Benefits of Life at a CCRC for Single Retirees

Single men and women approach retirement with many of the same issues as couples, and one of the biggest ones is where to live. Do you stay in your current home and neighborhood, or downsize and move to a smaller place in a warmer climate? Buy a condo or rent an apartment? Or move to a continuing care retirement community (CCRC)?

If you’re flying solo, you also want to make sure your home is manageable and secure for one person and offers easy access to health services, social activities, volunteer and lifelong learning opportunities, transportation, and more. 

In fact, if you’re single, a CCRC - or life plan community - should be at the top of your list.

Why a CCRC Makes Sense for a Single Senior 

A continuing care retirement community offers a range of services throughout one’s life, with independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing all on one campus. Hip surgery, for instance, may mean a short stay in the community’s rehab center and physical therapy, both easily accessible with no hassle arranging rides to get there.

Relationships are easily forged, too.

“Residents of CCRCs often say that one of the best things about the community in which they live is the friendships they have formed with other residents. These relationships can be particularly helpful as part of your support network if health care needs arise in the future,” writes Sarah Mouser for Forbes.

Another advantage is the CCRC’s focus on wellness, she writes:

“CCRCs strive to help residents stay healthy and live independently as long as possible. Comprehensive health and wellness programs may include access to qualified fitness professionals, special diet meal plans, aquatic and fitness centers, low-impact aerobics, and yoga classes, just to name a few. Additionally, more CCRCs today are emphasizing a 'whole-person' concept, including emotional, spiritual, intellectual and vocational experiences.”

Related: Common costs at a Life Plan Community >>

Why Kendal at Oberlin is a Good Landing Spot 

Kendal at Oberlin is a community, not just a cluster of housing. It offers restaurant-style dining, a full calendar of on-campus activities, and transportation to nearby events. Friendships easily form at exercise or swimming classes, art and music events, or while walking the dog and biking around the campus. 

A vibrant community such as Kendal means diverse gatherings of people - young and old, gay and straight, couples and single, widowed and divorced. About one-third of the residents at Kendal are single. 

Kendal has dozens of committees and special interest groups. At Kendal, you’re as busy as you want to be, and if you can’t find a group that fits your needs and interests, you’re encouraged to start one.

Some of the groups that might be of special interest to single residents include Solo Diners, who meet monthly with no planned agenda except conversation and community-building; the Buddy System, a casual way to check daily on a resident in independent living; and Supporting Friends, a caring outreach to a resident in the Stephens Care Center. 

Kendal also offers several housing options, including updated apartments and cottages, so you can find one that fits your budget and lifestyle.

A life plan community also offers many supportive services, which Maggie Stark has been preaching for more than 25 years. She is Kendal’s marketing and admissions director, and widowed. While she recently opted to move to a condo, during her exhausting experience she often thought about the advantages of moving to a community such as Kendal. 

“Everything is taken care of at Kendal like utilities, plumbing and electrical issues, and so on. You have a problem, you call one number – Facility Services. You don’t need cleaning supplies, tools, even a guest room – Kendal has four available for a nominal cost. At Kendal there is a sense of community and life is simpler,” she says.

Living the Good Life at Kendal at Oberlin

Retirement is a time of new beginnings. It’s a time when you can spend more time on the things that matter most to you and less time on things that don’t. 

Choosing a Life Plan Community like Kendal at Oberlin is a perfect way to nurture your passions and find a community where friends and neighbors are doing the same. 

Download our free guide, Living the Good Life in a Vibrant Retirement Community, to learn more about what Kendal at Oberlin can offer you.

In the past, Molly Kavanaugh frequently wrote about Kendal at Oberlin for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where she was a reporter for 16 years. Now we are happy to have her writing for the Kendal at Oberlin Community.