How Retirement Homes Score in the Senior Market

Rocking out on the porch.

As one enters their senior years, the prospect of rethinking their living arrangements is an essential point that must be taken into serious consideration. Senior living is big business and offers up big choices. One common choice is to sign-up for a retirement community or nursing home for either assisted or independent living - and this can be a stressful time for most seniors. 

Not only will this trigger great emotional upheaval, the thought of finding a comforting place to stay can also be quite overwhelming. There are a lot of options to be taken into consideration such as location, amenities, accessibility, transportation, living style, customer service, and so on. One needs to remember that retirement homes are constantly evolving alongside the changes in science and technology, as well as economics. Let us take a deeper look at the current scenario of most retirement homes across the country today.

Common Features of Retirement Villages

 

There is no doubt that retirement homes or villages, whether aided or independent, make great places for seniors to spend their golden years. Here, they can co-mingle with people their age and enjoy the twilight of life. Today, more and more seniors are reaching out to states like Florida and other areas where development of independent living facilities, or independent CCRCs (Continuing Care Retirement Communities), that feature various residential alternatives in apartment style, free-standing homes, mobile homes, or condominiums. These communities are considered havens for everyone across the senior living spectrum.

Independent living senior villages, however, are only proper for seniors who are still fit to do normal activities, albeit perhaps at a slower, steadier pace. Some common features in this senior homes or villages are:

*free-standing living quarters

*recreational facilities

*access to transportation, local community and establishments

*easy access to medical facilities

*social activities

*maintenance and resident assistance

But Are These Enough? 

Well, not anymore. In today's highly volatile real estate senior market, the need for a retirement home that offers topnotch services is deemed essential by both the retirees and their families. The need for a more comfortable set-up, more amenities to enjoy, socialization programs and top caliber customer assistance is crucial for a home or village. Gone are the days when baby boomers simply make do with what is available. They want more! As people grow older, living alone alongside other equally lonely seniors no longer means sipping tea together, crocheting or watching the clock tick.

Today, the 55-year old and up crowd wants state-of-the-art homes with Wi-Fi, golf courses, spa and beauty salons inside the community, regular Yoga or Pilates or Tai chi classes on the community clubhouse, a swimming pool preferably with a water aerobics instructor or a fitness trainer that can handle their physical and health concerns. The senior market demands a community with its own medical facility or, at the very least, a regular doctor for assistance and advice.

Indeed, the market is changing. Seniors want "enjoyment" to be synonymous with "retirement." For real estate firms to be successful in the senior market, it means developing retirement homes or villages that can answer the call for more comfort, luxury and easy living.