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Finding the Right Housing Option for Seniors

By
Managing Real Estate Broker with Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.

 With advancing age comes a time when one's housing accommodation may no longer be suitable. Health problems, inconvenience, or safety concerns may not allow seniors to remain in the same home they've raised their families in. Many seniors, or their family members are researching alternate residential arrangements.

With the advent of the baby boomers retiring, more housing options are available to fit personal circumstances. It's important to find the arrangement that's best suited for an individual's social and physical needs.

Independent Living is probably what most people would prefer for as long as possible. This can be achieved by downsizing to a single story home and making a few alterations, such as installing well padded carpets, adding a wheelchair ramp, affixing grab bars over the bath tub and other safety features.

Communal Housing is an arrangement where several seniors share a private home. Homes with large common living areas and bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms are ideal for this type of set-up. A housemate arrangement keeps the cost lower and provides a built-in social network.

In Congregate Housing seniors live in independent apartments but are provided with shared daily meals and various support services, such as house keeping, shopping service or on-site medical staff.

Life Care Retirement Communities are similar facilities as Congregate Housing, but with the option, as seniors' needs change, to move into an on-site 24-hour nursing care unit.

Nursing Homes are government regulated full-care facilities that provide seniors with group meals, housing and personal care.

The days when the only option for seniors was to go to the "old folks' home" are luckily in the past.

For more information on senior housing, you can go online and visit the senior housing and care section at: http://www.helpguide.org/index.htm

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia Area Real Estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

 

 

Comments (8)

Randy L. Prothero
eXp Realty - Hollister, MO
Missouri REALTOR, (808) 384-5645
One of the things that is becoming more in demand in my area is single story homes.  Seniors try to avoid the stairs, making these more desirable to many.
Oct 18, 2007 01:45 PM
Sandy Nelson
Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc. - Olympia, WA
your Olympia area Realtor

Randy, more and more builder models out here are featuring downstairs master suites, which is also very popular with down-sizers.

Sandy

Oct 18, 2007 03:55 PM
Abe Do
Olympia, WA
Nice observation Sandy....great post.....keep it up!!!  We are working on a possible townhome project right now with the same master suite design that you mentioned.....might be just in time based on your thoughts.  Thanks.
Oct 19, 2007 06:26 AM
Sandy Nelson
Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc. - Olympia, WA
your Olympia area Realtor

Ryan, Thanks for your kind words and good luck with your townhome project.

Sandy

Oct 19, 2007 06:48 AM
Gary White~Grand Rapids Home Selling Pro Call: 616-821-9375
Flexit Realty "Flexible Home Selling Solutions" - Grand Rapids, MI
Real Estate Services You can Trust!
This is a great outline Sandy....seniors and those planning ahead look for features that reduce steps, heating and cooling costs and promotes personal security as you mentioned.  They throw in the convenience of shopping, medical care and peace of mind and you have an opportunity to help seniors.  Nice post.
Oct 23, 2007 12:30 PM
Sandy Nelson
Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc. - Olympia, WA
your Olympia area Realtor

Gary, I'm already looking at my housing options when it's time for me to retire and down size. I'm glad there are so many options.

Sandy

Oct 23, 2007 02:32 PM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
What a beautiful post Sandy about options for our elder population (we will all get there too if we are lucky enough). It shows very much that you are a very caring person. If you haven't already gotten it, I encourage you to get your SRES designation.
Nov 06, 2007 01:39 PM
Sandy Nelson
Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc. - Olympia, WA
your Olympia area Realtor

Gary, You're right, most of us will be there some day, and a lot of people in my generation are in the position of exploring the options for their parents. My real estate partner has the SRES designation and I've familiarized myself with his course books.

Sandy

Nov 07, 2007 03:03 PM