Independent Living Communities

Seniors who move to an independent living community are interested in an easier, more connected lifestyle. They are tired of cooking, cleaning, maintenance, and the expense that comes with owning a house. They are still active and want to continue living according to their own schedules, but they would like more social opportunities and interaction with peers. They want good food (with no cooking required). They’d like to explore new hobbies and interests.

Residents come from all walks of life. Teachers, nurses, small business owners, big business CEOs, university professors, housewives, lawyers, engineers, musicians – and more – are making the choice for senior living in a community setting. Current residents will tell you these diverse backgrounds open the door to wonderful conversations and friendships.

Why sell your home and move to a community when you’re healthy and active? If you get the chance to talk with residents of senior living communities, many of them will tell you they wish they’d made the move sooner. Here are some common reasons why:

• Simplicity and freedom: They don’t have to deal with the expense and hassles of taking care of the house or yard anymore. If they don’t want to cook, they don’t have to – or do dishes. They have more time to do the things they love and to pursue new interests. And if they’d moved in sooner, they could have been enjoying this freedom for even longer. More on the expenses of aging in place
• Staying active: A comment you’ll hear a lot is, “There’s so much to do here you can’t fit it all on your calendar.” It’s not uncommon for residents to realize just how little they were doing when they still lived in their house. With so many opportunities right at their fingertips, they can be as busy as they want.
• Social connections: The effects of social isolation can be devastating to your physical and mental well-being. As an independent living resident, social opportunities are built into daily life, from informal get-togethers with friends to resident clubs, outings, and parties. More on the effects of loneliness on seniors
• Access to care: As healthy as you may be now, it’s difficult know if or when your health (or the health of your loved one) will change. If you move into a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) — also known as a Life Plan Community (link to new CCRC page) — as an independent living resident and your health needs change, you have priority access to quality care right there within the community. Making the choice to move early has been a blessing to many residents who encountered unexpected health problems. They didn’t have to worry about where to find the care they needed and didn’t have to move out to get it. More on continuing care retirement or life plan communities
• My life, my choice: Many residents say they moved to an independent living community because they wanted the choice to be their own — not their adult children’s. Conversely, their decision has helped ease the safety worries many families have around their parents living alone.

You’ll find a range of prices that depend on factors such as your city, size of your residence, number of occupants and whether there is an entrance fee. Rental communities tend to have lower monthly rates, which can be appealing in the short term. But not everything is included in that cost — especially health care.

In addition to monthly fees, Life Plan Communities (also known as continuing care retirement communities) require an upfront entrance fee, which can be over $100,000. This cost is typically covered with the proceeds from selling your house. Entrance fees are essentially a way to pre-pay future medical costs, and many communities offer various refundable options, so you or your estate gets a percentage of the entrance fee back if you leave.

According to the National Investment Center, the average independent senior living monthly rate is around $3,200: although monthly fees can range from $1,500 to $5,000 or more. As you compare your options, make sure you’re looking at the whole value, not just a single price point.

More on the costs – and true value – of senior living

Compare the cost of an independent living community to the cost of remaining at home. You might be surprised.

Download the worksheet

To truly understand what today’s independent living offers, visit an independent living community near you. The staff will arrange a tour, introduce you to some residents and give you a true glimpse into the lifestyle that awaits.