Baby boomers are now reaching retirement age. They also recognize the need for more retirement options than their parents had. Thankfully, this need is already being filled with the ever-increasing number of Oceanside senior living options.
If you or a loved one are ready to discuss the options for senior living, then read on. This article will go over the 11 most common senior living options.
Independent Living
- Aging in place
This means that a senior will stay where they currently are. This is made possible by modifying the home for senior living, as well as consulting with home care services when needed.
- Age-restricted communities
The only defining characteristic of these communities is the age restriction. Only certain aged people are allowed to live in these communities. Everything else goes; however; living options include renting, buying, apartments, condos, townhouses, you name it. It’s all up to each individual community.
It gets even more specific than that. There are what’s called niche communities where people of common interest or background can all live in the same community. For instance, there are LGBT communities. Some communities are built near college campuses made explicitly for that college’s professors and alumni.
- Assisted Living
These are facilities that are made to help those who need it with instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). These activities include cooking and bathing. Extensive medical assistance, however, may or may not be included. Typically the bedroom and bathroom are kept private for each resident, but the rest of the areas are shared.
Offerings and amenities in each community can vary greatly. The typical amenities often include:
- transportation to doctor’s appointments
- fun activities and opportunities for exercising
- laundry services
- meals
- housekeeping
Less common amenities include on-site nursing staff, beauty shops, and other various entertainment venues.
- Nursing Homes
Unlike assisted living communities, nursing homes take medical care to the next level. This means medicine management and 24-hour care and supervision. They also include all of the typical features that assisted living provides, as well.
- Respite Care
Think of respite care as the short term care option, and it’s usually most similar to either assisted living or nursing homes.
- Memory Care Communities
These facilities are most often a part of nursing homes, and they cater to those with dementia or Alzheimer’s. The main differentiator with this type of community is the increased number of staff who provide more supervision. There are also more security features present to keep residents from wandering in certain areas (such as in public) and endangering themselves or others. All of these extra features justify the higher price tag of memory care.
- Hospice
Hospice can be given anywhere because it’s a type of care given to those with a terminal illness. Hospice can be provided in a person’s home or a nursing home. It tends to focus on pain management to make life for someone with a terminal illness as comfortable and bearable as possible.
Other Senior Living Options
There is no shortage of options when it comes to senior living. Perhaps you aren’t in a situation where you can live alone. You might also not be able to live with a friend or relative. And maybe you also don’t want to live in an assisted living community or a nursing home. If you or your loved one is in this situation, then do consider the following less traditional senior living options.
- Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC)
These types of communities also have numerous different housing options. And the best part is, all of these are included on the same property! This makes moving between various facilities easy. In a CCRC, you might have senior apartments, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities all on the same property. This is quite convenient because a person may be in a situation where they need to be supported but don’t need too much medical care yet. However, they might need more medical care in the future, in which case a nursing home will be there waiting for them right on the same property.
- Co-housing
When it comes to co-housing, there are two different types: 1 for seniors and 1 for everyone else. In this arrangement, residents can own their own homes but share other buildings and yards with the community. It works functionally like a homeowners association, with the difference being that everyone wants to feel closer to their neighbors. You can view lists of co-housing communities on the website belonging to the cohousing association of America.
- Home Sharing
This is where the senior will get a roommate in exchange for something. This is a good option for seniors who have a spare bedroom in the house. For example, if you need financial assistance, the ideal roommate might be another senior who can help pay your rent. Or, if you need help with chores around the house, an ideal roommate might be a young college student. And just like with Co-housing, there is a website to help you find a good roommate – the National Shared Housing Resource Center.
- Move Abroad
There are numerous options for seniors who would like to live abroad. Most of the same senior living options in the US can be found in other countries as well.
Medicare Part A coverage is given to those who permanently move abroad for free. However, the rules can be a little complicated. You must make sure that you have private health insurance that will work in the destination country. Depending on the specific country as well as your citizenship status there, you may be able to continually receive your social security benefits as well.
Conclusion
While we all know how stressful it can seem to have a conversation about Oceanside senior living options, it doesn’t have to be framed in this way. When you talk about all of the different and exciting options available, it can be an exciting conversation instead of a scary one. No matter what situation you or your loved one is in, you should be able to find a suitable housing option.