Nobody really thinks that 55 is elderly, at least not anymore. However, it is the age at which your kids have left the nest and have homes, careers, and even young families to occupy them. It’s an age at which you begin to consider downsizing from the family home into a maintenance free living situation as you age. It can be a turbulent time, but it can also be a freeing experience and a time to make new friends as your neighborhood changes.
Age in Place Changes, Too
The idea of aging in place is changing, too. Initially, it meant seniors aging in their family home, in their community. However, seniors remaining in spaces not designed for the realities of aging indicates the definition needs to change. Currently aging in place simply means living in a home that suits the needs of the people living there.
As we age our bodies become less able to carry out the tasks of maintaining a house, which means that many seniors choose to move to maintenance free living in a Daytona Beach 55+ community where they own the home, but someone else handles the daily and seasonal tasks required to keep it looking good such as painting, landscaping, and gardening.
The New Definition of “Retirement Community”
While the US population is aging rapidly, the definition of elderly has gradually risen to mean those who are 65 and older. In 2017 15.6% of the population met that metric. It is projected by 2030 that one in five Americans will be 65 years or older. With better medical care and better nutrition seniors remain active for longer, work years past what would be considered retirement age, and live independently for many years. So as seniors change, the idea of the Daytona Beach retirement community must change as well.