What is Senior Housing?

Senior housing is a broad term that is used to describe any type of living facilities that are maintained for the use of people who have reached the age of retirement. There are different types of senior housing available, with each type designed to meet the needs of seniors in various states of health and with different levels of activity. Over the years, the concept of housing designed especially for senior citizens has become popular in many countries around the world.

One of the most common examples of senior housing is the full-service nursing facility, sometimes referred to as a nursing home. Senior housing of this type usually is reserved for people with very limited mobility. Facilities in this classification of elderly housing provide full-time nursing and other medical care for the residents, take care of housekeeping needs, provide assistance with personal hygiene, and prepare meals for the residents.

For seniors who enjoy excellent health and mobility, active adult living facilities such as retirement villages are often the ideal solution. These facilities are often composed of apartment buildings, condominiums or garden homes that are all part of the same gated community. Seniors living in an active adult facility come and go as they please, usually preparing their own meals within their individual living spaces and going shopping or engaging in hobbies as they choose. The facility does often provide an environment where there are activities that residents can participate in, such as aerobics, organized trips, and special events or celebrations on holidays. The facility may also include amenities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, and jogging tracks.

For seniors who have limited mobility but are still able to provide a great deal of their personal care, an assisted living facility is often the ideal option. Assisted living communities normally provide individual living space for the residents, such as an apartment or room. Meals are often provided and served in a common dining room, although some living units are equipped with compact kitchens where simple meals can be prepared. Assisted living facilities often provide supervised transportation to and from doctors' appointments, organized shopping trips, and activities and amusements that the residents can enjoy together. Often, a nurse or other healthcare professional is on hand to assist the senior housing residents with taking medication on time and to also check in on each resident on a rotating basis.

Because the needs of different senior citizens vary, the range of senior housing facilities varies greatly. From housing that allows seniors to enjoy a great deal of autonomy while still providing attractive amenities and services to full care facilities that seek to care for the elderly when they cannot care for themselves, senior housing attempts to meet the needs of the senior citizen and help ensure their remaining years are as pleasant and comfortable as possible.