Retirement Communities 101

Aging is an inevitable part of life, and for many people, the prospect of aging, alongside the impending retirement from work can be confusing. Medical and residential arrangements have to be made, and there are hardly any guidelines as to how to go about this stage. The term, “retirement communities” is often referred to as a possible option for retirees and their families, yet very little understanding about it actually exists in many circles.

To understand these communities, it’s important to first determine what it isn’t. Contrary to popular belief, this term does not specifically equate with what we know to be retirement homes, as retirement homes refer specifically to single building complexes with rooms and medical supervision, but without common areas and other areas for social activities and interaction.

A retirement community is actually a generic term that encompasses three retirement categories under it. The first is active communities, which involves mostly residential houses in a local community, without any permanent healthcare facility specifically servicing the area. There is also the continuing care retirement community (CCRC), which refers to the communities that have healthcare facilities intermingled among the residential homes in the area. Lastly, there are supported facilities, which are long-term health support facilities like nursing homes.