Senior Independent Living Communities Versus Traditional Apartments: What’s the Difference?
A service-rich environment sets senior living apart from standard apartment rentals.
If you’re an older adult thinking of downsizing, deciding the next place to call home isn’t easy. With several options in front of you, it may feel overwhelming to pick the best choice.
Moving to an apartment brings its own set of options: Should you choose a senior independent living community or an apartment in a complex geared toward all ages? The main difference between these options is the level of services and support you can receive. As part of your monthly rent in a senior independent living community, you will receive supportive services designed to help you live your most independent life. This is how it works at Center Communities of Brookline, where I serve as the executive director. We offer rental residences across several buildings in the Coolidge Corner and Washington Square neighborhoods of Brookline, MA.
The service-rich environment really sets us apart from other housing options in the area. Here, you’re getting so much more than just a place to live. Residents shed all the hassles of home maintenance while gaining supportive and enriching services that make life more enjoyable. These include social and educational programming, fitness and well-being services, extra conveniences like dining and transportation, and so much more. How much each resident wishes to take advantage of is up to them.
Here are some of the major differences between Center Communities of Brookline, as a senior independent living community for older adults, versus a regular apartment building open to anyone.
Programming that builds a sense of community
Right now, loneliness is an epidemic in the United States. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, loneliness and social isolation can increase the risk of premature death by 26% and 29%, respectively. That’s the same increase as smoking 15 cigarettes every day!
Living in a senior living community can help. In apartment complexes, the availability of social events varies widely. There may be events such as an annual cook-out and communal spaces where residents can gather, but the sense of community is deliberately fostered in senior independent living communities. At Center Communities of Brookline, we offer a program calendar filled with multiple performances, classes, and social experiences each week. Community meetings, newsletters, and jam-packed weekly programming guides keep residents informed of how they can form new connections and explore their interests.
With similarly-aged neighbors, it’s also common for friendships, clubs, and meetups to form organically. At Center Communities of Brookline, I have seen resident-run book clubs, a sustainability-focused Green committee, writing clubs, poetry clubs, and current-events groups form in addition to planned programming.
Finally, our staff members do their best to make sure every resident feels connected. With a social worker and interfaith chaplain on staff, Center Communities of Brookline goes the extra mile for residents who need more support.
Fitness and well-being
Many apartment complexes offer fitness centers and some offer group classes. Senior independent living communities tailor fitness and well-being offerings to the needs of older adults specifically.
Center Communities of Brookline offers group fitness classes such as yoga and tai chi but also works with residents in its fitness center one-on-one to help them build individualized exercise programs if needed. Many residents utilize physical and occupational therapy and the fitness staff at Center Communities can ease the transition to keep residents motivated and guide exercises post-therapy.
Residents are also invited to participate in Hebrew SeniorLife’s Right Care, Right Place, Right Time Initiative, an innovative program that integrates a wellness team, including an on-site wellness nurse and wellness coordinator, within our community. The program offers care coordination and programming for residents on topics related to their well-being such as nutrition, diabetes management, and stress management.
Intergenerational programming
While traditional apartment complexes are open to residents of all ages, senior independent living communities often host programs and events to proactively build bridges between the generations. Hebrew SeniorLife is uniquely dedicated to this type of intentional programming to foster meaningful intergenerational friendships and connections.
About 90 volunteers come to our campus weekly to do everything from tech support to art classes, yoga classes, lectures, and playing the piano. We have volunteers who are in their sixties, and we have volunteers who are 15 and even younger. Center Communities of Brookline also partners with local schools. For example, students from a daycare that’s located on-site have delighted residents with a Christmas show and trick-or-treating.
Thoughtful amenities
Apartment living means you don’t have to worry about the hassle of yard work or home maintenance. But at a senior independent living community, even more goes into ensuring that you get to live the independent lifestyle that you deserve.
At Center Communities of Brookline, amenities not typically found in the average apartment building, such as scheduled transportation services to off-site activities and shopping, an on-site resident-run café, and a salon, are available for you to enjoy.
Access to health care
Unlike traditional apartment complexes, senior independent living communities cater exclusively to the needs of older adults. Done well, that translates to a thoughtful intersection of housing and health care that offers tangible benefits to your well-being.
A recent study found that older adults who move into senior housing communities live longer than those who don’t and are more likely to receive care and preventive services. While Center Communities of Brookline offers the complete independence of a traditional apartment, being part of the larger Hebrew SeniorLife organization offers additional health care benefits.
Center Communities offers seamless access to off-site Harvard Medical School-affiliated medical services and other supports as part of Hebrew SeniorLife, such as the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health. Rehabilitative therapy house calls, personal assistance in the home, and easy access to palliative care and hospice care can all be easily arranged in your apartment because of our ties to Hebrew SeniorLife.
Residents also benefit from Hebrew SeniorLife’s association with the Harvard Medical School-affiliated Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research. Residents regularly have the opportunity to volunteer in clinical research studies that may give them access to new, cutting-edge treatments while meaningfully advancing science for future generations.
Cost
As with any major decision, it’s important to investigate cost before making your choice. Standard apartments are generally rented at market rate. Some senior housing may come at a premium to cover additional services. Center Communities of Brookline offers apartments at various levels from market rate to subsidized rentals (based on HUD eligibility) without additional charges for supportive services and programming.
Senior independent living communities versus all-ages apartments
Here’s a quick breakdown of the key similarities and differences between senior independent living communities and traditional apartments:
| Senior independent living communities | Standard apartment buildings | |
| Age restriction | Typically available to tenants ages 55+ or 62+, depending on the community | Typically no age restriction |
| Sense of community | Full calendar of social, educational, and cultural programs, intergenerational initiatives, and naturally occurring clubs and groups | People of different ages may live in the building, but there is rarely deliberate programming to foster connections |
| Fitness and well-being | Group fitness classes, rehabilitative therapies, one-on-one training, and more help seniors live their healthiest lives | Fitness centers are common, and group fitness classes may be offered |
| Extra amenities | Maintenance-free living plus extra amenities for your convenience, such as scheduled transportation services, dining, and a salon | Maintenance-free living in the form of no yard work or home maintenance |
| Access to health care | Access to health care services is often integrated into senior independent living communities so that residents can be safe and supported | Not offered |
| Cost | Can be offered at various levels, from market rate to subsidized rentals, with supportive services included at no extra charge | Market rate |
Interested in exploring your options?
Now that you know the difference between independent senior living apartments and traditional apartments, are you wondering whether Center Communities of Brookline is right for you? We’d love to answer any questions you may have! Call us at 617-363-8048 or reach out to us online today.
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Senior Living in Brookline
Center Communities of Brookline is an active apartment community for older adults, located near Coolidge Corner and Washington Square. The community includes options for seniors of all income levels, plus amenities like on-site dining and health care, lifelong learning opportunities, wellness programming, and supportive services.
