SENIOR APARTMENTS VS. ALL-AGES APARTMENTS: WHICH IS BETTER FOR ME?
Freedom Village of Bradenton
Mar 16, 2023
Florida - Sarasota, Bradenton & Charlotte Counties
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If you’ve made the decision to move out of your single-family home and into an apartment, you’ve joined a popular movement among seniors. But how do you choose between moving to a regular apartment open to all ages versus moving to a senior apartment in a retirement community? Let’s compare and contrast some of the similarities and the differences you’ll want to keep in mind
HOW ALL-AGES APARTMENTS AND SENIOR APARTMENTS ARE SIMILAR
For a number of reasons, apartment living, whether it’s a complex for all ages or part of a senior living community, is an attractive option for older adults. There’s less space to keep clean, no steps to climb and typically, there’s someone you can call to fix things that break.
In an all-ages apartment complex, you’ll generally have a pool, a fitness center and a party room, and sometimes pets are allowed. In a senior apartment, you’ll have all of these amenities as well — but you’ll also have so much more, as you’ll see later in this article
5 CHALLENGES OF ALL-AGES APARTMENT LIVING TO CONSIDER
Moving to an apartment complex can be appealing if you’re on the younger side of seniorhood and also in good health. But it’s important to think long-term. According to LongTermCare.gov, someone turning age 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services and support in their remaining years. And 20% of those over 65 will require that care for more than five years.
That said, in a few years, you could be facing five big challenges living in an all-ages apartment:
1. Needing to move again – Should your health change and you require professional care, you’ll need to move to receive it.
2. Paying out-of-pocket for caregivers – Private aides and nurses are costly, and you’ll have the added burden of the hiring process and finding trusted help.
3. Too much alone time – You may be surrounded by many neighbors, but in all-ages apartments, residents typically go their own way and stick to themselves. It’s easy to become isolated, and that’s magnified if you need to stop driving.
4. Most chores are still yours – You’ll still need to hire a housekeeper, wash your own linens, hang your own pictures and make your own meals.
5. Safety issues – How quickly can help arrive if you have an emergency? All-ages apartments aren’t set up with pull chains or buttons to use if you’re not near your phone. And if you begin to have memory, sight or hearing issues, the safety concerns multiply.
FIVE REASONS MOVING TO A SENIOR APARTMENT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE
When it comes to services, amenities, cost and care, the independent living lifestyle you’ll enjoy in a community like Freedom Village of Bradenton really can’t be beat.
Remember, independent living communities are designed for older adults like you. That means you’ll meet people who have all kinds of life experiences in common, and likely share similar interests in music, activities and how they like to have fun. That’s how great friendships are born!
And those worrisome challenges you could face living in an all-ages apartment? Consider them eliminated. Compare these five key perks of choosing a senior apartment:
1. You’ll never have to move again – Everything you need to make life enjoyable, carefree, convenient, comfortable and safe are here for you, including higher-level care if you ever need it.
2. The care you may need someday can be covered in full – In a Life Plan Community like Freedom Village of Bradenton, you can choose a contract that provides access to a full continuum of care at no additional cost — including assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and rehabilitation, and it’s all on campus.
3. You can be as active and engaged as you like – Living in a retirement community, your only challenge will be choosing which activity, class, day trip or discussion group to take part in each day — and what to order at Happy Hour and dinner that evening. Feel like staying in for a cozy evening? That’s your choice, too!
4. Someone else will do the chores – Say goodbye to that to-do list. When you live in a senior apartment, someone else takes care of the housekeeping, flat linen laundry, and comes to the rescue if something needs fixing. The same goes for exterior tasks like mowing, painting and snow removal.
5. Your apartment and the community are designed for safety – You won’t find a community more responsive in an emergency than a retirement community. With a security team on call 24/7 and at your door at the touch of a button, you’ll always feel safe at home.
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