Today, getting older doesn't always mean that you have to slow down. In fact, the opposite is true: thousands of seniors have already learned how to live well in their "golden years."
Seniors today aren't content to just sit in front of the TV. They are swimming with dolphins, learning a new art form, and even doing their first skydives.
What do they need to be happy and healthy? A recent study says that it could be living in a community for older people.
A study from the University of Michigan found that people who live in retirement communities are happier and more satisfied with their lives than their peers who stay in their own homes.
The study also found that people who live in these places are more likely to say their health is better now than it was two years ago.
Many retirement communities give seniors a place to meet people who like the same things they do, as well as opportunities to try out new hobbies and activities.
For example, the 19 Fountains communities, which are spread out across 13 states, plan activities and trips for their residents. On a recent trip to Key Largo, people from Fountains between the ages of 78 and 98 swam with six Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in natural lagoons.
At the Fountains, people are also encouraged to be creative, and hundreds of artists live there.
professional and amateur. The company makes a calendar every year that shows the work of its resident artists.
Communities like the Fountains also offer different ways to live in retirement to meet the needs and wants of different people.
The "Town Center" neighbourhoods of the Fountains have apartments, cottages, cabanas, casitas, bungalows, suites, and condos for seniors who want to keep or improve their independence. There are places to eat, gyms, salons, lounges, movie theatres, bank branches, convenience stores, and clinics for health and wellness.
Seniors who want to live on their own but still need some help and supervision can do so at the Fountains. The community's staff is there 24 hours a day to offer services, gentle encouragement, and motivation. In many places, people who are recovering from illness or injury can also get nursing care that is covered by Medicare.
