Where you live in your retirement is incredibly important. You want to be in a place where you can enjoy life and where everything you need is accessible. This could also mean living close to your adult children.
Once you know the part of the country you want to live in, it’s time to think carefully about the specific community. You might end up spending the rest of your life living here, so it’s important to make a good decision.
Whether you’re a senior yourself, an adult child, or another family member, this set of questions to ask a retirement community can help you to clearly see the strengths and weaknesses of a given place. From there, it’s easy to see whether the community is a good fit for you or not.
What is a Retirement Community?
Before we dig into the questions, let’s take a moment to talk about retirement communities themselves. The term can be used in a few different ways, but a retirement community is generally a neighborhood that specifically focuses on seniors.
Some will have strict age rules, where residents need to be aged 55 or above, while others are more relaxed and allow some younger residents as well.
The common features of retirement communities include the following:
- Independent living, often in stand-alone houses, but sometimes in apartments within a larger building.
- Few to no services to help with daily needs (making retirement communities quite different than assisted living or nursing homes).
- Social activities, either coordinated by residents or by staff within the community.
- Security. Some retirement communities are gated and some have security guards, features that help residents to feel safer.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
There are also continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). These are slightly different from regular retirement communities, as they have multiple levels of service, allowing them to support seniors as they age.
In such communities, seniors may be able to move from independent living, to receiving periodic assistance with tasks, to receiving full nursing home support, all within a single community.
Such communities may cost more than a regular retirement community, especially as your need for support increases. Even so, the idea is powerful, as it means that seniors don’t need to find an entirely new place to live when they start needing support with daily living.
The questions that we’re highlighting in this post focus on conventional retirement communities, rather than continuing care retirement communities. Even so, many of them will still be relevant, regardless of the type of community you’re interested in.
Questions to Ask a Retirement Community (by category)
Home
What type of homes do you offer?
Retirement communities will often have multiple types of homes, with different sizes, layouts, and other features. Sometimes you’ll be able to choose between having a full standalone house and a small apartment in a larger building.
Knowing the options ahead of time will help you to find the best fit for you.
Are there customization options?
Can the home you buy or rent be customized for you? What are the options for such customization? What about the costs?
Customization is more likely if you’re buying a home, rather than renting. The likelihood and extent of customization options will also increase if the house is being built specifically for you.
Is the community rental, buy-in, or both?
Some communities allow you to buy your own house, which gives you much more security, as long as you can afford to do so. If the entire community operates on a buy-in model, then residents are likely to stick around.
Renting a house tends to be cheaper and is more affordable for many people. Renting could be better than buying if you’re not certain about staying in the community in the long term.
Communities that offer rental and purchase options could be the best of both worlds, giving you the chance to change from renting to a purchased house if you decide to stick around in the community.
What is the overall plan for the community?
Some retirement communities are still actively building new houses and working towards goals. Knowing this is important, as any future plans could change your experience of the community.
For example, a small community with large expansion goals could easily go from a small tight-knit environment to something completely different.
Is maintenance covered?
Retirement communities sometimes have different rules and responsibilities than other living situations. One difference is that they may be responsible for maintenance rather than you.
This can be incredibly useful, as home maintenance often becomes more difficult as you age. Who wants to be on a ladder cleaning out gutters in their 70s or 80s? That’s not wise at all.
What costs and tasks and I responsible for?
While we’re on the topic, it’s worth finding out exactly what is your responsibility and what isn’t. For example:
- What happens if it snows? Is there are service provided?
- What about lawn care?
- Do you pay for utilities or are these included in the price you pay to live in the community?
- What about housework? Some retirement communities provide a housekeeping service as part of your fee (this is most common in places advertised as independent living communities). Others may have a discounted service that you can access if you need to.
- Are there people to help you shift heavy furniture into the house or apartment?
- Personal upgrades in your residence and devices to help you stay independent come at your expense.
Do you have a homeowner’s association?
A homeowner’s association (HOA) oversees the management of communities. They’re a common way for shared interest communities to make sure that everyone’s needs are being met.
HOAs have many benefits, as they’re often the ones that organize the maintenance of homes, landscaping, and other services in the community. You may need to pay them regular fees for these services or fees may be included as part of your rent.
If you’re in an HOA community, then HOA membership tends to be required. You can’t opt-out of it, so make sure you understand all the benefits and restrictions first.
Some HOAs have very strict rules indeed, right down to the furniture that you can have outside, the type of mailbox you have, and where you can park.
These rules should all be clearly spelled out. Take the time to familiarize yourself with them before signing anything. Otherwise, you might end up stuck with rules that you can’t stand.
Related questions to ask:
- Are there restrictions on what I can have in my yard? What about decorations and lights?
- Can I paint the outside of my house?
- Can I build an extension?
- Are there restrictions on where I park or the number of vehicles?
- What are the rules around noise?
- How many people can live on the property?
What are the rules surrounding pets?
Here’s another important set of questions to ask a retirement community – pets. Many communities will have restrictions concerning pets.
The rules may influence not only the number of pets that you’re allowed, but also the type. This could even include stating a maximum weight or size for pets, allowing some breeds and not others, or requiring that your dog is always leashed outside of the home.
Basically, almost any type of rule can be made for pets, as long as it is clearly stated. This is why it’s so important to read the rules first.
Are the homes furnished? What is included and what isn’t?
Furnished homes make life much easier, as everything is already set up. You don’t need to worry about having the right furniture for each room or getting your items shipped across the country.
Check this carefully though, so you know what you’re getting and what you aren’t. For example:
- What types of furnishings are provided?
- Are all rooms furnished?
- What do I still need to bring?
- Can I bring my own furnishings as well?
- What is the style of the furnishings? Can I see an example?
