Luxury Retirement & Senior Living

What are the Different Types of Luxury Senior Living?

Luxury comes in several different shapes and forms depending on the type of environment you’re looking for, the amenities you want, and other services you may need.

Luxury Retirement Communities

Who are they for? Older adults who can live independently

Luxury retirement communities offer different housing options to seniors, including apartments, townhouses, condominiums, and even single-family houses. The common thread is that they’re all upscale and offer amenities that make you feel like you’re on vacation 365 days a year.

Amenities might include:

• Gourmet kitchens
• Fine dining
• Salons and spas
• Swimming pools
• Housekeeping services
• 24-hour concierges
• State-of-the-art fitness centers
• Golf courses
• Pet care services
• On-site movie theaters

Luxury retirement communities also look luxurious. Floral gardens, walking paths, lakes, and even beaches are often the backdrop of these communities. Seniors who live in these communities enjoy ample opportunities to socialize with peers, learn new skills, participate in clubs and classes, and explore the surrounding community.

Luxury Assisted Living

Who are they for?  Seniors who need help with activities of daily living (ADLs)

While still offering many amenities of a luxury retirement community, luxury assisted living also provides services to help older adults with their daily needs. For example, help with grocery shopping, medication management, assistance with bathing and dressing, on-site meals, and transfer assistance. Occupational and physical therapy may also be offered. Plus, some have upscale therapy options such as music therapy or art therapy—both of which can help seniors who have dementia or struggle with depression.2

Luxury Nursing Homes

Who are they for?: Seniors who need access to 24-hour medical care

There are luxury nursing homes for seniors needing more health care than an assisted living community can provide. Here, licensed health care professionals offer residents 24-hour care. Care typically includes skilled nursing care, orthopedic care, rehabilitation services, breathing treatments, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, IV therapy, and wound care.

A luxury nursing home also offers greater amenities than your average nursing home. You’re more likely to find swimming pools, fitness centers, and activities tailored to residents’ interests.

Luxury Memory Care

For seniors living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, luxury memory care may be an option. Residents receive specialized care and supervision while still enjoying the amenities that luxury senior care offers. Staff get to know patients on a personal level so that they can help with specific needs. Seniors living here enjoy well-balanced meals, medication reminders, large individual rooms, daily exercise opportunities, and special activities to help with memory.

How Much Does Luxury Senior Living Cost?

If you’re considering any type of luxury senior living, whether it be a retirement home, retirement community, or apartment, you should know it will be far more expensive than your average senior living options. On average, luxury senior living costs about 30 percent more than its non-luxury counterpart.3

We created the chart below to give you an idea of expected prices. It displays national monthly costs for different levels of senior care. The data comes from Genworth’s 2024 Cost of Care Report4 and A Place for Mom’s 2018 cost index.5  Then, we calculated estimated luxury senior living costs by raising the national rates by 30 percent.

Of course, precisely how much you’ll pay for luxury senior living varies greatly between facilities. Location, the size of your living space, amenities offered, and the type and frequency of care needed also affect the cost. High-end communities with larger personal living spaces may charge upwards of $20,000 per month.6

Some luxury senior living communities have buy-in fees in the six-digit range and sometimes over one million dollars. This might cover the purchase of your home or condo within the community, or it may be labeled as a one-time membership fee. Then, you’ll still owe monthly fees for services and amenities.

Who is Luxury Senior Living For?

Luxury senior living isn’t for everyone. However, it might be right for you if you have ample retirement savings, a high monthly income, and/or a solid long-term care insurance plan. And, if you’re used to a luxurious lifestyle now in your own home, you’ll likely want to carry over the experience into your next phase of life.

Luxury senior living communities offer residents a life of (you guessed it) luxury with high-end amenities, gorgeous living spaces, and top-notch senior services. Older adults who want to live independently or require any level of care can find a luxury senior living community to meet their needs.

Questions to Ask About Luxury Senior Living

Before making the financial commitment that luxury senior living requires, you should first ask yourself these questions:

• Can you afford it? Look at the long-term costs before signing on the dotted line. Consider how long you’ll likely be living there, what’s included, and what you’ll need to pay extra for. Compare that cost to alternatives, such as purchasing a luxurious home near family.
• Do you like the people in the community? Take a tour and talk to residents. Can you see yourself interacting with these people daily? If not, look for another option. You can also select a senior living community based on an affinity group, such as a shared language or religion (Christianity, Buddhism, etc.)
• Is the staff qualified? You want to live in a place where you know you’ll be taken care of, especially if you require nursing care or memory care. Make sure the staff is qualified to handle your medical needs. Ask about training and hiring practices.
• Does it have the amenities you’re looking for? Ask for a list of services, features, and amenities. You must be able to spend your retirement years doing the things you love or trying the things you’ve always wanted to try. For example, if you’re used to swimming or walking outside daily, find out if the property offers a pool or walking paths.
• Ask about violations. Be sure housing is up to code and look into any past health violations.

Where Can I Find Luxury Senior Living?

You can find luxury senior living communities in rural, suburban, and urban areas. Large cities, beach-side towns, and other resort areas attract senior living communities, too. Nearby, you’ll likely find arts and entertainment venues, restaurants, tourist attractions, and plenty of activities and places to explore.

To find luxury senior living options near your current home, or anywhere in the U.S., search our database of available luxury senior living options near you. Just type in your ZIP code, answer a few questions about what you’re looking for and let us do the rest.

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