Independent living facilities are varied and diverse depending upon the specific requirements of the residents and the profiles of the service providers. The general aim is to offer a congenial atmosphere for the residents so that they may live according to their wishes and means.
Such services are generally offered to senior citizens and retired people who wish to live independently and are willing to pay for the services of their choice. Some facilities provide a small community living room for people to sit and generally relax, while others may have community centers that include recreational facilities and dining areas. A majority of independent living units comprise of small kitchens and certain service providers also serve meals in a common dining area. The cost is determined by the amount of space that is provided and the designated usage of the spaces provided.
Independent living facilities provide a host of services to make the lives of the residents comfortable. Facilities on offer include-
- Opportunities for residents to pursue education or a vocation of choice
- Recreational facilities
- Shopping trips
- Cultural pursuits
- Exercise facilities such as gymnasiums, pools, exercise machines and sauna
- Golf Courses
- Libraries
- Tennis Courts
- Beauty Shops
- Activity areas and club houses
The facilities on offer vary from one service providers to another and so it is advised to choose one that suits your budget and fulfills your requirements. All the facilities invariably offer a resident opportunity to live in with close proximity to like minded peers with whom he/she would love to socialize and all of them offer the residents housing solutions that are designed for comfortable, safe and secure living.
Most independent living facilities may be divided into three categories:
- Senior apartments
- Retirement housings
- Low income or budget homes
Senior Apartments:
Senior apartments are generally for people over the age of 55 years and are mostly re-designed apartment complexes or privately owned homes. While re-constructing senior complexes from existing buildings, assistive structures such as pull cords and hand rails are incorporated to add value to the new designs keeping in mind the needs of senior residents.
Retirement Communities::
Retirement communities are developed using clusters of condominiums and homes that cater to people over 55 years or in some cases to people over 62 years. Such facilities may be classified into the following types:
- Cluster of homes
- Manufactured/re-designed or mobile homes
- Standard subdivisions
- Single family-homes
- Attached homes
Residents may choose to buy or lease homes based on the business model of the service provider.
Low Income Housing:
Low income housing, as the name implies, are homes that are leased out or sold below the prevailing market rate by nodal government agencies. These kinds of subsidized housing schemes usually have a long wait-time and are immensely popular amongst people with limited means.