What happens when an adult child and an aging parent decide that the same senior living community is right for both of them?
A recent Wall Street Journal article, “Boomers Are Moving Into Retirement Communities Alongside Their Parents,” explores a trend that is becoming increasingly relevant as people live longer and rethink what they want their retirement to look like.
Two Acts families featured in the story offer a glimpse into why sharing a community can be beneficial for families.
At Park Pointe Village in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Cecily Craig chose to move into the community where her mother, Elaine Page, had already lived for years. Today, the two have separate apartments and their own friends and interests — but are close enough to enjoy being part of each other's lives.
At Indian River Estates in Vero Beach, Florida, Susan Palde and her husband moved to the community in their early 70s to establish roots and plan for their future. Susan later encouraged her mother, Rita Spina, to join them. Now 102, Rita enjoys her life and her friends on campus, while Susan and her family has peace of mind knowing mom is nearby.
Their experiences point to something changing about the way we think about senior living.
It doesn't have to mean giving up independence. And it doesn't have to mean being separated from family.
For some families, community living provides a way to have both: your own home, your own interests and your own routine — with the people you love just a short walk away.
As more generations experience longer, more active retirements, perhaps the future of senior living isn't about choosing between independence and connection.
It's about having both.
Read the full story in The Wall Street Journal here.
