All About Independent Living: A Lifestyle Option for Adults 55+

All About Independent Living: A Lifestyle Option forAdults 55+

Most people only begin to consider senior living as an option when they or a loved one begin to have health issues or begin to need help with their personal care or other daily tasks at home. However, what you may not realize is that there is a type of senior living, known as independent living, which is designed for adults 55+ who can live independently, but are seeking an active, social, and enriching lifestyle that also frees them from the burdens of homeownership and chores. Here’s more about the benefits and cost of independent living.

What to Expect in Independent Living

In independent living, or active retirement as we like to call it in our communities, you’ll find a maintenance-free lifestyle with opportunities to be more active, social, and engaged in the things that bring you joy. Our independent living communities feature amenities that include:

• Luxury studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom floorplans
• 24-hour staffing
• 24-hour fitness center, daily exercise classes, and complimentary on-site certified personal trainer
• 24-hour Stay Sharp Center with computers
• Happy Hours
• All day dining available - A farm to table culinary experience with gluten-free and diabetic friendly menu options
• Flexible, all day open dining
• Classes, clubs, seminars, and intergenerational activities
• Housekeeping
• Personal laundry
• Transportation
• Hair Salon
• Bistro
• Movie Theatre
• Sport Court
• Heated in-door pool

However, we believe our signature Whole Life Living program is the greatest benefit to life in a GenCare Lifestyle community. This approach to health, wellness and fitness is centered around four facets –Eat Better (Culinary), Move Better (Vitality), Think Better (Staying Sharp),and Live Better (Living with Purpose) – all grounded in a socially connected environment down to the design at each community.

Keep in mind that independent living is for active adults 55+ who can live independently, meaning daily assistance is not required, as support with personal care and onsite medical care are not typically offered. However, you may opt to enlist third-party home health services for those needs.

Is Independent Living Right for You?

While independent living may sound great, you may be wondering if it’s right for you, if it’s truly better than living at home.These questions can help you decide.

• Do you wish you didn’t have to spend as much time cooking and cleaning?
• Are you tired of home maintenance and yard work?
• Do you worry about unexpected home repairs?                                
• Do you still get around easily by yourself?                                                            
• Do you manage your medications and personal care without issue?                                                          
• Would you enjoy making new friends and having more social opportunities?                        
• Would you like to find a new hobby or try something new?                                                          
• Would you like to have more purpose in life?                                                      
• Is it becoming harder to fill your calendar with fun, engaging activities?
• Is your overall well-being important to you, but need help determining what to do and where to start?

The Cost of Independent Living

If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to most of the questions above, independent living may very well be right for you, but what can you expect in terms of cost? If you think of senior living, in general, as a continuum of care, then independent living could be considered the entry point so to speak. Because of the fact that independent living focuses more on lifestyle as residents typically don’t have mobility challenges or need daily assistance, it’s often less than other types of senior living further into the continuum such as assisted living or memory care. As such, you can usually expect the monthly cost of independent living to range between $2,000 to $5,000 or more a month, depending on factors such as geography and amenity options.

When considering the monthly cost of independent living to home, make sure you’re not comparing it to just your mortgage or rent. Your total cost of living at home also includes food, utilities, home maintenance, property taxes, insurance, and entertainment. Costs which are already included in the monthly cost of independent living! Peace of mind is also an added value in independent living in our communities because many also feature other types of senior living on the same campus. So, should your health needs evolve, you’ll enjoy a much easier transition.

Reference our cost comparison sheet to help you see the value in moving into an indepedent and active retirement community.

For more information on independent living at GenCare Lifestyle, contact a community near you or schedule a tour today!

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