The time has finally come to retire, and you’re embarking on that beautiful season of life where you can enjoy less responsibility and much more fun. Retirement today comes with more options than ever. An increasingly popular option is independent living. In fact, the independent living lifestyle is designed specifically for retirees who want an active, social, and worry-free lifestyle. We like to think of it as retirement, only better, because unlike at home where you still have to tackle chores and home maintenance, here you can leave that to us! So, what is independent living exactly? Let’s find out.  

What is independent living?

Independent living is a type of senior living. But don’t worry, it’s not what people typically think of as senior living. You may not realize that senior living today has multiple levels of care, including independent living, assisted living, and memory care.  

Independent living is more about lifestyle than care because it’s for active and mobile retirees who don’t currently need any daily assistance. If you’re expecting a sterile, hospital-like setting, you’ll be excited to learn that independent living communities more closely resemble resorts with sprawling campuses, spacious accommodations, luxury amenities, and a lifestyle you’d expect on a vacation.  

Benefits of independent living

Now that we’ve answered, “What is independent living?” let’s shift to “What is independent living going to offer me?” As the name suggests, independence and choice are key to independent living, giving you the freedom to do what you want and when you want to do it. The benefits of this lifestyle include the following.

Choice of accommodations: Our independent living apartments feature a range of different floor plans from which to choose.

Worry-free living: Independent living communities like ours take care of your home upkeep, yard maintenance, and housekeeping and also offer laundry service. Group transportation, restaurant-style dining, and other amenities are also available.

A focus on well-being: Independent living communities like ours support active, healthy living with a fitness center and pool as well as exercise classes and spacious grounds with walking trails.

Social connection: It’s much easier to stay connected in independent living with a full calendar of activities, clubs, and outings from which to choose. Not to mention, our independent living community offers plenty of common areas in which to socialize and/or host family and friends.

Renewed purpose: It can be hard to find purpose at home in retirement, but in independent living, there are plenty of options to keep you engaged through educational and enrichment programs, as well as opportunities to volunteer, continue hobbies, and find new pursuits.

Convenience: Independent living communities are often located in the center of it all, and we’re no different as you’ll be just minutes from shopping, dining, and entertainment in the Roanoke Valley.

Peace of mind: Should your health needs evolve, independent living communities like ours also have additional levels of care on the same campus so you can remain in familiar surroundings and maintain continuity of care. What’s more, we also have award-winning therapy services.

What is independent living not?

Although independent living offers tremendous benefits for retirees, it’s not for everyone. For example, ongoing care for chronic health conditions or assistance with daily activities such as medication, bathing, eating, dressing, or toileting are not typically offered in stand-alone independent living communities.

However, as noted earlier, our campus offers additional levels of care as well as rehabilitation and therapy after surgery, illness, or injury. In addition, scheduling separate home care services is an option.  

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