If your loved one is ageing and you think they may need assistance or a different type of housing, there are several types of retirement homes for you and your loved one to consider. With a range of options, there is something to fit each person as their needs change over time.
Types of Retirement Homes
Consider your and your loved one’s needs to determine which type of retirement home is best for your situation. These are the six major types of retirement homes and senior living communities:
Independent Living
Independent living provides the highest level of independence out of the retirement home options. They are apartment communities for people aged 55 and older that do not provide medical care or assistance with activities of daily living. Also known as senior living apartments, these housing options are designed for seniors who are independent and active. They bring people of the same age group together into a like-minded community that doesn’t include younger people or families.
This type of housing features private apartments that tend to include kitchens or kitchenettes for independent seniors to prepare their own meals when they choose. You’re often able to choose from different apartment arrangements that could include studio apartments, one-bedroom units, or two-bedroom units.
These apartments are distinct from regular apartments because of the age limit and also because they feature rent packages with everything included. The monthly price would generally include rent, utilities, transportation, and housekeeping. You could also include meals so your loved one doesn’t always need to prepare food. These included items make life easier for a senior and puts everything under one convenient bill.
Assisted Living
Assisted living also provides a high level of independence and amenities for active seniors, yet it includes some assistance for those who would benefit from it. Depending on the community, seniors are able to choose from different housing arrangements, such as shared or private apartments, suites, condos, or other layouts.
The amenities and services can include assistance with activities of daily living, such as personal hygiene and housekeeping activities, as well as some skilled nursing care. You can choose the amount of assistance that fits your loved one’s needs. This type of care does not force assistance on those who do not need it, but rather encourages independence as much as possible. Your loved one could gain support with meals, bathing, cleaning, and other activities while receiving periodic medical care.
Anyone who requires skilled nursing care would require a different type of retirement community instead of assisted living. Generally, the medical care in an assisted living community is given by third-party providers who are professionals in their respective medical field rather than by staff of the community. These communities also offer amenities and services to enhance a person’s quality of life, such as group fitness classes, educational activities, and social groups and outings.
Skilled Nursing Facility
Skilled nursing facilities provide a high level of medical care and assistance with activities of daily living. You can choose from different facilities, with some designed to seem like a private residence while others are similar to a hospital setting. This is not private living, but instead features a room in a facility that is cleaned and maintained by the staff. This type of retirement housing has the least amount of independence compared to assisted or independent living and is designed for people who need more assistance and cannot live on their own.
In a skilled nursing facility, your loved one would receive continuous skilled nursing care and other medical care to fit their needs. They would also receive ongoing help with bathing, grooming, eating, and other activities of daily living. These communities also provide activities to engage their residents, which are designed for people with more limited abilities than active senior communities.
Age-Restricted Retirement Communities
This is a speciality type of retirement community that follows regulations by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) as well as Housing for Older Persons. Because the housing is age-restricted, they have certain guidelines.
Age-qualified communities need to have people who are 55 or older take up at least 80% occupancy. People of other ages can live in the other units, although those who are 18 or younger are not able to become permanent residents.
Age-targeted communities have a focus on senior residents, yet they do not have an age restriction. People of any age can live in these housing units, however, they’re targeted towards older adults and will have amenities geared toward those 55 and up.
These senior communities provide housing and some amenities, but not medical care or help with activities of daily living.
Lifestyle Retirement Communities
Lifestyle retirement communities are speciality communities that are designed to fit people of certain lifestyles. You can choose from a range of options depending on your chosen lifestyle. This type of retirement community includes housing and speciality amenities without providing medical care or assistance with activities of daily living. People tend to choose these communities based on lifestyle factors more than the housing itself.
Types of Lifestyle Retirement Communities
These are some of the lifestyle retirement communities you may choose from:
- Golf retirement communities
- Luxury apartments
- Boating housing
- Artist communities
- Faith-based housing
- LGBTQ communities
- Single communities
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
This type of retirement community offers long-term housing for seniors. This type of housing is beneficial because you’re able to transition through different stages of care within the same community. For example, you can enter the community by living in independent living and then transition to assisted living if you require more care along the way. You can then transfer to skilled nursing care or memory care if you require even more medical care and assistance with daily living. This is a great option for getting more help as needed without moving to a new facility.
With this type of housing, you can choose from different kinds of contracts. You’re able to choose an unlimited contract for long-term care, although this has the highest cost to match. Or you could pick from a modified contract with specified services and time frame or a fee-for-service contract to pay for services as you receive them.
