🏡 Senior Housing Discussion!!!

[Spring2025]

THIS DISCUSSION WAS CREATED 11/14/24.

STOP BY WHEN YOU CAN!!!

Read comments and/or ADD yours.

Thanks,

Nicole  🏡  (Housing Forum)

[Spring2025]

[11/30/24] @GAKKIEZ , you attract what you allow my friend.

In 2015, I made it VERY CLEAR - the ONLY family I wanted to hear about was my "rock" - my only child.

Other than HER, I donot care who died, got married, relocated and so on.

Moving to Virginia was the BEST thing I did for me.  🙃🙃🙃

I luv my caller id and blocking system.  👍

[GAKKIEZ]

  @Spring2025 Good for you!!!  You set the boundaries for your happiness and sanity.  So many people don't and others still allow the drama.  You show your strength in maintaining those boundaries.  Keep it up!  Do what is best for YOU!

[Spring2025]

[11/30/24] Thanks @GAKKIEZ and doing the SAME for this site since returning in 2023. Went through h.ll with the folks who NEVER leave and feel NEWBIES are their property. Lol, not this time. 2018 to 2021 was my TRAINING YEARS./lol  🤣😂

[GAKKIEZ]

  @Spring2025 Smile!  That's not a memory of mine. We only had 2 bedrooms for a very long time.  I remember sharing a bed with my sisters for many years. Sometimes I would even crawl into bed with grandma.

[Spring2025]

.

[GAKKIEZ]

  @Spring2025 Where I live in KY, it's not unusual to see trailers/trailer parks listed as senior living.  

[Spring2025]

[11/30/24] Yes @GAKKIEZ , when I was living in FLORIDA I saw ALOT of them.

[GAKKIEZ]

  @Spring2025 Not too many people worry about trailers until tornado/hurricane season or the bitter cold when pipes freeze.  That's a lot of maintenance!

[Spring2025]

[11/30/24] @GAKKIEZ , I guess all home setups except rentals would involve maintenance and possible pipe freezes for the Seniors.

Hopefully the landlord will maintain.

BUT you could NOT pay me to LIVE in one in FLORIDA!!!  😱😱😱

So MANY Seniors died due to the HURRICANES that seem to be INCREASING in numbers & damage.  😭😭😭

But IF that is all they can afford.

Another I DONOT get, why would you want a TINY HOME near the ocean???

Anyway, I let folks live their life their way.

[GAKKIEZ]

  @Spring2025 Everyone 'hopes' for maintenance on a rental.  It's not always quick or done by a 'qualified' repairman.  I did many repairs over the years on rental properties and one even issued a demand to vacate when they sold the property.  It was easier to just buy a house.  (I bought my first when I had been divorced 11 months.  It was cheaper than rent on apartment since I had 2 kids and was required by the city living codes to have 3 bedroom apartment.)

[Spring2025]

[11/30/24] @GAKKIEZ , when I see what my only child (daughter) is dealing with, I know I still NEVER want to own any housing.

It ties you down when you get laid off.

With her area in Florida having been TOTALLY DEPENDENT on Harris L3 for jobs, the surprise layoff in April 2024 has once again DEVASTATED the area.

They also laid off in Virginia.

HUNDREDS.

Anyway, CONGRATS on being a SURVIVOR my friend.  👍👍👍

[Spring2025]

PER GOOGLE.

What is senior housing in USA?  🤔

Senior living communities are made up of apartments where residents have different service options like independent living, assisted living and memory care. Independent living is great for seniors who are able to manage day-to-day tasks like bathing, getting dressed and moving around on their own.

[Spring2025]

My response to your 2nd disrespectful comment below.

YES PLEASE stop responding @GailL1 and as a REMINDER - YOU DO NOT work for AARP and cannot tell me what to do. Now go away, thanks!!! 😂🤣

[Spring2025]

@GailL1 , I was going to ignore your question below, but will say this.

I DO NOT need wifi as PART OF MY RENT.

My ANDROID has wifi and a HOT SPOT for my iPad.

Why pay for something a Senior CANNOT AFFORD.

NOT ME.

IF I need to use a Computer or Laptop, the library has BOTH to use for FREE.

