Debunking 6 Myths about Retirement Living
Published on March 26, 2021
Many seniors look forward to retirement because it gives them the time to finally get around to doing all the things that they didn’t have time for before. This can include travelling to exotic destinations, taking up a new hobby, learning to cook gourmet meals, or simply taking the time to enjoy a good book every now and then. Work, family obligations, and other responsibilities can usually get in the way of all of these things.
Retirement is your time to rediscover yourself and your own interests, and retirement homes are a great setting in which to do this.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions and misleading information about retirement living. If you’re still hesitant about it, we’ve debunked some of the most common retirement living myths, so you can make the right choice for you and your family.
Myth #1: Retirement Communities Are More Expensive Than Living in Your Own Home
One of the biggest misconceptions about seniors living in retirement communities is that it’s extremely expensive. As the saying goes, however, you get what you pay for. If you or your loved one wish to live in a high-quality and well-maintained retirement community that provides a variety of senior activities and offers delicious and nutritious meals, then yes, your monthly fees will not be the lowest available. With that said, however, the extra cost of living in a higher-end, well-run retirement community is usually worth it.
When done right, retirement living provides a great deal of conveniences that living alone doesn’t. Seniors in retirement communities have constant access to high-quality care, companionship, and they can participate in various social activities that wouldn’t be available to them if they were living alone. Plus, they don’t have to worry about home maintenance or paying off a mortgage and monthly utility bills on a senior’s pension or relying on family members to pay their bills. Often, when older adults compare the true cost of living in a single-family home, they are surprised at low much value retirement living offers. It’s definitely worth calculating for yourself.
Myth #2: It’s Like Living in a Nursing Home
Oftentimes, the term “retirement community” is used interchangeably with nursing homes, or long-term care. However, they’re not one and the same. The latter two all imply an institutional setting where residents require regular heavy care, assistance, or some type of medical treatment. While this may be true for some seniors living in retirement communities if they have unique needs or underlying health issues, it’s not true for all residents of these communities. Seniors living in retirement communities are able to retain their sense of independence.
They’re not expected to live by a specific schedule unless there’s a medical need and they can usually take good care of themselves. Retirement communities simply offer peace of mind in knowing that if the residents do need support or access to certain programs and facilities, they will be made available upon request.
Myth #3: Retirement Communities Are Regimented and Take Away Independence
Actually, the opposite is true. The point of retirement living in Ontario isn’t to diminish the quality of life, liberty, or happiness of residents. Rather, retirement living communities exist to uplift seniors and provide them with a clean, safe, and high-end place to live. Retirement communities also offer a series of programs and activities such as art classes, dance classes, cooking and baking classes, and various social events to keep seniors engaged and fulfilled.
The best part is that Community Members get to choose which programs and events they want to participate in based on their individual interests. Also, there are no specifically scheduled meal times, so Community Members can choose when, where, and what they want to eat. Retirement communities offer a plethora of healthy meal options that can be served in the designated dining areas or even delivered directly to residents’ doors for their convenience.
Myth #4: There’s No Privacy in Retirement Communities
Retirement living doesn’t mean that your privacy will be taken away. In fact, the opposite is true. Senior and retirement living communities are designed to boost quality of life and offer Community Members a variety of amenities. Community Members have their own private living spaces from which they can come and go as they please. No unwanted guests will be able to make their way into your living space as each home or apartment has its own lock and key and security system.
Myth #5: Retirement Living Is Very Boring
Another prevalent misconception about retirement living in Ontario is that there isn’t much to do. Contrary to this popular misleading belief, however, retirement communities offer an array of different creative, physical, entertaining, and mentally stimulating activities that are designed to keep Community Members in good spirits. From senior workout sessions to a variety of hobbies and classes, retirement living has never been more fun and interesting.
Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, many retirement living communities have continued to offer an assortment of classes and activities with thorough safety measures in place.
Myth #6: There’s a Lack of Culinary Options
Regardless of dietary needs or preferences, seniors living in retirement communities have a plethora of culinary options available to them. High-end retirement communities typically have a staff of highly trained chefs that are capable of preparing numerous delicious recipes from all over the world. Menu items are typically updated on a daily or weekly basis to offer variety and avoid too much repetition. Special orders can also be made to accommodate every Community Member.
The V!VA Retirement Communities Advantage
At V!VA Retirement Communities, we work hard to maintain our positive reputation as one of the leading retirement community management companies in Ontario. Our goal is to help our Community Members get the most out of their retirement years, which is why we offer a vast assortment of programs and activities to help them do just that. To learn more about what life is like at V!VA Retirement Communities, feel free to contact us!
