Some types of retirement living that are available.
Independent living
Independent living is when a person lives in his or her own home, does as he or she pleases, makes his or her own decisions and choices, and can perform all the tasks of daily life and take care of him or herself.
Residential housing
Residential housing is where people live. Types of housing include apartments, townhouses, condominiums, cottages, clusters, duplexes, and freestanding houses. The housing may be owned, leased, rented, or provided. Residents live independently and can take care of all their needs.
Residential housing complex
A residential housing complex is a self-contained community of residential housing units. It may be an open entry community or gated, all or partially surrounded by fencing, with or without an entrance guard, and additional security personnel may be provided. It may offer pools, gyms, recreation centers, restaurants, lawn care, etc. for residents. Residents pay a monthly maintenance fee for the extra services and amenities. Residents live independently and take care of all their needs.
Retirement community
A retirement community is a residential housing complex designed for older adults, usually for ages 55 and over, who can live independently and can generally take care of themselves. Since a retirement community is restricted to older adults, it caters to the needs, activities, and interests of older adults, and it provides socialization activities that older adults enjoy; however, health care is usually not provided. Assistance from home care agencies is available and some communities may offer it themselves. Other than this, the residents must take care of all their needs.
Active adult communities specifically for active adults are “want-based.” They are a place for people who want to live an independent, carefree life among similar aged, like-minded adults. It is a lifestyle choice, not a necessity.
The largest retirement community in the United States is The Villages, which is located in central Florida. It has over 157,000 residents and has its own zip code.
Some common types of retirement communities are:
- ECHO. Housing Elderly Cottage Housing Opportunity (ECHO), AKA accessory units, or “granny flats,” are housing where seniors occupy a second family living unit or apartment with a separate entrance, on a single-family lot, with another family. The homes are usually complete, portable, small homes installed in the back or side yards of single-family house lots to provide safe, affordable housing for someone who is largely self-sufficient|
Generally, these homes are permitted by the jurisdiction to foster affordable housing or to aid families with elderly parents unable to live completely alone. The owner of the home and lot may be a senior, or the "renting" party may be a senior. - Shared housing. Organizations may set up shared housing networks where seniors can share their home or share the home of another. The roommate need not also be a senior. Professional organizations that specialize in these types of arrangements match the two parties based on needs on one side and abilities to provide on the other side. They screen the applicant before matching and follow-up afterward to help the match work out.
- Niche living. Most people retire at 65 and want to spend the first 10 years puttering around the house, traveling, and gardening but at about 75 they start getting bored and want to be with people with whom they have something in common. This has led to the growth of the “niche senior community” or “affinity retirement community.” Many of these communities operate much like a CCRC and, like CCRCs, they are expensive.
These are communities where seniors who want to spend their retirement among like-minded seniors who share a specific passion such as academia and lifelong learning, art, astronomy, classic cars, fitness, golf. motorcycles, and retired postal workers, military, musicians, NFL players, and actors.
One of the most popular and fastest-growing forms of niche housing for seniors promotes the idea of intergenerational living in its very structure: these are UBRCs (university-based retirement communities,) where residents can take college courses and participate in campus life.
A developer in Florida is working on a plan to outfit a cruise ship as a full-time residence for retirees. There are already many retirees who have been living on cruise ships because they like living where medical facilities, activities, fine food, entertainment, and travel are all in one place - NORC. A naturally occurring retirement community, or NORC (rhymes with "fork"), is a term used to describe a community that has a large proportion of residents over 60 but was not specifically planned or designed to meet the needs of seniors living independently in their homes. They are neighborhoods and housing developments, originally built for young families, in which 50 percent of the residents are 60 years or older and have aged in place.
- Assisted living facilities. Assisted living facilities are “need-based.” They are for people who can no longer live on their own and need assistance. These facilities are state-regulated, and regulations vary state-by-state. Regulations also vary on whether they can accommodate people with serious dementia, and to what extent.
- Memory care facilities. Memory care facilities are “need-based.” They are needed by people with dementia that has reached the point that they cannot care for themselves, even though they may be otherwise healthy. These facilities are state-regulated, and regulations vary state-by-state.
- Skilled nursing facilities. Skilled nursing facilities are “need-based.” They are for people who need round-the-clock medical care. They are not retirement facilities; they are medical facilities and, as such, they are federally regulated.
- Continuing Care at Home (CCaH). CCaH programs are both “want-based” and “need-based.” They are for people who want to live at home and be cared for at home for as long as possible and have higher levels of care available as needed. These facilities are state-regulated, and regulations vary state-by-state.
- Continuing Care Retirement Communities/Life Plan Communities (CCRC). CCRCs offer most or all the above types of communities, facilities, and programs in a central location. People who choose to live in them want independent, carefree living while they are still active, but they also want to plan for their future health care needs. The independent living, assisted living, and memory care facilities and CCaH programs of a CCRC may be state regulated, while the only the skilled nursing facilities are federally regulated.
Issues that arise in retirement communities
What if the homeowner dies?
When the homeowner dies and the surviving resident does not meet the requirements (such as age) for ownership, then that person, even a spouse, may be forced to sell the home. However, most age-restricted communities allow the survivor to maintain residency.
What about children?
Often, children, including grandchildren, are prohibited from living more than a short time (often 90 days) in an age-restricted community. This can become a problem if a grandparent becomes responsible for a grandchild.
80/20 rule
How can a 55+ community restrict by age? Isn’t this discrimination? Not really. Although the Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits “denial of housing or real estate transactions based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, and familial status.” Age is not mentioned, and familial status does not apply.
The Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995 (HOPA) allows age restrictions if a community meets at least one of the following conditions:
- all occupants are 62 or over or
- 80% of all the occupied units have at least one individual 55 or over.
The 20% leeway allows some flexibility should an issue arise that violates the age restriction, such as when adult “boomerang generation” children return to live with their parents.
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