As you look for senior living options, you may have come across what is called an "Active Adult Community." Active adult communities are 55 and over "age-restricted" or "age-qualified" communities, which means residents must be at least 55 years old.
Apart from their age requirements, active adult communities are not significantly different from any other residential community, but most are designed with a low-maintenance lifestyle in mind.
Active adult communities include single-family homes, patio homes, condominiums, and townhomes, which are owned by residents, as opposed to rentals. Since retirees still are eager to live an active lifestyle after retirement, many of these 55+ communities are built close to restaurants and shopping centers as well as parks.
Residents within active adult communities are responsible for maintaining their homes, but exteriors usually don't require maintenance, and homeowners' associations (HOAs) pay for it through their dues.
Residents can enjoy other aspects of their retirement years without the burden of yard maintenance or dealing with other exterior home maintenance chores or repairs. Apart from HOA dues (and possibly a mortgage payment), there are no other fees associated with living in an active adult community.
In contrast to some senior living options, active adult communities do not provide dining facilities on-site for residents nor do they provide healthcare services. However, the HOA dues of these communities often pay for certain common amenities. There are a variety of activities offered by these shared facilities, such as golf and tennis courses, pools, and clubhouses!