We Kid You Not Childfree Forums

To get away from loud kids- I would consider it.

Dog Holliday Wrote:My mother has looked into old folks housing and the biggest drawback was the size of the house/condo/apt.-more precisely the lack of. They were all one bedroom and the three or four rooms in each unit were small. I wouldn't like being cramped in a small place. Another drawback for me would be the old people who are getting senile and dementia who might wander into your place thinking that's their home.

My mother-in-law lived in one of those. She liked it but she had no room and had to get rid of so many treasures. I have a lot more than she did. I got this stuff for a reason, and I plan to keep it.

Dog Holliday Wrote:My mother has looked into old folks housing and the biggest drawback was the size of the house/condo/apt.-more precisely the lack of. They were all one bedroom and the three or four rooms in each unit were small. I wouldn't like being cramped in a small place. Another drawback for me would be the old people who are getting senile and dementia who might wander into your place thinking that's their home.

I visited my great-aunt's place on the east coast. She was in one of those stepped-care places and it was beautiful. It was 2-bedroom, and the place was really large. They had neat ceilings (extra high) and a nice view of woods outside. The lobby was stately (huge fireplace and library) and they were near everything (grocery store, entertainment, shops). The other part that I liked was that they had similar places nearby but they were for yuppies... so there was a nice mix of ages. If I wanted to live in that town, and I wanted an apartment, then I would be very happy there!

They are building more and more of these because they are more popular as you can get meals made and other help as you get less functional. I suspect that over time some of them will be nicer than others.

Those with dementia are always kept to their own area, so don't worry about that. They have special wards where you have to know an access code to leave. It's sad, but by the time you get there you no longer care!

I can see that it would be tough to downsize, but let's face it: When you are old enough to live in senior housing, you also better be facing that you "can't take it with you." Time to start getting rid of some of that stuff rather than leaving it for some sucker to paw through after you're gone.

I see the benefits of a smaller place as less to clean - it gets harder and harder to clean as you age.

I agree in principle, CNK, but I want to enjoy my stuff as long as I can. After that, I don't care what happens to it.

There is an over-55 mobile home park near here, and it is really clean and quiet. So yeah, I would definitely consider it. The only drawback to these places is all the gossip and people getting up in your business. However, I tend to stay to myself so I don't think it would be too much of a problem. And I have no problem telling people to back off if I need to.

But it's definitely a consideration. There are high rises here that are based on income, and some even have private balconies.

Definitely would consider it.
During undergrad I took a class on aging and the professor held it in a meeting room in a Monarch Landing facility. (Not sure if you've seen the commercial, but they are really upscale facilities) It was a really beautiful facility. I liked the fact that they move you to the different levels of care as you need-from fully independent living to skilled nursing care if you become ill or are recovering from a surgery. As a childless female, that is a good selling point because my husband's life expectancy is shorter than mine and I have no children who might consider taking care of me. They also had doctors on site that held 1 hour appointments with residents if they wanted to go over all their meds and medical conditions.
Guess it depends if I can afford it-very expensive.

Absolutely, I would do this. Where I currently live, there are two such tiered communities close by and both are very nice and offer extensive resources.

Like others have said, there is a good chance I will be alone once I reach a certain age. I would want the reassurance of knowing there are staff on the property who can help me out if I need it, plus these communities offer an extra layer of security, and I think the tiered care is a great, great thing. I imagine it saves a lot of lives.

I don't think living in one necessarily means that people will be up in your business all the time. I think there are probably a wide range of options for how much or how little you interact with your neighbors.

My only issue would be that I'd want to be able to have at least one pet.

Jen M.

BC, that's a bottom-line consideration for me, too. If I can't have, or care for, pets, it's time for me to go.

Heehee. I just meant that I'd want the place to be pet-friendly. I just enjoy having at least one animal in my life, and it would be a shame if I could not do that at a time when I might be very lonely otherwise.

Jen M.

I understand. i'm just saying, that's when I would no longer wish to live. So I wouldn't need senior housing!

What a CHEERY Thread this is..............NOT
Condsidering that this DEC I will be 55
NO I am not going to enter some old age home or center or community anytime soon.
IF The day ever happens where I can no longer fend for myself or take care of a pet then I will eat a bullit.
ITA with Eslbee on that point!