Top Health Benefits of Retirement Communities
Benefits of Retirement Communities
Perhaps the greatest benefit of continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) is one that seldom tops a person’s list of reasons for moving to one: they’re good for you!
Retirement communities are designed for aging better for longer. Volunteering, planned trips and programs, resident clubs, fitness centers with trained staff, friendly neighbors just outside your door, transportation – all of these make staying active as you continue to age much easier.
CCRCs
In 2018 Northwestern University and Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging published data from the first year of a five-year study looking at the impact of continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) on senior wellness. Approximately 5,000 seniors in 80 communities participated. The results?
- 69% of surveyed residents reported “somewhat or greatly improved” social wellness
- Overall, CCRC residents reported greater social, physical, intellectual, and vocational wellness; higher levels of physical activity; and better nutrition than non-continuing care retirement community residents
Scientific studies continue to document the effects of social isolation and lack of meaningful interaction. They include declines in physical health and increased risk of depression and cognitive decline.
How people engage in their new community’s lifestyle remains a matter of their preferences, and privacy is respected. But the data is clear. Staying active and engaged is good for your health. And continuing care retirement communities can help! Contact us today to learn more!
