If you’re looking to move from home, you’ve probably considered moving to an independent living community. Senior-friendly independent living communities are designed for aging adults who want the freedom of their place but with the added benefit of having a variety of services and amenities available to them. This includes transportation, meal planning, companionship, social activities, safety, and security features—the list goes on! There are many advantages to moving into a senior-friendly independent living community. Here are just some:
Independent Living
Independent living is a housing option you may want to consider when it’s time to move out of your home. As the name implies, independent living provides you with an apartment of your own where you can live on your terms without being dependent on others for daily care and assistance.
Independent living offers residents various amenities and services tailored to meet individual needs, so they can maintain as much independence as they desire. Residents typically have access to:
- Cooking facilities in their apartment (including refrigerators)
- A fully-stocked kitchen or communal kitchenette (depending on the facility)
- Laundry facilities or laundry rooms where residents can wash clothes and linens themselves or through professional laundry service providers
Companionship
When you move into a senior-friendly independent living community, you’ll enjoy the companionship of other people facing similar challenges and circumstances. This can be especially beneficial to those living alone without any support system for many years.
To help with loneliness, depression, anxiety, and social skills:
- Companionship from others in your community will provide some much-needed human connection during this time of transition. This is especially true when moving away from family members or lifelong friends who may live far away.
- Having someone nearby that understands what it’s like to be in your situation can also make things easier for both parties involved.
Social Activities
Social activities are an important part of your life. They can be an excellent way to improve mental health, reduce loneliness, meet new people, and feel less isolated. If you are considering moving into a senior-friendly independent living community, you may want to consider the benefits of social activities in your new home.
Meal Planning
If you’re like most people, meal planning happens in the kitchen and not on paper. You may think it’s too much work to list every meal you’ll eat each day before going grocery shopping. But it’s worth trying out as soon as possible since there are several benefits to this practice:
- Meal planning allows you to save money by purchasing food in bulk and at discounted prices when it’s on sale, which helps stretch your budget further than if you were buying individual items from the store every time they ran out.
- Meal planning can help you eat healthier by ensuring that all five food groups are represented at each meal (fruits/vegetables; breads/grains; meat/fish; dairy products; fats). This will help ensure that you get all the nutrients needed for good health without any deficiencies or excesses either way!
- Meal planning saves time because everything is already written down, so there’s no searching around for what needs cooking next – follow along with your list until everything has been cooked successfully!
Senior-Friendly Amenities
Senior-friendly amenities are essential, especially if you’re moving into an independent living community. These communities often offer a variety of activities and events, social clubs, volunteer opportunities, community gardens, and pet-friendly policies. They may also have a clubhouse with a library, movie theater, or laundry facility on-site.
If these sound-like things you would love to be part of as an active older adult, then this type of living might be for you!
