It’s never too early to start planning for your retirement. As you get older, it becomes more and more essential to make sure that you can afford to live comfortably in the years after you stop working. If you’re considering moving into a retirement apartment, some common fears may keep you from making that decision. Here are some common concerns people have about senior apartments community living:
If I Move into a Retirement Apartment, I Will Lose My Independence
Many worry that living in a retirement apartment will take away their independence, but this is not necessarily the case. You can still have your apartment and be part of a community at the same time.
If you choose to live in an independent building, you can continue life as usual: cooking meals, cleaning up after yourself, and doing your laundry. However, if you need help with any of these things, team members are on hand for assistance 24 hours a day. If someone needs assistance beyond what is offered by the team or friends and family members who often visit enough to provide support services (such as bathing), then they may opt for assisted living instead of independent living, which offers additional care options such as home health aides or nurse visits three times per week for medication reminders and follow-up care planning sessions.
Retirement Communities Do Not Have Entertainment Options
You may have heard that retirement communities are boring and have no activities to keep residents engaged. This is not true! There are tons of activities for adults, including music classes and art classes, as well as outings to local events. If you prefer indoor activities or if it’s cold outside when you want to go out, there are plenty of options available onsite at retirement communities. There will be things going on all day long at a senior-friendly independent living community; you just need to find them!
Retirement Communities are Expensive
The cost of living in a retirement community depends on your needs and what you want out of your new home. If you need help with daily tasks like grocery shopping or taking care of the house, then this will likely be included in the price. However, if you want more freedom from having to hire someone else to do these things for you, it’s best that you look for an independent living community with amenities such as transportation within the community. This will allow residents more independence without breaking the bank!
My Medical Needs Make Retirement Apartments Unsafe for Me
If you have medical needs that require assistance from others and/or equipment, it is important to find a retirement community that can meet your medical needs. You also want to make sure that the care team at the retirement community has enough experience dealing with people like you, as well as having all of the necessary equipment on hand and available when needed.
Senior Living is Lonely
While some people are more social than others, it’s a common fear that retirement communities are lonely. In fact, there are many options for social interaction in retirement communities. You can join clubs or volunteer, and many retirement communities have activities that encourage residents to get together on a regular basis.
As technology becomes more advanced, it’s also becoming easier to connect with friends and family anywhere in the world. If you don’t have children or grandchildren nearby when you move into a retirement community but still want to stay connected with them as effectively as possible, consider using Skype or Facetime to see each other face-to-face regularly!
We’re happy to hear that we helped you overcome some of your anxieties about retirement apartments. Now that you know the facts about how they work and how aging family members are living in them, it should be easier for you to make an informed decision about whether one is right for you.