Benefits of Retirement Homes
Any type of retirement home could provide benefits for your family and your loved one. One could be more beneficial than others, but this will depend on factors specific to your family’s needs. These are some of the benefits of retirement homes:
Help for Loved Ones
Loved ones are often entrusted with the ongoing care of an aging person. However, this can be difficult on family members who are not professionally trained. Loved ones have other responsibilities, such as work or children to care for. Also, in time, a senior may need increasing skilled care that a family member cannot provide. A retirement community with staff to provide medical care and activities of daily living can help to care for the aging person.
Gives Holistic Support
Retirement homes can provide support for the full range of a person’s health and well-being. This means it supports physical, spiritual, social, and mental health to provide the best quality of life. A retirement community offers social activities, physical fitness, outdoor settings to explore, and various services and amenities.
Provides Meals
Retirement homes usually include some type of kitchen in their housing arrangements so seniors who are able and choose to do so can prepare their own snacks and meals. In addition, many provide meal options within their monthly packages, allowing seniors to skip food preparation and enjoy socialization during meals in communal areas. Another benefit is that the housing food team is able to make specialty meals with proper nutrition and to fit any specialty dietary needs.
Gives All-Inclusive Living
Similar to staying in a resort, retirement communities include everything within one convenient monthly rate. Your loved one doesn’t have to worry about a thing because every aspect of living is included. The packages tend to include housing, utilities, services, upgrades, meals, medical care, activities of daily living, and more within the one fee. Family members should find this feature convenient as well.
Provides Good Quality of Life
Retirement facilities keep seniors from becoming isolated and from a reduction in health and well-being they would often face on their own. They gain many types of support to ensure their needs are met and to help them live the best way possible. Seniors are able to be as active as they choose by engaging in scheduled activities offered by facilities. They gain social support, mental stimulation, education, senior physical fitness, and other benefits. Many communities also cater to certain lifestyles or to special requirements to fit their needs.
Provides Medical Care & Assistance With Daily Living
In addition to housing, retirement communities have many offerings that handle medical care and activities of daily living. Some communities have staff to provide medical care while others provide third-party professionals in various fields. Seniors gain the level of medical care they require within their package. Also, they can have help with meals, grooming, bathing or showering, dressing, getting around, and other activities of daily living. Each person gains the help they need.
Specialized Care & Housing Options
You can choose communities that offer specialty care. For example, there are memory care and Alzheimer’s facilities that assist with the special needs of those with dementia or similar challenges. You could choose luxury facilities, different types of housing, communities that target certain lifestyles, and other options to fit your needs and preferences.
Costs of Retirement Homes
The different types of retirement homes come with varying costs. This is one of the factors you’ll want to consider when comparing your options. Some types would include just the cost of housing and included amenities because they do not offer medical care and assistance with activities of daily living. Out of the types that do provide these kinds of care along with housing, here is an idea of the cost of retirement homes to compare:
- Independent Living: Ranges from $1,500 to $10,000 per month
- Assisted Living: Approximately $3,600 per month for one-bedroom unit, although prices will vary by location and facility
- Skilled Nursing Facilities: Average cost of $198 per day in semi-private room or $219 per day in private room; Medicaid may help to cover costs
- Memory Care/Specialty Care: Average cost of $208 per day in semi-private room or $233 per day in private room
The price of facilities can vary greatly by the community, the area where it’s located, the level of care required, the type of room or housing arrangement, luxury upgrades, and other factors. Long-term care insurance can also help cover costs for some types of communities.
How to Choose the Right Retirement Community
You will want to consider various factors when comparing retirement communities. These include:
- Whether your loved one needs just housing or housing with medical care and daily living assistance
- The level of care your loved one would require
- Your budget
- The location
- The quality of care
- The qualifications of staff members
- Feedback from other family members
- Recommendations from professionals in the field
- Upgrades, services, activities, and amenities offered by each facility
- The amount of staff per number of residents
- The type of staff or third-party professionals
Vista Springs Assisted Living
Assisted living provides more independence than a nursing home with more medical and daily living support than independent living. If you think assisted living might be the level of care that would benefit your loved one, we invite you to consider Vista Springs Assisted Living.
With various communities throughout Michigan and Ohio, we have many offerings for you to choose from. Our assisted living options allow you to choose from different housing arrangements and luxury amenities to provide the best quality of life possible for your aging loved one. We provide activities and services to assist your loved one while helping them stay active and social. Your loved one would have plenty of independence while receiving the support they need.
Contact us to learn more about our communities and consider them in your assisted living comparisons.