What is a Retirement Community?

A retirement community is a complex designed for adults who are age 50 and older who are generally able to care for themselves. Some communities can be a “hybrid”, allowing assisted home caretakers to visit. There is no hard and fast definition of a retirement community, but many characteristics include:

1.     Age restricted communities: These complexes can often be “gated”, with exclusive access provided for those aged 50 and older. There are sometimes entire towns dedicated to being an age restricted community, such as Youngtown, Arizona; The Villages, in Florida; and Sun City, also in Arizona. Generally, housing discrimination is prohibited, but the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and the Housing For Older Persons Act of 1995 allows communities to set aside special housing for adults.

2.     Adults who are partially or fully retired. Retirement communities are often marketed to adults who are financially secure enough to either not work, period, or who are mostly financially stable but hold a job to pay for expenses such as food, clothing or even for “fun” things, such as electronic gadgetry or vacations.

3.     Shared services or amenities: Some communities place a heavy emphasis on their amenities, which may include squash courts, swimming pools, or even small restaurants for the people living in the community to share in. Many people partake in these amenities to alleviate boredom or simply to make new friends.

Though many retirement communities are seen as places where only the very old go to retire, the truth is that most retirement communities can be viable for those who do not fit the stereotype. Many older adults find it difficult to make friends or find like-minded people, so the community oriented services provided in retirement communities can be a big benefit. The Huntington at Nashua provides long term care and is an elegant retirement community for active retirees. Located in the beautiful New England area, they can help you our your loved ones feel right at home making your time enjoyable in every way. For more information, visit their website today.