As we age, it becomes more challenging to take care of a house. It is good to have options, such as independent senior living communities. Before deciding to move into a senior living community, do your research and compare all the advantages or disadvantages to living at home, versus independent senior living. You will need to consider your budget, mobility level, proximity to family and friends, the climate, as well as the following:
Social life.
When you are in a senior living facility, you have a built-in community. There are dozens of people in your age range, with similar interests and activity levels.
Transportation.
Rather than worrying about the cost of a car, insurance, and repair costs, you can take the transportation provided by the independent senior living facility.
Dining.
If you don’t like to cook, you don’t have to – most independent senior living centers have restaurant-type dining available to the residents.
Housekeeping.
After a lifetime of washing dishes, doing laundry, vacuuming and straightening up, you deserve a break. Living in a senior living community means you don’t have to worry about doing a lot of chores if you don’t want to.
Activities.
On-site opportunities for group activities exercise and socializing.There are frequently fun trips to local cities, casinos or botanical gardens. Or you can take advantage of movie nights, game nights, a tennis game, etc.
Security.
Emergency situations can arise at any given moment. It is comforting to live in the safety of a gated senior living community. Additionally, there are a lot of people around to help in the event of a fall or medical emergency
Independence.
Living in an independent living community may provide you with many friends and neighbors, but you also have the option to be independent. You schedule your own appointments, eat privately, and have complete control over your social life.
Another thing to keep in mind is that apartments within independent senior living facilities usually come with safety features such as handrails, not too many stairs, etc. Making modifications to your existing home is quite costly.
Whichever option you choose, make sure that it is what you want and can afford. Visit a few quality independent senior living places and ask a lot of questions of the staff and residents.