Seniors are often happier in a retirement community

Are seniors happier in retirement communities?

Where you'll be happiest in your retirement years is a highly personal decision, but research shows the majority of people are happier as residents of senior living communities than they are living alone.

Life in a retirement community leads to better health, a study of 2,800 individuals finds. People who live in retirement communities overall are happier and sometimes healthier than older adults who haven’t moved into one, a recent study from ProMatura has found.

A majority of retirement community residents (55%) agreed or strongly agreed that their quality of life was higher now than a year ago, whereas only 19% of nonresidents said the same, researchers found. In fact, more than a third (36%) of non-residents either disagreed or strongly disagreed that their quality of life had improved in the past year.

Most residents (61%) also indicated their health was about the same since they moved into the community, with 10% saying it had improved. 

Retirement community residents also were two to five times more likely than nonresidents to participate in activities such as social events, trying new things, getting together with friends, eating with other people, exercising and spending more time with family than they had in the past.

Senior Residents Are Often Healthier.

An important finding from the survey was that a majority of seniors reported their overall health has stayed about the same since they moved into their retirement community — about 61%. And over 80% of those who answered this question had lived in their community for about four and a half years.

This is significant because it’s common for seniors to report a steady decline in health on average over time. This positive health outcome is a primary indicator of quality of life.

Ten percent of those who responded stated their health had improved since they moved to their retirement community. This is largely due to having easy access to fitness facilities and organized group activities that promote exercise, like walking groups and supervised swimming, which are both healthy and have a low risk of injury relative to other forms of exercise.

Happy Seniors Are Socially Active.

Residents of retirement communities were from two to five times more likely to participate in social activities of all kinds than seniors living at home. These activities include getting together with friends, eating meals in social groups, exercising and keeping to a fitness routine, spending time with family more so than they had in the past, and even trying new activities to learn and enjoy.

These are all factors that lead to health, happiness, and a higher overall quality of life.

Seniors find safety, Peace of Mind and Security.

Residents of a senior living community were twice as likely to feel safe in their homes as those who lived on their own. And feeling safe is an important part of the day-to-day happiness of a senior.

Along with all the benefits listed so far, a senior living community offers its residents’ peace of mind. Ninety-three percent of senior living community residents felt they had a safety net in place if something went wrong, compared to 40% of other seniors.

Enjoy a Happy Retirement at Argo Senior Living.

The quality of life you can enjoy at Argo Senior Living in West Palm Beach, FL is extraordinary. Enjoy all the freedom and privacy you want, and dine with friends each and every day.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a tour, contact us. Our staff is ready to answer all your questions. Fill out the form to request a tour: