If you are entering your retirement years, you have several options from which to choose. For so many, moving to an Independent Living Retirement Community is by far the best choice. Below are several reasons why, and included are things one should look for when choosing the best Independent Living Community.

 

A Maintenance-Free Lifestyle

A maintenance-free lifestyle eliminates most of the burdens, stresses, and worries of household and property upkeep. Home maintenance, for example, may become costly, physically taxing, or even dangerous at times. Mowing the lawn, climbing ladders to clean gutters or changing light fixtures may no longer be a wise thing to do.

 

Independent Living – Safer and More Manageable

Most people live in homes that become tricky to manage as they age. More than one in three people aged 65 years or older fall each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among older adults, falls are the leading cause of fractures, hospital admissions for trauma, loss of independence, disability, and injury deaths.

Falls are not a normal part of aging. Many falls can be prevented. You have the ability to reduce your risk by moving into an excellent Independent Living Community.

A rental Independent Living Community (which we recommend over a Community requiring a large buy-in fee, often hundreds of thousands of dollars upfront) affords a monthly rental package. This package should include nourishing, delicious meals as well as weekly housekeeping and scheduled transportation for appointments. Regarding the meal plan, be sure to have a meal in the Dining Room and study the daily menu.

 

Life-Enriching Activities

Your Independent Living Community should also include a monthly calendar filled with life-enriching activities. These can comprise off-site trips to museums, symphonies, and restaurants as well as on-site events that provide entertaining and educational speakers, dance classes, Bible classes, and – very important – fitness classes.

 

A Focus on Wellness

Staying physically active is one of the most important things older adults can do for their physical and mental health. A regular exercise program, regardless of your age, can improve the quality of your life and help stave off illness.

Exercise may even help decrease depression and stress, improve mood and self-esteem, and postpone age-related cognitive decline. A great Independent Living Community will offer state-of-the-art fitness rooms as well as fitness classes with instructors trained in serving an aging population.

 

Access to a Built-in Social Network

Socialization plays a large role in maintaining the quality of life and independence as one ages. Feeling lonely makes one not only unhappy – it’s also unsafe. Loneliness is a risk factor for early death beyond what can be explained by poor health behaviors.

A study conducted by the Mayo Health Clinic found that those who engage in ongoing social activities and make new friends as they age generally live longer, are happier, and are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

That’s why it’s critically important that we remain active and engaged as we age: keeping up old friendships and forging new ones as well as taking part in group activities that connect us to other people. Living in a vibrant Independent Living Community offers ways in which to do all of these – therefore ensuring health-giving socialization.

 

Safety & Security

Your new Community should provide security with the following: 24-hour Concierge, surveillance cameras, an emergency response system continuously monitored, reserved parking in a limited-access garage, an electronic visitor management system, a key control system with biometric access, and doors secured with access control.

 

The Financial Upside of Downsizing

Are utilities, maintenance costs, upkeep costs, and property taxes consuming a significant amount of your income? Is your homeowner’s insurance going up? Does your policy include adequate coverage for when mother nature strikes? Consider the possibility of downsizing to cut expenses.

Generally, home equity isn’t taken into consideration when calculating retirement income. Your home may be the most valuable investment on your net worth statement. The equity locked up in your home represents a lost opportunity for income generation.

Downsizing and moving to a rental Independent Living Retirement Community may be the best option for keeping pace with rising prices and potentially increasing your retirement income.

 

An Environment of Beauty

When searching for your Independent Living Community, be sure that the environment is warm and beautiful—and that it appeals to you. The common areas should be filled with art and furniture that reminds you of a beautiful home – just a larger one! Individual residences should be spacious and airy, and you should have an option of a terrace or balcony.

 

A Continuum of Care

Your Independent Living Community should also be connected to an excellent Assisted Living and Memory Care Community. That way, one can “age in place” as needs arise.

These are only some of the advantages of moving to an extraordinary Independent Living Community.

 

Consider The Tradition

Today, Tradition Independent Living Retirement Communities provide beautiful interiors—with antiques and crown moldings—as well as fine dining, a fitness center, a constant flow of fun social activities, and programs that foster mental and physical health. Each Independent Living Community is part of a continuum of care, including Assisted Living and Memory Care. Tradition Independent Living Communities are situated in five locations: two in Dallas, two in Houston, and one opening in Fort Worth in April 2023.

If you have just begun your search for an Independent Living Community, we invite you to schedule a tour with us today! Visit www.thetradition.com and fill out our form.