Retirement Community Dictionary

As the proliferation of retirement communities across the country continues to increase to accommodate the ever-growing population of senior citizens, it is important to be aware of the various types of facilities available as well as the type of care that is provided. As the possibility of placing one of your parents or relatives into a retirement community approaches, you naturally want to ensure that you choose the type of care and environment that will most effectively meet their needs.

With the use of such generic terms as “old-folks home” to “century village” or “assisted living,” it is often difficult to determine what type of care is actually provided. There are approximately four or five categories which define the current type of communities and services available to seniors over the age of 55. It is important to remember that these are not standardized terms but are terms that are used consistently in and out of the industry.

Age-Targeted Community

There are several variations of this type of community but essentially an age-targeted community is one that offers maintenance-free living not far from where they lived and worked or one that is close to family and friends. According to Anusha Shrivastava of the Naples Daily News in her article, “Demand for Maintenance-Free Living Grows Among Baby Boomers,” these communities remove the stigma that was typically associated with the “old folks home” and provide living that does not differ significantly from their independent homes but is much less stressful. This is a step between single-family and senior housing.

In this type of living situation, there are no age restrictions, and the environments often include amenities such as clubhouses, golf courses, and pools in resort-like settings. These communities offer predominately two-and three-bedroom homes and are ideal for people whose children are now adults and have moved away (although children are welcome.) They offer a wide variety of homes that typically include features designed for a changing lifestyle.

Continuing Care

The Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) differs from the above-mentioned situations in that this living situation features the added benefit of healthcare. Although most of these communities prefer that its residents be ambulatory when they first move there, if they later become ill or disabled, certain nursing, health, and personal services are provided. Other services may include meals, housekeeping, diverse social activities, and other amenities such as personal grooming services and transportation.

Assisted Living

Assisted living facilities are the most traditional types of facilities and typically accommodate senior citizens who are experiencing some health issues. Effectively bridging the gap between independent living and nursing homes, this type of community aims to provide as much autonomy as its residents wish. The assistance needed may not require the round-the-clock, skilled health care that a nursing home provides, yet it meets the needs that cannot be met living in a more independent setting.

Alzheimer Units

Because Alzheimer's disease brings with it a host mental and physical issues, these units have been designed to address and compensate for these losses to the greatest extent possible. This is done in the least restrictive environment possible so that maximum personal freedom is allowed. There is minimal use of both physical and chemical restraints. These Units are designed to decrease inappropriate stimulation. According to Welch Healthcare and Retirement Group, this enhances each resident's ability to effectively interact with and perceive what is going on around them.

Nursing Homes

The most traditional and well-known form of senior communities, nursing homes are for people who require constant nursing care and have significant daily living needs. What many people may not know is that nursing homes facilitate the needs of both young and old adults with physical disabilities. Adults 18 or older can stay in a skilled nursing facility to receive physical, occupational, and other rehabilitative therapies following an accident or illness.

Whatever option is pursued, the most important thing to remember is that the quality of life for your loved one be maintained to the highest degree and if able, that they are active participants in deciding how and where they want to spend the remaining years of their lives.