Retirement Residential Options: How's Your Health?
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Retirement Residential Options: How's Your Health?
First things first when considering a retirement residence: are you factoring health into the decision-making process? Even if good health and longevity run in the family, it’s a mistake not to prepare for the obvious: you and/or your partner face the likelihood that totally independent living will eventually not be possible.
Things To Know
- Are you factoring health into the decision-making process?
- Look for a community that has a range of housing options.
Be realistic and practical
We needn’t dwell on worst-case scenarios; how practical will the living arrangements you’re now considering be if you simply lose the ability to drive safely? Be realistic—your current health and likely medical outlook should play a considerable role in a smart decision on where and how you live. If, for example, crippling arthritis or Alzheimer’s disease has been a recurring family problem, you’d be wise to think about a living situation now where increasing levels of personal and medical care are available once needed. Look for a community that has a range of housing options from independent living for your current active lifestyle, to assisted living when you might need some extra help, to long-term nursing care, all on the same campus.
Such places often call themselves "continuing care retirement communities" (CCRCs). They allow you to "age in place" without the need for moving under difficult circumstances. Many offer a range of amenities, activities, and events that make them great places to live irrespective of health concerns.
You need a plan B
For various reasons, of course, a CCRC is not a practical option for everyone. One "option" you must have, however, is a "Plan B"—a strategy to deal with life if you become unable to live on your own.