May 1, 2023
When considering your retirement lifestyle, many factors go into creating what you have pictured for yourself. One of the major considerations is where you want to live and what environment that will be.
While you weigh the pros and cons of staying in the familiarity of your current home to transitioning into an independent living or retirement community, the decision ultimately comes down to one question: what do you want to get out of your retirement years?
At Franciscan Ministries, our retirement communities throughout Illinois, Indiana and Ohio offer amenities and opportunities that allow residents to live joyfully each and every day. As such, we are sharing why we believe independent living and transitioning into a community-based lifestyle can be a better option than living alone.
Once you enter retirement, you likely have more free time. You have just gone from building a career and/or raising a family to entering a more relaxing chapter of your life. This gives you the chance to experience new things, spend time doing your hobbies and even explore new interests.
However, if you live alone, your opportunities to do so could be more limited. Of course, you can venture outside your home to pursue these opportunities, but living in a retirement community offers a more convenient way of staying active and engaged. Independent living services provide activities, events and more, all within a community setting – so you don’t have to go far to explore!
Just as independent living makes staying active and engaged convenient, it also allows you to stay socially connected with friends and peers. Socialization is an integral part of our overall wellness, and maintaining meaningful connections can lead to numerous health benefits, including improved cognitive health, boosted self-esteem and reduced stress.
When you live alone, though, your socializing opportunities can become more limited. As we age, a number of factors can affect our ability to venture out and maintain relationships, which can eventually lead to isolation and feelings of loneliness.
On the other hand, retirement communities enable individuals to nurture their social relationships by providing countless opportunities to connect and interact. Whether meeting up with a friend for a scheduled community activity, participating in a group exercise class or simply enjoying a meal with a fellow resident, the community environment presents far more opportunities to stay socially active than living alone.
Living alone in a private residence comes with a lot of other responsibilities, such as lawn maintenance, cooking for yourself, cleaning and laundry. At Franciscan Ministries, we believe your retirement years should be spent living joyfully. While you may enjoy cooking, you should not feel obligated to do so for every meal.
Retirement communities like ours provide community amenities that add another level of convenience to residents’ lives. From housekeeping services to full-service dining, the amenities that Franciscan Communities offer free up individuals’ time so they can spend their days how they choose.
Some of the common amenities* offered at many of our independent living communities include:
*Amenities at Franciscan Communities may vary by location.
Our goal is to help the individuals in our communities live joyfully. Keeping this goal in mind, our independent living services provide personalized support through engagement opportunities and convenient services to help residents find more purpose in each day.
Additionally, many of our retirement communities offer a continuum of care, meaning if you ever need additional support in the future, you will have access to additional levels of senior living within the same campus.
Where you choose to build your retirement lifestyle matters. The setting of your retirement helps establish the foundation of what your overall lifestyle will be like and allows you to create what you want.
Visit our website or contact a member of our team to learn more about Franciscan Ministries and our retirement communities throughout Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.