Finding an assisted living community or seniors- only community that fits your needs is a crucial decision for many seniors, and it’s not always an easy one. It’s a big investment of not only money, but time and energy: the search process, moving, selling a home or belongings that you can’t bring with you.
Here are a few factors that we recommend considering in your search:
Independence and Health Needs:
How is your health now, and how do you expect it to change over the next few years? This question is crucial to picking a community that’s right for you. Assisted living is long-term residential care for seniors who need help with their everyday needs like bathing and household chores, and seniors-only communities are housing facilities for people over a certain age (usually 55 or 65) who can still generally care for themselves. Both options usually provide social activities, but an assisted living community may be more appropriate if you’re struggling to care for yourself.
Plans for Evolving Care:
Look for a retirement community or assisted living facility that can support you as your health changes over time. For example, if you choose a seniors-only community and you develop medical issues that mean you require amenities closer to an assisted living facility, can your community accommodate those changes? Likewise, what if you need to transfer from an assisted living facility into a nursing home?
Not all seniors-only communities and assisted living facilities offer services that help adjust your level of support and care as your health changes, but some do. We highly recommend seeking out communities that provide this service if you can. Nobody wants to uproot themselves and move on their own during a period of declining health.
Cost:
This one is obvious, but important. According to US News, the national average assisted living community cost seniors $5,350 per month in 2024. A Place for Mom reports that the median cost of a seniors-only community is $3,100 per month, making it a slightly more affordable option.
However, the cost can vary substantially according to your location. For example, the median assisted living community in Orlando, Florida, costs only $3,823 per month, while that figure rises to $7,650 in Seattle. Amenities play a role, too. Communities that have pools, pickleball and tennis courts, meal plans, and on-site restaurants will generally cost more than those that don’t.
Fee Structures:
In addition to what you’ll pay, it’s important to consider how you’ll pay for seniors-only communities and assisted living facilities.
According to US News, most assisted living facilities follow one of three price structures:
- All-inclusive: Everything is covered under one monthly bill, so you don’t have to add services as you go.
A-la-carte:
You only pay for the services you want or need, such as caregiving, meal plans, and medication management. You can add and remove services within parameters set by your contract with the community.
- Levels of care: As your health changes over time, you can move from lower tiers of care to higher tiers of care depending on your needs, with prices rising to match. This is the most common pricing approach and follows a tiered structure. The key difference from a-la-carte pricing is that this price structure often adds several benefits or support services as you move into a new tier of care.
Amenities and Social Activities:
Virtually all seniors-only communities and assisted living facilities offer social activities and amenities, so it’s important that whichever place you choose to live offers things that you like to do. Will you be satisfied with basic activities like organized dinners and game nights, or do you want something more exciting, like dance lessons and sports leagues? It’s important to make sure that you’ll enjoy your social life without paying for amenities that you’ll never use.
