A Day in the Life: Senior Apartment

A few years ago, they decided to move into a senior apartment community. They wanted to be prepared for the challenges instead of waiting to move until their health deteriorated and moving would be more of a struggle. It was worth the peace of mind to live in an apartment home designed specifically for the changing needs of older adults.

The move from a four-bedroom house to a senior apartment had initially felt very drastic. Now, two years later, as Marta prepared breakfast for her and her husband, she reflected on what they had “lost” in the move. They had lost space, space that they didn’t use. They had lost a mountain of landscaping work and outdoor upkeep. They had lost a sizable utility bill. Most of all, they had lost that feeling of isolation, as their house in the country was lovely but its distance to friends and family made visiting infrequent and running errands an even bigger chore.

“Bill,” she called, as she tapped gently on his bedroom door, “breakfast is ready!” She was grateful that this complex offered roomy, two-bedroom units that still allowed them each to have their own space. Bill suffered from sleep apnea and had to use a CPAP machine, and Marta’s restroom trips during the night disturbed him. During their search for a senior apartment, it had been a priority to find a two-bedroom unit to soften the blow of moving from such a large house to an apartment. This spacious unit was about 2,000 square feet, and they still felt like they each had their own space.

Their search had also focused on age-restricted communities, since they preferred the quiet of an older community.

The apartments in their community embraced universal design principles to meet the changing needs of aging adults. Wide doors and low thresholds were wheelchair and walker friendly. Bathrooms included no-step showers, grab bars, and accessible toilets. The home was filled with bright lights, non-slip floors, and natural lighting. Easy-to-use technology, such as automated thermostats and lights, made life easier – and even a bit more fun, in a Jetson-like way.

Marta and Bill appreciated the advantages of a living space with these features. Besides being safer day to day, it would allow them to stay in their home longer, and to return home sooner after potential hospital visits.

After a relaxing breakfast, with a chance to thumb through the morning’s newspaper, Marta and Bill headed to the sparkling community pool for a morning water aerobics class, waving to neighbors on their balconies as they made the short trek. They loved how they could easily walk to and from the pool or on-site gym without having to get in the car. Their class was a fun opportunity to socialize with friends, and the low impact workout was really great for Bill’s knees. It made up for the wear and tear that tomorrow’s tennis doubles match might cause!

Lunch was next on the agenda. As Bill and Marta made the five-minute drive into town, Bill remarked on what a relief it was to have dining options close by – something they hadn’t had in the country. The complex even offered a shuttle service if they didn’t feel like driving.

Today’s lunch was a leisurely event with old friends who were interested in downsizing. The friends had many questions for Bill and Marta, including handicap accessibility and accommodations, and access for non-ground floors. Bill and Marta preferred a top-floor apartment, as they were particularly sensitive to the sound of footsteps above their heads. They shared these details and more with their friends, who were concerned about the differences between single-family homes and apartment living and the required adjustments.

Learn more about Senior Apartments right here at Seniors Guide

Marta’s friends were also concerned about adjusting to living on a fixed income, so she explained how subsidized apartments worked. Although their particular complex was not income restricted, Marta had learned the ins and outs of subsidies and restrictions when she had researched senior apartments. She also mentioned how grateful she was to have all utilities included in the cost of rent, so they didn’t have to keep up with monthly grind of paying separate cable, internet, water, and electric bills, and how the cost of a tennis club, as well as a gym and pool membership, had been eliminated from their budget, as they had chosen a community that had those amenities available.

After a long lunch, the couple headed back home in time for Bill’s afternoon bridge game. Marta was happy that Bill had planned activities and a group of friends at the complex. That gave her some much-needed alone time.

After dropping him off, she headed back to the apartment quickly for another brief walk with Sasha, their small beagle-mix pup. The couple had been thrilled to find a complex that not only allowed pets but had numerous convenient pet waste stations with plastic bags and trash cans, and a fenced-in dog park for the friendly neighborhood dogs to enjoy play dates. Moving Sasha from the country to an apartment had been an adjustment, as she had been accustomed to the open space of their previous property. On the other hand, Sasha was starting to move with more difficulty these days, so she benefited from the accessible elevators and ramps.

Marta drove back to town for an appointment at her favorite nail salon, returned to the community, and picked up Bill at the community center. Both took a quick afternoon nap – with dinner plans at tonight’s monthly community barbecue, it made for a very busy day, and the couple could use that afternoon extra energy boost!