More and more people are entering their senior years here in the United States, of this there is no doubt. After all, the Baby Boomer population is a particularly large one and with each passing year, more and more people are becoming members of this group. As a matter of fact, the data that has been gathered on this topic more than backs up this claim, showing that more than even 14 million people will be 85 or even older all by the time that we reach the year of 2040, which is now not that far off into the future at all. And the numbers of those who have not reached the age of 85 but who are still considered to be senior citizens (those who are at or over the age of 65) will continue to swell as well). There are even a good number of people who are older than 100 – more than 50,000 of them, as of the current date. Many of these very old people are even still in considerably good health, all things considered.
But nowadays, being a senior citizen, even past the age of 85, is far different than it once was. In today’s world, senior citizens have become more engaged and active in their communities than ever before. For one thing, many people are choosing not to retire until later on in life, something that many people choose simply because they know how to structure their lives best around a work schedule. Once again, the research that has been conducted into this subject is more than in support of this claim, showing that up to one fifth of all senior citizens in this country were still employed and active within the workforce in the year of 2016. This is something that has remained quite true in the years that have followed since, as well.
Even after the point of retirement, many senior citizens are staying active and engaged in all aspects and facets of life. For one thing, volunteer work is common among senior citizens, with up to half of them participating in some form of volunteer work at least somewhat frequently. This volunteer work might range from senior citizen to senior citizen, but almost all of it presents a great way to stay involved with both the community and with a sense of productivity. Devoting time to helping those in a need is also a great way to find meaning and purpose in life after retirement.
Even dating lives can flourish in one’s senior years. In fact, more and more senior citizens are taking advantage of various aspects of technology to help them better connect with their peers. Dating apps have become more common as time passes on, even among the population of the elderly. In fact, more than 10% of all seniors in the United States (around 12% of them, to be just a bit more specific) are on various dating apps – at least one of them, but often even more than one at a time as well.
The senior years can become lonely if one lets them, but connection via apps and volunteer programs or even just staying in the workforce for longer is a great way to make sure that such a thing does not become a reality. Moving to an independent housing community is a great way to connect with other seniors as well. For one thing, an independent housing community is typically only available to seniors. In most cases, you will not be able to move into any given independent housing community until you have reached or exceeded the age of 55.
It is important to note that independent housing in an independent living community and senior housing found in senior living communities is far from a nursing home or assisted living facility. While up to 90% of all people want to live at home for as long as possible, independent housing in a senior living community still allows for the freedom of life that living at home would. In fact, many find that they enjoy independent housing in an independent living community just as much, if not even more.
