St. Anthony's Senior Living

Your Guide to Retirement: Options for Senior Housing

You’ve worked hard to get to retirement! And everyone has something different on the horizon. As you plan for your Golden Years (or help a loved one plan for theirs), there’s much to consider. Time to relax, enjoy time with family, indulge in favorite activities, or even pick up a new hobby! But how do you decide where to do it?

As a senior, many housing options are available to you. It’s important to consider the next step for you in this new phase of life. Here’s everything you need to know about the retirement journey and ample housing options for your preferred lifestyle.

 

Retirement Communities

One of the most common options for the early retirement years is moving into a retirement community. Retirement communities make transitioning from the hustle and bustle of working life into relaxed, easy living. With downsized, single-story houses, on-site communal amenities, landscaping, and housekeeping services, you can enjoy the retired life without any added stress.

These communities are age-restricted (typically 55 and older), making it easy for you to engage with fellow retirees while maintaining your active lifestyle. This is the closest senior living situation to remaining in your family home, as it is simply moving into a smaller house in an age-restricted neighborhood. 

However, few services are available in these types of communities. Homeowner responsibilities are still present, except for some included exterior maintenance like snow removal and lawn care. Another drawback: You may need to make another move at some point. Communities like these rarely feature options for when residents require nursing assistance or can no longer care for their home. 

 

Senior Apartments

Not all seniors are interested in living the homeowner life once they hit retirement, and they may not need extensive care support. For a low-maintenance lifestyle that doesn’t break the bank, senior apartments give retirees the accessibility, community, and independence they desire.

Similar to Independent Living at St. Anthony’s, senior apartments can include services such as housekeeping and dining along with on-site activities and social gatherings. However, these apartments are not typically part of a larger senior living community and may be more limited in terms of amenities compared to a more inclusive option like St. Anthony’s.

Residents can often enjoy lovely gardens and landscaping around the facility without needing to worry about maintaining it themselves. Senior apartments are built with aging at home in mind, meaning they’ll include features like elevators, wheelchair access, and bathroom handrails so you can live independently without needing much assistance. 

 

Cohousing

Without built-in relationships from your job or adult children living close by, you may be concerned about losing a sense of community in your everyday life once you retire. Senior cohousing is a unique solution that combines the ease of retirement communities with a collaborative, grouped living space. Although you will still have your own private home, a cohousing community is arranged so all houses share the same landscaping area and paths, plus a community building.

 

Many cohousing communities are available for all ages, but senior cohousing is age-restricted so everyone living there will have similar interests and lifestyles. This form of senior living is ideal for retirees who are interested in actively contributing to the cohousing community.

Currently, there are no cohousing communities in the Kansas City area. But our community offers many of the advantages, including connection with others and opportunities to enjoy neighbors. If you’re looking for an active retired lifestyle while remaining close to home, explore St. Anthony’s various senior living options.

 

Long-term Care Facilities

If you anticipate needing additional care as you age, many independent living options may only work in the short term. Retirement communities, senior apartments, and cohousing all involve residents having complete autonomy, requiring no living assistance beyond some landscaping and housekeeping support. While this may be fine in the beginning years of retirement — or even longer depending on the individual — these retirement options become less sustainable when you need extra support.

Most people think of “assisted living” or “nursing homes” when they think of long-term care facilities for seniors, but these types of facilities can include several housing options that vary in terms of care support depending on your needs. While most senior living facilities like St. Anthony’s do offer assisted living and memory support services, they also include independent living for residents who are ready to downsize but don’t yet require significant assistance.

 

Benefits of Aging in One Place

As you age, your care needs may change. It can be overwhelming to move each time you require additional care, which makes long-term care facilities so appealing to seniors who have been retired for a few years and are ready to downsize from their family home.

There is always the possibility that you will at some point need the care and support offered by assisted living, and starting out by settling into Independent Living at St. Anthony’s means you’ll be prepared for a smooth transition that prioritizes your autonomy and senior living goals above all else. Shifting to a new level of care at St. Anthony’s is seamless and hassle-free, getting the care you need right within the same community you’ve come to know and love. And that kind of comfort and familiarity is genuinely priceless.

Contact us today to see if Independent Living at St. Anthony’s is right for you!

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