Social
What are the rules surrounding visitors?
Visitor rules can vary dramatically from community to community. Sometimes there are hardly any rules, so you can largely do what you please. Other times, visitors might need to be signed in and there may be limits to whether they can stay overnight.
Here are some questions to ask:
- Can friends and family stay with me?
- Do visitors need to sign in and out?
- Are there limits to how many guests at a time?
What activities and social events do you offer?
For many, activities are an important reason to join a senior community. They’re a great way to keep you active and engaged, making retirement an interesting experience.
Communities will often have an activities calendar that you can look at. Try asking how popular the activities are as well. Do people attend them regularly? Which ones are the most popular?
Also ask whether the schedule changes over time. Are there new activities? Can you suggest activities if something you love isn’t currently offered? Or, can you run activities yourself?
Can friends and family join in on activities?
Some communities have open events that anyone can join, while others restrict the events to residents.
What are the demographics of the community?
Some retirement communities only allow residents over a particular age, but this isn’t always the case. Some allow younger residents in as well, which creates much more variation and can make life more interesting.
If you’re not comfortable asking this question, why not spend a little time wandering the community. Get a sense of the people who live there.
This is important, as you’re going to live near people you can connect with, hopefully ones that share some of the same interests as you.
Are there volunteering opportunities?
Volunteering is a fantastic way to give your life a sense of meaning after retirement. While there are plenty of options for volunteering elsewhere, wouldn’t it be great to be able to volunteer in the community that you live in?
Health and Wellness
What are the options for exercise?
Retirement communities will often have ways to help residents stay fit and healthy. These can include gyms and pools, along with exercise classes, walks, golf courses, and more.
What does this community offer?
If they have classes, what qualifications do the instructors have? Are the instructors good at helping participants to modify exercises as needed?
Are there healthcare services?
Most retirement communities focus on independent living, but some do provide healthcare services as well. This could be as simple as having a doctor who lives in the community or perhaps one nearby.
Some retirement communities are much more comprehensive. This is particularly true for continuing care retirement communities, as these aim to support seniors as their needs change. So, even if you end up needing memory care or daily assistance, you’ll be able to find it in the same community without needing to move.
What happens if there’s an emergency?
Are there staff on site to help in the case of an emergency? Can they administer medication if needed?
Or, is the only option to call an ambulance? If this is the case, how far away is the nearest hospital? Such questions are critical, as health often deteriorates with age, so you need to be confident that you will be looked after.
Services
What amenities are offered?
Some communities may have a gym, a pool, a spa, or even a theater. Some are even so comprehensive that they’re basically a mini town.
Does this community have everything you’re looking for? If it doesn’t, are the amenities you need close by?
What about food? Some communities provide meal services, either in your home or in a community setting. If they do, try to learn all you can about the cost, the types of food served, and how often the menus change.
Not having to cook is a major advantage as you’re aging, but only if the food is good. If it isn’t, then the service could get frustrating fast.
Are there transport services?
Many people can’t safely drive in later life, so transport services are a common feature in retirement communities.
What services does this community offer? Are they part of the fee you already pay or do you need to pay extra?
Where are the nearest essential services?
You also need to be sure that all the services you need can be accessed without too many problems. The doctor’s office, grocery store, and hospital should be top of your list here, but other places may be relevant too, like restaurants, a local senior center, and anything else you enjoy.
Remember that being mobile often gets more challenging as you age. You may need to stop driving or even find it difficult to walk around your home. If you do struggle in this way, it’s essential to have all the services you need nearby.
What about security?
Security matters as well. What steps is the community taking to protect its residents?
Are there security officers? If so, how many and what are their roles? If there aren’t official security staff, there may be a neighborhood watch or something similar.
What about crime in the neighborhood? How does the crime rate compare to the local area and other parts of the country? This should give you a good idea about risk levels.
Think about whether the community is gated or not too. Gated communities should be more secure than ungated ones and are more likely to be focused on security.
Pricing
What are your fees and plans?
It’s important to understand exactly how much you’ll be paying and what you’re paying for. The retirement community should have plenty of documentation that spells everything out.
Also ask whether any services cost extra and what these are. You might find that some of the services you find the most interesting come with an extra fee – and those fees can add up quickly.
How often do fees increase?
You may be paying ongoing fees, like HOA fees or rent.
Will these remain the same or do they change over time? If they change, how often and under what circumstances?
What are your financing options?
Some places may accept insurance or offer some form of financial assistance. This won’t always be the case, but you never know until you ask.
Other Questions
What happens if I have a complaint?
Good retirement communities should have a system for addressing resident concerns, one that is fair and reasonable. Working out what this system is ahead of time can help protect you. This way you know exactly what to expect and can be confident that any problems are managed well.
Can you get kicked out?
Some retirement communities have clauses that allow them to kick you out of the community under certain conditions. For example, if the community has an HOA and you regularly violate their rules, you might not be able to keep living in the community.
What are the values and goals of the community?
Some communities are developed with specific goals. For example, The Villages has a strong focus on being active. The community even offers more than 50 golf courses, along with parks, trails, and plenty of recreation events.
Other communities may aim to provide a quiet and gentle place for retirement, or perhaps to support LGBTQ seniors.
Understanding the values and goals of the community can help you work out whether it’s a good fit for you.
Final Thoughts
We’ve highlighted many questions to ask a retirement community in this post. And, honestly, there are still plenty of others that you could ask.
While the list may seem overly long, the questions are all incredibly important. After all, where you live can have many impacts on your physical and mental health. You want to make a good choice, especially as this may be the last place that you live.
Finally, if you get the chance, talk to residents of the community. Try to get an honest sense of how they feel about the place. Are they happy? What are the best points? The worst ones?
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