Frequently Asked Questions About Independent Living

As you are exploring your options for retirement living, you may be wondering what is meant by independent living. Specifically, seniors and their adult children are often unfamiliar with the differences between independent and assisted living. The distinction is an important one.

While an assisted living community focuses on providing support with personal care and activities of daily living, an independent living community is dedicated to providing services and amenities that support an active lifestyle. It’s designed to make it easier for older adults to have the freedom and flexibility they need to live every day to the fullest. These residents come and go as they please with no monitoring or restrictions.

While the answer to this question is unique to every older adult’s personal situation, independent living is typically an affordable solution for retirees. Many expenses seniors incur at home are included in the rent for a private garden home or independent living apartment.

Depending on the community you choose, standard amenities may include utilities, cable, Wi-Fi, life enrichment activities, wellness programs and housekeeping. You’ll also say goodbye to property taxes, snow removal costs, lawn care expenses and trash removal expenditures. Many communities also offer a variety of meal plans, transportation and an on-site beauty/barber shop.

Resident rules and regulations vary by community, but most offer great flexibility and freedom. Seniors who choose to move to one of these communities can come and go as they wish. For example, if you’d like to leave town on an extended vacation, you can lock your door and leave. Staff can keep an eye on your place while you are away.

Another question prospective residents often ask is whether they’ll be required to join activities at the community. While the activities and events tend to be one of the reasons many people make this move, residents are never forced to participate. You can attend as many—or as few—daily activities as you’d like.

And if you have a dog or cat you’d like to bring with you, you’ll find many independent living communities are pet friendly. There are sometimes size and breed restrictions for pets, and an added security deposit to protect against damage.

Over time, many independent living residents find their care and support needs change. One of the benefits of selecting a community like ASC, where several types of senior care are available on the same campus, is that those changes can be accommodated.

A resident might develop a chronic health condition that requires assistance with medication management or closer monitoring of the condition. Assisted living may be the solution. Sometimes the change is only temporary, such as recovering from a surgery or illness after being discharged from the hospital. That help can typically be provided, too.