly enjoy.
Independence
This is such a large factor that help the transition to a Retirement Community. Knowing that you can come and go just as you always did makes it easier.
You may have rules like you can’t sell a car in your front of your house, or advertise a service in your front yard. But you live your life just as you did before.
Of course your independence will change if you have to move to an assisted living or nursing home.
Relaxing And Quiet Community
In your Retirement Community you will have very few kids around. Remember the kids in your suburban neighborhood? Loud Music, the bouncing of a basketball, soccer ball hitting the car I could go on and on.
At my parents Retirement Community, I swear I could hear a pin drop as I walk up their driveway to their front door. It is very quiet outside other than what the lawn service comes and cuts the lawn and trims the hedges.
Yes– When you do not have any outside chores, you have time to relax on your quiet porch and watch the grass grow.
Little Fluctuating Monthly expensive
Now you are on a fixed income. The last thing you need is unexpected bills. Remember when you had to come up with extra cash?
- New lawnmowers, hedge trimmers.
- Fertilizing and lawn care.
- New snowblower.
- Tree service because the wind blew down your tree.
- Sealing and repairing that driveway.
- New mailbox
You won’t have any of them any more. With a smaller house and no kids your gas, electric, water bills will be lower and more constant.
Nearby shopping And Healthcare
When a Retirement Community is being built there is a lot of planning and guidelines that must be followed. For instance building it in a community that has all of these in fairly close vicinity.
- Grocery store
- Shopping mall / plaza
- Hospital
- Doctors
- Dentist
- Lab / medical building
- Park
- Park and recreation facility
- School / college (senior educational classes)
Seniors will be in need of all of these. This is why it’s important that the Retirement Communities are built with this in mind.
Transportation Services Available
With age comes the reality that you may not be able to drive at some point. In these communities there are a lot of options for transportation and is included with some services.
Special Taxes
When you get into the golden years the federal and state governments will tax you differently on income, assets, etc. Some Retirement Communities are regulated and taxed at a much lower rate. For example, my parents own the house and pays county / property and school taxes. In their community they have a special tax advantage. They pay at least half of what they paid when they lived in a suburban neighborhood. What’s even better is that the Retirement Community home is worth more than their old home.
