Changes in our lives can cause anxiety and uncertainty, and we often worry about the worst possible outcome. Fortunately, when things have a chance to settle, we realize our fears were unfounded and things turned out a whole lot better than we thought they would. It’s sometimes difficult for older adults to imagine giving up the home they’ve lived in for decades. So instead, they create a lengthy list of reasons why they’re not going to be happy with their new living arrangements.
The truth is, once your senior investigates senior living solutions and what independent living retirement communities have to offer, often they realize there’s a lot more to like than they thought. Not only are they eager to make the move and live the good life, but many current residents say that their only regret is that they didn’t make the move sooner!
Here are the top 6 myths about moving into an independent senior living community:
1. Senior living isn’t for me. It’s for old people.
It seems a lot of seniors’ view of retirement community life involves a sedentary existence in no-frills conditions, but that’s the opposite of what quality senior living communities are today. Most offer inviting, comfortable accommodations that make the people who live there feel truly at home. They also offer a full calendar of activities for their residents to socialize and exercise their minds and bodies. As far as the “old people” perception goes — in many cases, senior independent living residents are getting younger than ever before, with some occupants moving in as early as age 55! That means some independent living residents are still well short of retirement age, holding down jobs by day and living the easy life at night!
2. Senior communities are for sick people.
People don’t move into independent living communities because they can’t take care of themselves. They live there because they want to be free to enjoy their lives unencumbered by the responsibilities of home ownership like mowing the lawn, cleaning the gutters or making repairs. With someone else handling those details, they’re free to pursue hobbies, fitness goals and social engagements. Of course, cutting the ties to homeownership and looking for senior living solutions while they are vibrant and in good health, puts them in a better position to transition to higher levels of care if the time were to come.
3. I’ll be bored and lonely.
Actually, moving to a senior independent living community is a great way for older adults to meet people with whom they have shared interests. Pair that fact with an in-house schedule of fitness classes, musical performances, game nights, happy hours, and art projects and there’s a much lower risk of being bored compared to sitting in your single-family home waiting for the grandkids to call.
4. I don’t want to give up my independence.
Whether it’s your monthly book club meeting at the neighborhood coffee shop or your volunteer work at the hospital, you can rest assured you will still be able to do the things you love after moving to an independent senior living community. In fact, not having to rely on yourself (or others) to maintain your lawn, shovel snow, or clean your home means you’ll have even more time for the hobbies and activities that bring you joy!
5. I won’t like the food.
In most independent senior communities, you are free to cook for yourself as you always have, should you choose to do so. But seniors find that communities that serve meals are not only restaurant quality, but they’re served in a restaurant-style atmosphere. You have a wide variety of options from which to choose from and most residents find it tempting to pass on the preparation and cleanup and opt to meet their friends for lunch or dinner right in their senior living community.
6. I probably can’t afford it.
There are a wide variety of floor plans that allow independent senior living residents to customize accommodations to suit their lifestyle and their budget. So, it’s probably not as expensive to make the move as you might think! But when you factor in all the costs of home ownership – including property taxes, maintenance and repair costs, utilities, lawn care, and insurance – you get a lot more for your money in an independent living community. Not only do you not have the financial responsibilities and worries of owning a home, but you have someone available to help you with housekeeping, maintenance needs and emergency assistance 24 hours a day.
