Transitioning into independent living is a significant step. This change can feel daunting for many seniors, but this new chapter offers freedom, comfort, community, longevity, and much more.
Making the transition without the proper guidance can be overwhelming. After decades of enjoying your home, how do you begin downsizing? Once you’re in your senior living community, how do you settle in? How do you make friends? How do you make the most of your senior community?
In this blog, we’ll guide you through this major transition. No matter your age, we all need help with momentous life changes. We’ll explore how to prepare for the move, how to thrive in your new community, and how to make your new senior community feel like home. Whether you’re a senior or a family member supporting a loved one, these tips will help make the transition into independent living smooth and stress-free.
Understanding Independent Living in Senior Living Communities.
Sophia Fleischer is a grandmother of five. She currently lives alone in her small home on five acres of land in Texas. Her loving husband passed away five years ago, and since then, she’s been aching for a change to her repetitive routine. She used to love caring for the natural beauty by gardening. But now, home maintenance and yard work is a heavy burden. She has plenty of sisters and cousins around town, but her loneliness reinforces her isolation in a vicious cycle.
Sophia needs a change. Sophia wants to be close to her daughter and grandchildren. She doesn’t want to worry about her leaky roof, busted heater, or sagging gutters. She wants to be around people her age. So, she decides to move into an independent senior living retirement home.
The ultimate goal of independent-living retirement communities is to support your independence so you can enjoy greater freedom, health, companionship, and quality of life. Prime independent living empowers you to pursue your passions and joys, freeing you from chores and homeownership burdens.
How you choose the right senior living community among many retirement communities is a whole other topic. Luckily, we have an entire article delving into Independent Living at Cogir Senior Living.
All independent living options for seniors are intended for those who can complete daily living tasks autonomously. They may need some help managing medications or staying healthy, but for the most part, they can live on their own. For example, Sophia managed her diabetes for decades but could use some help.
Senior assisted living has the same goal as independent living: empowering seniors to live and enjoy a high quality of life. However, it provides more personalized assistance with everyday tasks such as bathing, toileting, and dressing. Memory care is a form of assisted living specializing in neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, and mental disabilities. Our senior living communities provide a continuum of care, meaning your loved one can enjoy progressive care services as their needs change.
What’s the average cost for independent living?
Looking at the United States, the average cost for independent living is around $3,628 monthly. However, the average cost for independent living varies from state to state. Some communities cost as little as $1,500 monthly, while others cost over $6,000.
The cost depends on location, utilities, amenities, and additional independent living services. Some retirement communities offer all-inclusive pricing models, where amenities and services are bundled into the monthly fee. Others may use an à la carte model where senior community residents pay only for the services they use.
Before moving into your senior community, it’s vital to understand their entire pay structure. Before exploring your independent living options, it’s even more crucial to understand what you can afford. Check out our article on financial planning for help.
Preparing for the Transition to Independent Living
One of the biggest obstacles to moving into independent living is downsizing. Sophia’s quaint home has accumulated a life’s worth of possessions. What should and shouldn’t she take?
Sophia starts with the dimensions of her new senior apartment. Square footage varies from around 375 to 745 square feet. However, a few rare senior apartments can surpass 1,000. Sophia is moving into Cogir’s Lotus Park in Utah, where her daughter lives. Her senior apartment is around 700 square feet and features a small kitchenette. Her queen-sized bed will take up a decent amount of the bedroom.
Once her senior housing is prioritized, Sophia and her family can downsize one room at a time. Taking it room-by-room prevents Sophia from getting overwhelmed. They sort items into three categories: Keep, get rid of, and put in storage. Sophia doesn’t want to worry about storage; she focuses on getting rid of “junk.”
- Her teenage grandson posts larger furniture pieces on Facebook Marketplace with the goal of freecycling. Sophia won’t need the guest bed, but it’s a hassle to get rid of. So they offer it for free with the condition that the “buyers” have to come pick it up.
- Two granddaughters help Sophia sort through her clothes. They’re keeping a good selection of clothes for all weather types. Everything else is donated.
- Since she won’t have a lawn, she won’t need her riding lawn mower. So, Sophia sells that at a decent price.
- Out back, there’s a shed filled with rusty tools that haven’t been touched since Sophia’s husband passed. The family rents a dumpster and chunks that junk.
- Sophia also has hunting rifles from her late husband. Texas’ firearms laws are relaxed about private sales. However, they vent some licensed dealers and sell them to one they trust.
- There’s no need for duplicate items in independent living. But there are plenty of duplicate pots, pans, utensils, and tools in Sophia’s kitchen. At her new senior community, she plans on relying on the meal plan. But she packs some basic supplies for her kitchenette.