What each person does is their biz.

My RENT comes BEFORE any wifi that has a PRICE TAG.

Even the FREE Virginia State issued ANDROID has wifi & hotspot.

Now I am done with this discussion.

Gosh, sometimes I wonder WHY you have to start stuff.  🙄

[GAKKIEZ]

  @Spring2025  I'm sorry I upset everyone but I do know many places advertise that cable tv is included in rent and now they have added the wi-fi services as well.   They just never specify that it's included in the rent and non-negotiable.

[Spring2025]

[11/29/24] @GAKKIEZ , I feel that the USA has forgotten the Seniors. Things like HANDLE BARS, NO STEPS, WIDE DOORS for wheel chairs seem to NOT occur to the folks IN CHARGE.

[GAKKIEZ]

 @Spring2025  Do you ever feel that the quality of Senior Housing is less than what is being offered to younger/families with children homeless?  

  Does Senior Housing offer fewer amenities than standard housing?

[GailL1]

---

@GAKKIEZ wrote:

  Does Senior Housing offer fewer amenities than standard housing?

---

_________________________________

I think they offer more if it is a complex designated to the elderly or to the disabled.  Course, some of this might depend on how much one pays too.

This was what the one my mother lived in for many years had as amenities - but this was in 2012.

Senior / Disabled Independent living facility:

• laundry room on every floor
• a beauty / barber shop 
• a computer room - classes were given
• an exercise room - with attendant
• security guard 24/7
• a snack bar area with a pool table
• a couple of group meeting rooms - exercise classes, a place where the pharmacist would set up flu shots, a podiatrist / manicurist would do foot and nail care, show movies
• a library
• secured (fenced in) parking
• a walking path on the grounds
• bus to take to various stores and other outings
• a daily check of wellness - the occupants did this on a per floor basis 
• 24/7 maintenance folks for those regular repairs, fixes and emergencies
•  call buttons
• wall safe in room
• storage area in basement
• meals could be catered if desired.

The apartments were either (1) BR or studios - both seemed adequate in size - queen size bed fit well, a king might be a litttle snug for the size of the bedroom.  The bath was a good size - the bathtub needed safety devices to get in and out but the bars were already there.  The bathtubs probably have been changed out since my last visit there - The place was always very clean in areas that I saw - and well-maintained too; built in the mid 70’s. Never heard a neighbor next door or up above.  

This would of course be for seniors that needed minimal looking after - or liked this type of congregate living.  

A couple of years before my mother had to go to assisted living from this independent type living, we had what was called “An OVER 90” party.  I wasn’t expecting too many but WOW - some of these ladies (mostly) whom I thought were in their 60’s turned out to be over 90.  

So I guess something was working for them.  

[GAKKIEZ]

  @GailL1 That sounds like the type of housing my mom lived in for awhile.  Their rents were 'needs' based so residents paid different amount of rent based on their income.

  The residents also had to tolerate monthly fire drills, 'no smoking' rules, daily check-in and sign-out sheets (if they left for an appointment, etc.), monthly pest control services (some residents weren't up to necessary daily maintenance and their habits attracted roaches).   I thought many things were intrusive but Mom liked it there and had tolerated such things from her years in college (dorm living) and military service (barracks or tent living in WWII).

[GailL1]

@GAKKIEZ - 

That’s right - it was a SECT 202 of the Fair Housing Code development - real popular building method in the 70’s & 80’s-  a public/private partnership where the (usually) high rise was built with low interest loan from HUD - All the residents had to be either 62 or older or disabled. 

Rent was usually based on people in (3) income categories 

1.  Market based - these folks paid the going rate because their income was on the high side

2.  Subsidized Rent - for folks with a modest income and perhaps with some savings - the subsidy was 30% of the rental amount.

3.  Low Income - for folks with very low income - and they paid near to nothing and rent was fully subsidize.

One can move from one category to another if their income changes. 

When the original loan is paid off, HUD will do financing of  renovation, maintenance and upkeep of large projects and then it just keeps going.  

These are mostly the ones that have such a long waitlists at the present time because they aren’t building them any longer - it is because times, economic and geographical changes that don’t make them feasible anymore.

