The pros and cons of living in a retirement community

If you are someone already in retirement or are fast approaching retirement, this blog is for you. Have you thought about how and where would you like to live in the near future? Many people today see retirement a bit differently. They want to continue to have a luxurious and relaxed lifestyle after so many years of working hard. They are reinventing retirement by taking up a new job, a new hobby, volunteering at their desired places and even taking up travelling. 

These lifestyle changes also affect where they would like to live after retirement. A retirement community is the first option that comes to the mind when one thinks of living outside their homes. How good or bad is a retirement community for the retired? Today, there are different options one can choose from if they opt to live in a retirement community and like how any good story goes, there are always two sides to it. 

Let’s dive a little deeper into this topic and look at the pros and cons of living in a retirement home. Hope this sheds some light and gives you some clarity in making an informed decision for your future. 

Pros of living in a retirement community:

1. Move-in worry-free

The first and most important feature of moving into a retirement community or retirement home is that you can completely be worry-free. You can move in when you are healthy and slowly ‘age in place’ as time passes. Each stage of your aging is taken care at the community itself. 

2. Save money on many living expenditures

Retirement communities give you an option to downsize and live life in your own terms, saving you a lot of money, especially with respect to extra expenses like maid, groceries and any external care. Even at the retirement home, you can choose to live on your own or live as a shared member. Every retirement community has its own options you can choose from. This, at the end of the day, greatly helps you save too. 

3. Save time on chores 

With the retirement community taking care of your entire living needs including cleaning, housekeeping & laundry, you can save loads of time spent on chores. This essentially gives more time to focus on doing something productive and explore your other interests. 

4. On campus medical and health care

As one ages, their health and other conditions need to be monitored regularly. In the case of living in a retirement home, medical facilities, nurses and aid is available right at your doorstep. This is one big advantage of living in a fully set up retirement community. 

5. Everyday social activity

In a well-equipped retirement facility, there is an option for its residents to gather, socialize and make new friends. This gives the retired an opportunity to not feel lonely, which is a common case, and to participate in social activities. Most of the retirement communities today have a full-fledged gymnasium, swimming pool, Ayurvedic centre, indoor games centre and even playing courts. This is a great way for the retired to stay fit by including exercise and social activity in their every day routine. 

Like we had mentioned before, there is always two sides to a story, and now let us look at some of the not so nice things about a retirement community. 

Cons of living in a retirement home: 

1. It might be a tad bit expensive 

You do have a different kind of luxury by living in your own house but in a situation where you can’t, some retirement communities can be a little exorbitant with their pricing. We are not concluding that all communities are expensive but some can be. Make the wise choice of choosing the right one for you based on your budget by thinking long term. 

2. It doesn’t feel like home 

Trust us when we say nothing can replace the feeling of living in one’s own house. As we age, we have to be practical in our thinking and in case we choose to move to a retirement home, it is advisable to pick the one that feels close to home. Make sure the staff, people and the residents suit your requirement and needs even before moving into one. 

3. It is less independent

Some retirement communities have rules and restrictions for their residents. They follow strict timings and have regulations. This is not a common phenomenon but it exists at certain places. The whole idea of communal living is the freedom you get at the place and the idea of being in control of your own schedule.  

We can clearly see that the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to living in a retirement community. Keeping this in mind, we can give you the best choice if you are looking to move into one soon. Welcome to The Chennai Homes Aishwaryam, a communal living centre for the retired where we take great care in giving them a feeling close to home. Located along ECR at Kottaikadu, we have been hailed as India’s top premium retirement community. We have experienced staff who take care of the complete well-being of our residents. Our campus is self-sufficient so that our beloved residents need not step out for anything at all. Everything is served to them at their doorstep. We have 24×7 medical care, on-campus doctors, nurses and emergency ambulances at any given point in time. Our social activity centres, festivals and birthday celebrations are a class apart.

Seeing our residents happy makes us happy and we take utmost care in making that happen. Would you like to experience the feeling of living here? We offer FREE trial stay too! Reach out to us at +919941995555 and we will be more than happy to answer all your queries regarding The Chennai Homes. Come be a part of a community that loves and celebrates life!