What is Luxury Senior Living?

Published
08/20/2021

After years and years of hard work, you're hoping for a comfortable retirement. However, when most of us think of senior living, what we imagine is boring and depressing… at best.

Luxury senior living aims to change that perception. The baby boomer generation is reaching the end of its working years, which means that a considerably large population is now starting to look into retirement and senior living options.

They don't want boring and depressing. Who does? The newest generation of seniors has more discretionary income and doesn't mind spending if it means they can enjoy their golden years.

Even though luxury senior living is more expensive, an increasing number of seniors are choosing it because it offers more comfort and high-quality amenities.

Actually, that's an understatement. This growing demand for luxury living among seniors is opening up more possibilities than ever before.

The Different Types of Luxury Senior Living

Luxury senior living options abound in today's retirement markets. It's not cheap, but because it's a competitive market, it's more affordable than you'd think. While not everyone has the financial means to pay for it, statistics show that around 12% of seniors do.

There are differences in the size of the facilities and the services they provide.

The four main types are:


Luxury Retirement Communities

Gated communities, townhouses, and condominiums are common in luxury retirement communities, where seniors can enjoy upscale living year-round. The majority of these communities provide amenities such as gourmet kitchens, on-site spas and salons, 24-hour concierge service, golf courses, and much more.


Luxury Assisted Living

In addition to high-quality amenities, seniors in luxury assisted living get services such as help with groceries, telehealth healthcare, medication management, and different types of therapies. These programs revolve around their needs and are designed to help them enjoy a comfortable life even though they can no longer do everything they once could.


Luxury Nursing Homes

Luxury nursing homes are for those who require a higher level of care. That is not to say that seniors living in them don't enjoy the same upscale amenities such as dancing classes, picnics, concerts, fitness centers, swimming pools, personalized therapy programs, and various social events.


Luxury Memory Care

Luxury memory care offers the type of facilities where seniors with conditions affecting memory won't be disregarded or mistreated. They receive luxury homes with exceptional amenities, plus the personalized care they need. They are constantly surrounded by supportive staff that ensures their safety and well-being.


What to Expect from Luxury Senior Living

While amenities differ considerably between facilities, there are a few things that you can expect. A major one is access to high-quality medical care. Luxury senior living facilities usually have doctors on-site, or they collaborate with reputable medical groups in the area.

They also have many amenities designed to help keep the residents healthy, like physical therapy, workout classes, gyms, pools, spas, and beautiful outdoor spaces where residents can go for a walk and relax.

Moreover, many luxury senior living facilities place a strong emphasis on mental health and provide psychotherapy and counseling.

Residents in these facilities also get help with tasks they may struggle with, such as personal grooming, cleaning, and running errands.

Since socializing is very important, there are lots of events held on-site as well as field trips, so the residents get to try new things and have opportunities to befriend each other.


What Are the Benefits of Luxury Senior Living?

Luxury senior living comes with numerous advantages. The greatest advantage is the sheer abundance of amenities offered on-site. When you have so many resources at your fingertips at all times, managing your health and well-being becomes much easier.

Luxury retirement living is also more comfortable than other types of senior housing arrangements. The accommodations are larger and often include cutting-edge technology. They're made to let in a lot of light while maintaining privacy, and they have beautiful outdoor spaces as well. Living in such a relaxing and comfortable environment offers mental health benefits.

Cleaning and laundry services are usually included, as well as healthy meals selected by nutritionists.

It is essential for older adults to remain socially engaged as they age, and luxury senior living facilities provide plenty of opportunities to meet new people and experience new things. There are many common spaces where they can socialize and on-site activities like group exercise classes, clubs for various hobbies, and the field trips we mentioned in the previous section.

Feeling close to others and developing meaningful relationships as you become older is rewarding and beneficial to one's physical and mental health.

Luxury senior care facilities provide a high level of security for elders who are suffering from dementia or mobility issues. The facilities are ADA compliant, and everything is kept up to date and clean.

The layouts of the facilities are simple and well-lit, which reduces the likelihood that residents would sustain an injury or become disoriented when walking around. Many luxury senior facilities have memory care specialists on staff, allowing seniors to get the help they need whenever they need it.


The Cost of Luxury Senior Living

Luxury senior living has a wide range of prices – from $2,000 to $5,000 per month - depending on location, amenities, technology, and healthcare services. In addition, there may be an entry fee, which might be thousands of dollars. The entry fee is usually much higher than the monthly rates, but it will be returned to the resident if they move out or to their estate if they pass away.

Since the prices depend on the amenities, people interested in these facilities should prioritize the things they need over the things that just look good for advertisement. For example, wine vintages might make the facility seem more like a resort which is good for marketing, but will it really improve your quality of life?

The amenities that matter the most relate to healthcare, wellness, cleaning services, and the quality of meals served. Shared facilities like gyms, pools, craft rooms, golf courses, and housekeeping services are considered standard and are offered at surprisingly affordable rates.