As a follow up to recent posts about the challenges in comparing continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) and rental retirement communities, I want to clarify how the term “independent living” is used across the senior living industry.
Spoiler alert: “Independent living” can describe several different situations, which understandably causes confusion. Both rental retirement communities and CCRCs may describe residences as “independent living,” but they don’t always mean the same thing.
>> Related: Is “Aging Independently” a Myth?
Independent living in a CCRC
By definition, a CCRC offers a continuum of care, so residents who live in the community’s “independent living” portion—often apartments or patio-style homes—typically do so without needing long-term care services at the time they move in. Long-term care (also called assisted living) includes help with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as dressing, bathing, toileting, and meal preparation.
Most CCRC contracts require residents to meet certain health criteria at move-in, and many residents remain active and self-sufficient for years. That said, health and mobility can change over time. It’s common for residents in independent living to receive in-home assistance once they begin to need help. While CCRCs usually maintain separate assisted living and skilled nursing units for residents whose needs advance, most people prefer to stay in their own apartment or home as long as possible.
>> Learn more about continuing care retirement communities.
Independent living in a senior rental retirement community
In rental retirement communities, “independent living” can be used a bit differently. Some rental communities describe themselves as “independent plus,” indicating that residents may receive certain supportive services (the “plus”) while continuing to live in their own apartments rather than moving to a separate assisted living or nursing facility. This mirrors situations in CCRCs where a previously fully independent resident later requires some help with ADLs.
Here, “independence” is often defined by the living arrangement—remaining in one’s apartment—and by the goal of supporting residents to live as independently as possible, even when some assistance is needed. Because of this overlap, rental retirement communities are sometimes confused with assisted living communities, despite differences in licensing and services.
Not every resident in a rental retirement community needs support services, and the prevalence of such services varies across communities.
>> Related: Why Every Retiree Should Consider a Retirement Community
A term with multiple meanings
In summary, “independent senior living” can mean different things depending on context. For some, it denotes an active, self-reliant lifestyle with little or no need for help. For others, it describes a living arrangement where frailer residents receive necessary support services so they can remain as independent as possible for as long as possible.