Making The Choice Of A Senior Community vs Living At Home

When someone reaches their “golden years”, gone are the days of such decisions as which schools your children should go to, and a new decision appears…

“As a senior, should you continue to live at home or should you move into a senior community?”

It’s not an easy decision for some, while for others, the choice comes rather easily and quickly.

So, if you or a loved one has come to this point in your life, and it’s time to decide, a great place to begin is to compare the two and see which one best fits your desired lifestyle and your future.

Senior Community vs Living at Home

Aging with ease…

• Remaining at home – Although you might be comfortable in your current home right now, it’s important to look to the future…do you have stairs you will need to climb, a yard you will need to maintain. cracks or shifts in the sidewalk or driveway that are easily tripped on?
• Choosing a senior community – A senior community is built with you in mind…there are no lawns for you to mow, no stairs for you to climb, oftentimes step in bathtubs, efficient floor plans, and wide hallways and doors to accommodate walkers and wheelchairs.

A great social life…

• Remaining at home – It’s important to continue to have a social life, and right now you may have friends, neighbors and family close by. But there are not any guarantees that things will remain the same. People’s lives change, and they may move away, become ill, or even move into a senior community themselves. We all live our lives how it seems best for us.
• Choosing a senior community – These communities are filled with people just like you, and they are all looking to make new friends. What better place to enjoy an active social life.

Staying active…

• Remaining at home – Staying active is key to staying happy in life. Are your days filled with activity, volunteer work, book clubs or lunch with your friends?
• Choosing a senior community – You can be as active as you’d like in a senior community, where there is usually a monthly calendar of a variety of events for you to choose from. Or you can choose to find your own activities with your new friends, learn a new craft or skill, or resurrect an old one that you didn’t used to have time for.

Eating healthy…

• Remaining at home – How is your diet? The same as when you were young, good health depends on a good diet. When you were responsible for raising a family, planning healthy, nutritional meals was “just what you did.” But now that it’s just one or two of you, it doesn’t have the same priority that it used to. Also, you have been planning and preparing meals for many years, and quite frankly you’re just tired of it. So, many times meals are a quick snack or skipped altogether.
• Choosing a senior community – In a senior community, the choice is yours…because your apartment will have a kitchen, you can choose to prepare a meal, or you can eat at the community’s dining room with friends, where you will be assured of a nutritious meal and good company, and you don’t have to cook or clean up.

Getting to and from…

• Remaining at home – Many people, as they age, become uncomfortable driving, especially at night. So rather than taking the risk of driving yourself places, you might just stay home. And yes, you can ask people you know for a ride, but you don’t want to be a burden, and taking public transportation or an Uber or Lyft can be expensive, so you simply stay home.
• Choosing a senior community – One of the benefits you will find in a senior community is that there is typically transportation offered if you’re not in the mood to drive yourself. You won’t have to miss your doctor’s appointment, your day shopping or an event you’re interested in…you can let someone else do the driving and you can sit back and relax.

If you are considering whether or not to stay in your home or move into a senior community, I would suggest you go and visit some of the communities in your area. If you are in the Phoenix, AZ area, please feel free to give me a call and I could make some suggestions for you.

We are Certified Senior Move Managers recognized by our National Association of Senior Move Managers, NASMM! We are committed to serving our seniors with a high standard of ethics, best business practices and continuing education to help make whatever transition they are going through a Smooth Transition.

Contact us to learn how we can help you and/or your family cope with a senior downsizing anywhere in the Phoenix East Valley area…we offer a Free consultation.

We would love to serve you. 480-339-0011