Senior Housing Transitions

Types of Senior Housing

There are so many options for senior housing it can be confusing. Here is a summary of the basic types of senior housing, ranging from staying in your own home to buying alternative housing to rental communities.

 

• Single family homes with universal access - over 80% of older Minnesotans remain in their own homes, sometimes choosing to move to another home with easier access and a main floor bedroom and bath, or making modifications to their long-time home...in-home services are available through public and private pay programs
• Active Adult (avg age 50-80 yrs) - includes both rental and owned age-restricted apartments, townhomes, condominiums, cooperatives...large units (2-3 bedrooms), most with limited or no services...may offer some meals, planned activities...common areas such as party and hobby rooms, shop, library, computer areas...some complexes may have amenities such as hairdresser, grocery and crug stores, coffee shop/restaurant, movie theater, fitness center, etc...
• Congregate (avg age 70-85 yrs) - meals and housekeeping available either included in rent or a-la-carte...extensive amount of common space...independent adults with some support service needs...
• Assisted Living (avg frail age 80+) - at least 2 meals/day, housekeeping and activities included in monthly fee...personal care and 24-hour supervision/emergency response...smaller units, may have kitchenettes or no kitchens at all...substantial common space, but no garage parking...
• Memory Care (avg frail age 80+) - typically 3 meals/day, housekeeping and personal care included in monthly fee...high staf-to-resident ratio...typically suite-style...secured building/wing...common space designed specifically for this population

Where do I start?

If you’re planning to continue owning your own home, but your current home just doesn’t fit how you live any more, we can help you...

• define your needs and wants
• determine if it makes more sense to make some changes and stay in your current home or move to another home
• find a new home
• get help with the daunting task of moving...including sorting, having a sale if appropriate, packing, moving

If you are ready to look at other alternatives, there are more than 1,000 programs and hundreds of housing options in the Twin Cities designed to help older adults maintain the most independent lifestyle possible...so many options that it may be confusing.

Start by asking yourself these questions...

• Financing - what can you afford?...or how much do you want to spend on housing? if you have long term care insurance, what does it cover? does a reverse mortgage make sense if you want to stay in your home?
• Needs and wants - what services do you need or want? meals? housekeeping? personal/health care? do you want services a la carte or all-inclusive? what amenities do you need or want?
• What’s most important to me? - as you prepare to evaluate different options, decide what’s most important to you...price? location? services? amenities? bringing your pet with you? something else?

Who is a senior?

Seniors...there are many different ideas of what constitutes a 'senior'. For the AARP, it's age 50...for many housing communities it's age 55. If you asked most people in their 50's (myself included!) they wouldn't think of themselves as seniors...they would likely think of their parents in their 80's or 90's.

Whatever your definition, seniors are more active, more independent and living longer than ever. As Baby Boomers, we have caused changes our whole lives and aging is no different...and housing options are changing accordingly.

Many of us are finding ourselves 'sandwiched' between parents and adult children, which also influences our housing needs. We aren't so much downsizing as cross-sizing...re-arranging space to accommodate visiting parents and children/grandchildren...and sometimes moving to be closer to them.

Whether you are considering a change for yourself or a parent, options abound...from single family homes with universal access to townhomes and condos to continuing care communities with different types of housing and services offered within the same complex.

There can be so many choices it can be dizzying. One of the purposes of this blog is to record personal visits to senior housing options and give reviews to help you in your decision-making process.

Please let us know if there is a property you would like us to visit or a topic you would like us to address!