Tom and Joan Morris’ apartment isn’t “a” home or “the” home, even though it’s on the campus of a continuing care retirement community.
It’s just home.
Tom, 83, and Joan, 78, didn’t move to Warwick Forest in Newport News, Va., last fall because of major health issues or trouble with daily activities that would make them a fit for assisted living or nursing care. Instead, they chose an option called Independent Living, turning over daily cooking, home repairs and yard maintenance to the staff of their gated community. That has given them plenty of time to eat, socialize, exercise and go on group outings with similarly active neighbors.
“We’re here because we want to be here, not because we have to be here,” says Tom Morris, a retired pediatrician, who also brought along his dachshund, Millie. “We like the security of it, and you can’t help but make friends. But it truly is ‘independent’ living. You’re your own person, with your own home and schedule and as much privacy as you’d like.”
Independent Living, sometimes located within properties that offer higher levels of care as people age, is attracting seniors who want to downsize and make decisions while they’re still healthy. They’re relocating to apartments, condos or cottages rather than trying to age at home or face having to go directly into Assisted Living or nursing care.
“It can be less of a culture shock,” says Corey Shenk, chief executive officer of Aging Tree, a senior care resource center in Orange City, Fla. “People often are struggling with the whole idea of moving and think the words, ‘Assisted Living’ sound scary.”
Independent Living communities don’t provide health care, although residents can contract with outside home health companies. They aren’t designed for seniors who need regular monitoring or assistance—who fall frequently, for example, or have dementia or serious complications of a chronic disease. Yet many offer 24-hour security and emergency alert systems for peace of mind.
“Children often take the lead on this,” Shenk notes. “They like the idea of their parents not having to take care of a yard or call a plumber. They like knowing that their parents are eating regularly and can get immediate help if needed.”
And sometimes parents take the lead. As Vivian Paquette approached age 80, she opted to move from her South Carolina home to Brookdale Williamsburg, a Virginia retirement community, in 2014. She’s now near family who won’t have to fly in to assist her should her health decline. Paquette rents a two-bedroom cottage with a small yard, garage and kitchen, where she still whips up her homemade spaghetti sauce and pound cake. She also goes to exercise classes four days a week. “I wanted to make my own plan,” she says. “The people here have become a new extended family.”
More married couples also are moving based on the assumption that at least one person will eventually need more care, says Jackie Macenas, executive director of Sunrise at Fountain Square, a continuing care community outside Chicago, Ill. Should one spouse relocate to a different floor or building, “frequent visits, participation in activities together or meals together is very comforting,” Macenas says.
With amenities such as restaurants, fitness centers and a calendar of daily activities, Independent Living communities tend to attract a more social set. Costs vary widely but average $1,700 a month nationwide and often include an entrance fee, according to Aging Tree. Most residents finance that with personal assets; long-term care insurance plans with home care benefits may contribute. Some communities also offer contracts that set future rates should a resident need additional care.
Seniors who might consider Independent Living need to investigate while they’re physically and cognitively healthy enough to qualify for it. “The longer you don’t make a decision to do something, the more likely you’ll be forced to do something you may not have chosen,” Shenk says.
Most communities are for people 55 and older. At Warwick Forest, a community in Newport News, Va., residents range from their early 60s into their 90s, says Andrea Staskiel, director of marketing and sales. “Staying active and not becoming isolated really can help them stay healthy into very old age,” Staskiel says. “There’s a misconception that you’re giving up control, but I see people gaining it.”
Tom Morris agrees. “This,” he says, “is retirement in its most relaxed form.”