Perhaps that is the bigger problem - where should senior housing. be located to stay cost effective.  It has to be in places where they have assess to health care providers, and to at least some shopping - grocery stores, pharmacies or just a Walmart.  But when areas build up with these sort of things and more - the price of land, taxes and zoning / building / government requirements all add to the price of the building and the amount of rent and subsidies.

So, cities were tried 1st, then when that got too expensive, they went to the suburbs.  Now that is also expensive - a rural location would do fine and also offer jobs from the surrounding area but then the infrastructure of medical care or even some shopping may not be there.  

[GAKKIEZ]

  @GailL1 That's it!  Now that you mention it, Mom's was a HUD property too. It was built by a group of churches. (that still do out-reach there)

  Many of these Senior Living buildings are showing their age now and have expanded to include a wide rage of ages with disabilities.  

  The one my mom lived in was near a college with a nursing school and many of the students would periodically interview residents for their studies.

  Sad to say, a great concept that doesn't seem to be maintained today as communities have changed.

[Spring2025]

Poster deleted comment.

[GailL1]

---

@Spring2025 wrote:

[11/29/24] @GAKKIEZ , I feel that the USA has forgotten the Seniors. Things like HANDLE BARS, NO STEPS, WIDE DOORS for wheel chairs seem to NOT occur to the folks IN CHARGE.

---

==============================

Actually, if the [whatever] place is designated for the elderly (seniors) or the disabled, all those things are included.  The ”NO STEPS”. cannot always be workable in some buildings so there are requirement of elavator access.  OR maybe a ramp in place of a few steps.

I’ve even seen a small assisted living facility with an elevator and also a stair chair lift.

I think it is a residential building code here that all doorways have to be 32” - 36” to allow for wheelchairs.

There are other things too that are required in residences that are deemed to be for the elderly or the disabled - lower counter heights, taller toilets. emergency pull areas.

But the place has to have a designated population of elderly or disabled for some of these things - if it is just a rental of property and a wide arrange of individuals and family make up are standard, the attention might be for a playground rather than an elevator if it is only (2) stories.  

[GAKKIEZ]

  @Spring2025 Those things are needed even IF it's not senior housing.  Landlords do like to advertise that they have Free Wi-Fi though (and not tell you you're actually paying for it with higher rental fees).

[Spring2025]

Poster deleted comment.

[GailL1]

@Spring2025 

Why would you think that WI-FI isn’t needed?  When at home, or a few other places, I will use both my phone and ipad on WI-FI instead of cellular or bluetooth. 

[Spring2025]

[11/25/24] @GAKKIEZ and in my opinion, there are way too many SCAMS out there for Senior Housing in whatever form.

Time for WHOMEVER is in charge to PROTECT Seniors!!!  😤😤😤

---

[*** GAKKIEZ wrote: Now that's a deep question that many are trying to define and many communities struggle with.

  I'm defining Senior Housing as for 50+, primarily independent living, with access to retail services (grocery, pharmacy, basic hardware, household needs, etc.) and access to public transportation.  

  I really don't consider assisted living facilities as senior housing but understand many others include them as senior housing. ***]

---

[GAKKIEZ]

  It does appear that there is a different definition of "senior housing" in areas across the US.  Cities may define it differently than rural communities and how individual states classify housing.  Some states have offices of aging and some require different level of involvement (State AG, State legislative bodies).

   I don't think it's as simple as just building/management of more public housing at a federal level.

[Spring2025]

[11/25/24] @GAKKIEZ  , I see ads ALL THE TIME stating what Seniors WANT being AVAILABLE.

Sorry, ALOT of "victims" from these SCAMS and time for WHOMEVER can take them DOWN, needs to.

Billions spent investigating Child Porn, well time to do the same for Seniors looking for a place to call home.

---

[*** GAKKIEZ wrote:  It does appear that there is a different definition of "senior housing" in areas across the US.  Cities may define it differently than rural communities and how individual states classify housing.  Some states have offices of aging and some require different level of involvement (State AG, State legislative bodies).

   I don't think it's as simple as just building/management of more public housing at a federal level. ***]

---

[Spring2025]

.