Independent Living

An independent living community is often considered a good solution for seniors who are healthy and can attend to their own personal needs, but who would prefer to leave behind the stresses of owning and caring for their own homes. Most independent living communities are available only to people aged 55 and older.

The accommodations in independent living communities ranges from private apartments to condominiums to freestanding houses. Services generally include most meals, laundry, and housekeeping. Other services vary by community. Most also offer regularly scheduled social events. Independent living communities do not include health services or help with activities of daily living (ADL’s), such as dressing, bathing, and eating. Those are specialties of Assisted Living Centers.

Residents of independent living communities usually buy the housing they live in, but some communities include or are based on rentals. The communities themselves vary considerably in size, from several dozen residents to thousands. Services-in-common include maintenance of grounds keeping, 24-hour security for peace-of-mind. In fact, personal freedom is often cited as the primary reason for making the move to independent living. Residents come and go as they whenever they wish, knowing that measures are in place to ensure their security.

Independent living apartment complexes for low-income seniors are available via subsidies from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Often they are made available at below-market rates, which means they are in high demand—the wait for one often takes years.