Independent Living

There are many different types of senior housing, independent living for the middle class offers seniors many amenities and a more comfortable life style.  These are not the lavish communities built specifically for the well to do seniors with many facilities such as golf courses, swimming pools and tennis courts, but simple buildings, handicapped accessible often with a senior center attached which is available for the community.  This type of housing is great for seniors as it gives them the freedom of having their own apartment, with a kitchen, some convenience services and companionship with fellow seniors.  One of the requirements to move in is that seniors must be relatively healthy since there are typically no central medical facilities.

While being a senior can often be very lonely, residents of these building tend to be much happier.  They have the advantage of their own apartments, though often smallish, but can interact with other members of their generation.  They are much more independent and self reliant than seniors requiring extra care.  These buildings are often in the northeast where harsh winters make it difficult for seniors to get around.  They will have a lobby area with comfortable couches and chairs where seniors can escape their apartments and still socialize during the winter or the oppressive heat of the summer.  During the spring, summer and fall seasons, residents can sit outside and get fresh air.

Most of these complexes have connecting senior centers, open to anyone in the community.  During the week, these centers usually serve a hot lunch for a nominal charge.  Many residents take advantage of this and have their bigger meal during the noon hour.  These community centers also provide a number of activities such as bingo, musical shows, and lectures.  They also arrange for day trips and sometimes overnight adventures.  This augments the activities of the building complex.  The building will have more things to do in the morning and late afternoon such as trivia or coffee and tea with cookies.

Even though these building do not have medical facilities, sometimes doctors will rent a room in the building and set up a practice.  The doctor will gain a lot of patients just by being so convenient for the building residents.  It may be difficult to make the practice profitable since seniors are usually on Medicaid or Medicare.  But you can be sure a local drug store will arrange to deliver medications right to the building.

There are other significant advantages with being in a senior building.  Many building have a signal to ensure the residents are ok every day.  One building I know has each resident hang a tag outside their door at night and take it in every morning.  If a tag is still outside by mid morning, the building management is notified and investigates.  Also, many of the seniors will help with food shopping for their friends and neighbors.  For those unable to take public transportation or walk, these buildings usually run a van to the local shopping center.  This really helps in the winter when even healthy people will not be able to walk very far, especially with groceries.