A Guide to Senior Lifestyle Options in 2024

Types of Senior Lifestyle and Housing Options

One of the biggest decisions you’ll make in life is where to retire. Senior living communities dot all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and there’s always the option of retiring abroad.

Not everyone can afford the costs of a private facility, so we created an extensive HUD-sponsored senior housing guide for low-income seniors. If you don’t want to leave the comfort of your home, personal care and home care are relatively inexpensive options.

Other considerations when it comes to senior lifestyle options are your health, financial status, and lifestyle preferences. If you’re healthy and active, independent living or co-op housing may be the perfect option. Find out about low-cost senior travel and vacations from our guide while you’re at it!

If you need help with certain activities of daily living, consider an assisted living facility. If you’re searching for nursing care for a loved one with more extensive medical needs, we can help you find the best nursing home. We’ve also included various care options and how you can find the help you need.

Guides to Lifestyle and Care Options for Seniors

Below is a list of articles and guides about lifestyle and care options for seniors that can assist you on your search.

• Best Places To Retire – Learn about the best places for seniors to retire. Find information about the best cities and states, and even where to retire abroad. We’ve also broken down the most affordable places to retire in the above categories.
• Unique retirement communities: Some seniors don’t want to live in traditional retirement communities. Read our guide to unique retirement communities to learn about communities for lifelong learners, RVers, or Jimmy Buffett fans. Also read our guide to houseboat communities for another unique option.
• The guide to being a baby boomer: In 2011, the first round of baby boomers — Americans born between 1946 and 1964 — turned 65. More than 11,200 Americans will turn 65 every day — over 4.1 million every year — from 2024 through 2027. Discover boomer statistics and facts, and learn more about boomer health.
• Active senior living and active retirement living: These communities are designed for healthy, active seniors. They offer amenities and focus on social activities, wellness, and fitness. Learn more about them, including their cost and how to pay for it.
• How to select an independent living community: If you’re pretty healthy and don’t need help with everyday activities, there is a range of communities with amenities to choose from. In this guide, you can enter your ZIP code to see independent living facilities in your area.
• How to find the best assisted living community: Assisted living is designed to provide long-term housing for older adults who need assistance with daily tasks such as laundry, cooking, cleaning, and medication management. We can help you find great assisted living facilities in your area.
• Pet-friendly senior living guide: Because pets are important members of the family you want to take with you to your senior community, check out our pet-friendly senior living guide. Learn more about what’s allowable when it comes to bringing your pets to assisted living communities and nursing homes.
• How to find the best nursing home: Skilled nursing facilities are for older adults who need short or long-term specialized care pertaining to medical needs, activities of daily living (ADLs), and more. We’ll help you find the best nursing home facilities in your area.
• Finding the best memory care facility: Find out more about care options and costs in this article. To find a list of Alzheimer’s care and dementia facilities, you can enter your ZIP code in the search bar to find care in your area.
• Aging in place: The Cleveland Clinic says aging in place offers psychological, emotional, and physical benefits. For the many people who want to stay in the familiar environment of their home as they get older, read our article to learn more about planning for aging in place and the challenges that come with it.
• Senior safety guide: Whether a senior loved one is aging in place with your family or in their own house, it’s wise to set up certain safety features, such as walk-in tubs, adjustable beds, and shower grab bars. Read our senior safety guide to protect your loved ones physically, financially, and digitally.
• Why and when to use home care for seniors: Read this in-depth article to learn more about professional support services designed to help older adults live safely at home. You can also find senior home care providers in your area.
• Custodial care: Custodial care is a popular form of long-term support that helps older adults who need non-medical assistance on a daily or ongoing basis. To learn more about custodial care costs and how to pay, check out this guide.
• How to find and hire a caregiver: Refer to our comprehensive guide to learn more about types of caregiving, how to find the best caregiver, what to look for, and how to pay for caregiving assistance.
• Respite care: Many family members quickly burn out while caring for older loved ones. Learn more about finding respite care to give a break to caregivers, the importance of doing so, and how to pay for it.
• Hospice care: For those supporting older adults who are declining, see our hospice care guide, which provides information on getting the compassionate care and support you need for seniors who have a terminal disease.
• Continuing care retirement communities: For older adults with the financial means, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) ensures that you stay in the community as your health care needs change. CCRCs offer a range of services, including independent living, assisted living, nursing care, memory care, and rehab services.
• Retirement communities: “Retirement community” is a broad term that covers many varieties of housing options for seniors. There are active senior communities, age-restricted communities (e.g., 50-plus and 55-plus), and more.
• Personal transportation for seniors: Did you know that half of Americans 65 and older do not have access to public transportation, and more than half of all non-drivers 65 and older stay at home on a given day because they don’t have transportation? Learn about your transportation options in our guide.
• Senior living apartments: For seniors looking for a low-maintenance, lower-cost lifestyle, a senior living apartment may be the ideal place. Senior living apartments provide amenities such as housekeeping, dining, and activities.
• Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender senior living: The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force estimates that there are over 3 million LGBT seniors in the U.S., and that number will double by 2030. Learn about options and challenges in our guide.
• Senior cooperative housing: In senior cooperative housing, active residents who are 55 and older own a share of the community with an equal voice in how it’s run. The tax benefits of home ownership are there, but without the hassle of home upkeep. Learn how it works and how much it costs to see if it’s right for you.
• Senior living, care, and housing definitions: Learn how various terms are used on SeniorLiving.org to distinguish between different levels of care. Note that many states have unique requirements and terminology that do not work well with a nationwide directory.