In the U.S., the average life expectancy is 77 years. This leaves quite a bit of time after retirement, and you’ll need to decide how you’re going to live.

Senior living options have increased and improved drastically over the years. Gone are the days where every senior citizen went to a retirement village; now, there are options that you can tailor depending on your specific wants and needs.

So, keep reading to find out more about the different senior living options available today.

Aging in Place

Aging in place refers to people who decide to keep living in their own homes instead of moving to a senior living facility or assisted living. Usually, you will modify your home depending on any accessibility needs you might have in order to successfully age in place.

The goal of aging in place is to give people independence for as long as possible, and it can be much cheaper than facilities designed for senior living. As the need arises, a caregiver can be hired to assist with any tasks to ease the load.

Retirement Communities for Independent Living

Retirement communities are age-restricted housing options that cater to senior citizens that crave independent living. These communities can have a combination of housing options for residents ranging from townhouses to apartments. Usually, these residences can be rented or owned depending on each individual community.

There are even retirement communities that cater to specific niches, such as open spaces for older LGBT people.

Assisted Living Facilities

These facilities are most likely what you picture if you think of senior living options. Assisted living facilities help their residents with daily tasks such as bathing and dressing, and sometimes with medical assistance.

Usually, residents have their own room and bathroom, but all the other spaces are communal spaces. Most services are included in these facilities, such as cooking, laundry, cleaning, etc.

These facilities aren’t meant for senior citizens that can still go about their day independently. The care offered at these facilities is in-depth and specialized to each tenant.

Nursing Homes

Nursing homes are similar to assisted living facilities, but they have a greater focus on medical care. Nursing homes usually take over medication management, and there is 24-hour supervision.

Nursing homes are more suited to people who have complex medical issues. They will be able to monitor the resident and administer medication.

Senior Living Options Made Easy

Aging is a fact of life, but you need to make plans regarding your senior living options as soon as possible. While some options won’t be applicable if you have serious health problems or require more care, it’s a good idea to have all your options laid out before you make a decision. So go ahead and start making plans for the future now.

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