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My granny came to stay with us when it was no longer possible for her to run the home on her own. She was quite an independent minded lady who used to love her grandchildren quite a lot. The only problem was she used to feel awfully lonely and isolated as we could not afford to spend much time with her due to our academic and our parents’ professional pursuits. An avid Bridge player, she used to miss her friends of the card circle as well. When she passed away in the age of eighty four, after spending with us four long years, we were sad but somehow relieved that she at last got rid of loneliness. Now that I see retirement communities that look more like clubs or fun resorts than gloomy places inhabited by serious old folks, mushrooming up everywhere, I think about the old lady, my granny who used to remain so depressed because of the lack of interaction with her own group of people. A retirement community on the other hand offers a wide range of social and recreational facilities that make your living not only enjoyable, also meaningful. As you grow old, there are chances of illness that can make you dependent for many personal needs. A retirement community sees to it that you live a life that is comfortable and respectful despite your old age challenges.

You might have come across the term, ‘Continuing Care Retirement Communities’ many a time. In fact you must understand this concept first if you have considered retirement community as an option for your old age. Throughout the old age, your strength and capabilities do not remain same. As long as you are comparatively healthy you will want the privacy of own home. But gradually there will be need for assisted living and more medical attention. With the consideration of these unique problems of old age, the concept of ‘Continuing Care Retirement Communities’ was conceived, which provide three types of accommodation:

• Independent living facilities that involve living in apartments or houses for the individuals who are healthy enough to take care of themselves.
• Assisted living facilities involve providing limited amount of help like assistance to taking food or bath but no continuous medical supervision.
• Nursing home accommodation involving full-time skilled nursing care.

Now no two retirement communities are same. The basic amenities remaining more or less similar, the environment may differ greatly. You will also find differences in the list of their additional facilities. Above all the cultural atmospheres significantly vary with communities.  You can find many communities founded on common religious faith, communal amity or professional restrictions. Some may breed a friendly atmosphere, where some others maintain a strictly formal setting. While some communities display a communal living approach, some others add more importance to the members’ privacy. You have to make your choice as to what kind of atmosphere you would like to stay.

However, one thing you must know, that is, community retirement homes are rather expensive. In addition to a hefty entry fee, you have to pay monthly fees. Then there are some communities where you get unlimited medical care that is included in the cost of the basic facilities, while there are others where it comes as fee for service. Most of the communities cross check if you have the financial strength to bear this cost.

To get accommodation in any high end retirement community you have to apply rather early. The patients of such diseases as cancer or dementia are generally rejected membership. So apply before becoming stuck with any such diseases. Your delay may not secure you a place in your preferred community.

After short listing some of the communities that are compatible with your budget and lifestyle preferences, make a little bit research. Remember this research is essential to strike the gold mine in the shape of a right retirement community. First of all, drop for a visit and take a tour, share the meal and if possible stay overnight to feel the ambiance and assess the amenities.  Trust your instinct while taking the tour and enter a spontaneous conversation with the members to know the things from horse’s mouth. It is important to take an independent stroll along the areas of nursing homes and assisted living areas to see whether they are properly provided with and neat and clean.

Now that you have zeroed on a specific community, carefully go through their agreement before pouring down the savings of your life. The details of the agreement include the sum of the payment, the size of the space you are going to occupy, the medical and personal care you will get in return of the payment, the type and number of meals etc.

Before making any commitment also make it clear, whether the community is accredited. Be sure if you can get back the whole or part of the entry fee if things do not work out. Most of them would return up to 90% of the fees, but some of the communities do not offer such facility.

Ask your heart before entering into any agreement. A wrong choice may ruin all joys of the golden years of your life.