As Sophia’s home becomes empty, she’s overwhelmed by emotion. Luckily, her family is there to comfort her. Ideally, everyone moving into independent living could go at their own pace. Even if you’re stressed by the approaching deadline, give your loved one the time and space they need. Put yourself in their shoes.
The family comforts Sophia by compiling photos into one big photo album. However, there are still hundreds of spare photos. The family will digitize them into an electronic frame. It will make a heartwarming welcome gift when she moves into her senior community.
Sophia’s so wrapped up preparing for her senior living community that she forgets the essentials. Luckily, her daughter packs essential items: insurance information, medications, and legal documents like Sophia’s will and testament.
Unfortunately, not everyone has the same support; that’s where senior move managers come in.
Even with all of our family’s support, transitioning into senior living communities is just overwhelming. Senior move managers can assist with everything— downsizing, overseeing movers, and setting up tech in the new retirement home. They can do everything that Sophia’s family did above, or they can provide specific services, like connecting you with a realtor. For more information, check out the National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers (NASMM). You can even search for a move manager by zip code.
Thriving in Independent Senior Living
“It’s completely normal to feel anxious or worried about moving into a senior community. Our staff strives to ease that transition. Some of our senior living communities have social workers who hold one-on-one sessions with the residents to help them adjust. We want every resident in our retirement communities to feel safe, respected, welcomed, and well-cared for.”
~ Gottfried Ernst, Chief Operating Officer
Research suggests that it takes around 30 to 90 days to become acclimated to a new home. Since, Sophia’s senior community is close to her family, they can help her feel at home. They visit as often as they can and get her out of her apartment by using the communal spaces. They read in the library, relax in the lounges, and play in the game rooms. Sophia gradually opens up, becoming approachable and friendly with fellow residents. Before long she’s sparking up conversations.
Sophia’s daughter reviews the senior community’s activity calendar and suggests the gardening club for her mother. Sophia feels like the new kid on the block, but her peers help her reignite her passion for gardening.
At our seniors living communities, there is literally something for everyone, from fun fitness programs to easy arts and crafts.
Part of Thriving in Independent Living is Maintaining and Improving Health.
Our retirement communities use a holistic approach to health. There are various active senior programs designed to engage residents, no matter their mobility, fitness, or interests. The dining services also provide nutritionally balanced meals that can be tailored to dietary needs. So, Sophia takes advantage of those meal options to accommodate her diabetes.
While retirement communities offer independent living services like care coordination, it’s vital to maintain a regular health network. We recommend all residents attend routine appointments with a primary care physician and any specialists they need. On-site nurses can perform basic health screenings, but they’re primary goal is to coordinate care. For example, the on-site nurse helps Sophia set up and put on her continuous glucose monitor (CGM).
Many senior living communities host wellness programs like health education classes and wellness initiatives designed for residents. Some care communities even arrange healthcare providers like podiatrists, dentists, or optometrists to visit regularly.
Can technology help my loved one thrive in Independent Living?
It certainly can! Your loved one might just need some help. Sophia’s family gives her a digital frame filled with her photos as soon as she settles into her retirement home. Once she became more confident and social in her senior community, they gave her a GrandPad. The GrandPad is a simplified tablet specially designed for seniors. Now it’s easy for Sophia to Facetime her grandkids and stay connected with her sisters in Texas.
Conclusion: The key to successful independent living is community.
Transitioning into independent living is significant, but there’s an exciting community waiting for you. With careful planning, the right resources, and some help from friends and family, moving into independent living can be smooth and stress free.
“At Cogir Senior Living, we genuinely believe there’s a community for everyone. We want to give our residents a sense of belonging, acceptance, and safety. We all need that. And we all deserve that as we get older.”
~ Dave Eskenazy, CEO
In this blog, we focused on one person’s personal journey as they settle into their senior living community. We have over 80 retirement communities to choose from. You might like the picturesque walking paths and communal fire pits of Cogir of Manteca. If you enjoy energetic city life, you might belong at Cogir of Kirkland. Or, If you want luxurious relaxation, you’ll probably fit in at Cogir of South Bay. There’s a senior community bound to make you feel at home.
If you or a loved one are considering independent living, explore our diverse retirement communities.
Contact us today to explore our independent living options and learn how we can help make the transition seamless and enjoyable.
About Cogir
What sets Cogir apart is the company’s devoted approach to creating healthy, vibrant communities that offer residents exceptional independent living, assisted living, and memory care lifestyle options. Cogir Senior Living develops, owns, and/or operates 80+ lifestyle communities throughout the United States.