Sponsored Content Active Adult Living: Live in a Neighborhood, Belong to a Community of Active Adults 7/22/2020 | By Seniors Guide Staff Times have changed and people are living longer, healthier lives. Through technology, diet, fitness, and medicine, active adults now remain independent for many more years today. At age 55 or later, you might not be ready for a retirement community, but may be exploring options that will allow you to live a simpler lifestyle! Active adult communities are active and vibrant – anything but a retirement community. Many people continue to work longer and engage in their professional lives from the comfort of home offices. While you want to live in the community where you raised your family, you can now opt for a lifestyle solution that is convenient, maintenance-free, carefree, and fun. Active adult living has emerged as an exciting solution for aging-in-place that is amenity-rich and offers valuable social engagement. It is age-restricted, but is an alternative to traditional senior living options and promotes a carefree and active lifestyle near family and friends. As a modern living solution with outstanding aesthetics, active adult communities may offer universal design elements in homes as features that provide ease of access through private entrances. These design elements include, but are not limited to: having no-step entry into the shower or from the garage, slip-resistant surfaces, wider interior doors and hallways, lever door handles, accessible light switches and higher electrical outlets to create ease of use for every room of your home. Many people who explore options to downsize or “right-size” seek all the comforts of a single-family home with convenience of being in a walkable neighborhood or a short drive from shopping, dining, entertainment, and healthcare. Key priorities for active adult consumers include housing accessibility, affordability, ease of maintenance, outdoor spaces for relaxation, proximity to shopping and activities, social interaction and connectivity, and access to support and concierge services. Two main reasons that baby boomers and empty nesters are moving into active adult communities: It provides an economic lifestyle opportunity that is achieved from selling the family home to release capital tied up, and then renting for financial flexibility while being freed from maintenance responsibilities.It features a social lifestyle that comes with being empty nesters and/or retired and having more time to learn, play, explore, and make new and lasting friends on the same journey. Downsizing or “right-sizing” your home is a matter of “when” and not “if” for active adults. When the time is right to give up mowing the lawn or shoveling the snow – what keeps you on the go? Active adult communities offer the space and environment for an engaging resident experience. Social engagement, physical fitness, intellectual/educational endeavors, creative, regular programming and entertainment events are directed and/or led by those whose interests are being served in the community. While active adult communities are new to Central Ohio, it is a growing segment of multi-family residential properties across the country. If you have not explored this option, it is one to consider as it serves residents age 55+ who are actively engaged in the community and other areas in their lives – often with lots of experience that they may want to share with others. Truly, active adult communities are redefining 55+ living. Julie A. Stein Director of Marketing, Treplus Communities Read More Seniors Guide Staff Seniors Guide has been addressing traditional topics and upcoming trends in the senior living industry since 1999. We strive to educate seniors and their loved ones in an approachable manner, and aim to provide them with the right information to make the best decisions possible.