The Society of Independent Living - BOTW Senior Housing Directory

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The Society of Independent Living

With independent living facilities being referred to as retirement communities or senior apartments, it's no wonder that they're gaining an increasingly social reputation. While independent living offers seniors the opportunity to care for themselves while receiving assistance where necessary, more and more are providing for residents social needs with events and outings for the entire community.

“A big advantage to independent living is the sense of social interaction,” says Beth Richardson, nursing home administrator at Attic Angel, an independent living senior community in Madison, Wisconsin.

At Prairie Point, Attic Angel’s independent living complex of single-family homes and duplexes with 10 different floor plans, residents are autonomous and pay a monthly rental fee similar to simply paying rent for an apartment or condominium.

Independent living facilities vary in price points depending on the location and services offered. At Prairie Point there is an option for meal plans in the dining hall. For the cost of $204 each month representing 20 meals per week, residents can dine in the community dining room with an attentive wait staff. Other services include groundskeeping, household maintenance, and snow removal for a monthly maintenance fee of $380.

Outside of the communal eating areas and apartment-living, Attic Angel residents regularly engage in social activities. For example, every Tuesday a men’s coffee group meets; the result is 30 to 40 men “gathering and solving the world’s problems,” says Richardson.

The community aspect is just one way independent living and retirement communities differ from a completely “independent” setting such as living in a condominium. In a senior community, additional services are offered and provided. When residents move into the community, Attic Angel has an eager staff that helps with the move; and if a resident gets injured, they can contact a residence staff always readily accessible.

For a balance between care, social needs, and independence, consider independent living facilities for you or your loved one.

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