Older adults are questioning their future living plans anew in light of the ongoing spread of COVID-19, according to an article in Kaiser Health News.
The story notes that some who planned to move to senior housing now are choosing to continue living at home. Kim Beckman, 64, and her husband, Mike, said they were ready to give up being homeowners in Victoria, TX, and join a 55-plus community or rent in an independent living apartment building in the northern part of the state before COVID-19 hit. Beckman told the media outlet that the couple may now purchase a larger home instead.
“If you’re going to be in the house all the time, you might as well be comfortable,” she said.
Wendl Kornfeld, 71, said she temporarily has tabled the prospect of moving into a continuing care retirement community near her New York home. Kornfield told the media outlet that within social circles, many fear that if they move to a senior living community, they might be more likely to encounter a COVID outbreak.
“All of us have heard about the huge number of deaths in senior facilities,” Kornfeld added.
But others do continue to seek seniors housing. Some cited the need for settings where they can get more care assistance. Some families, for example, reported that they wished they had arranged for older relatives to receive care in a more structured environment before the pandemic started.
“They’re finding that older relatives living independently, especially those who are frail or have mild cognitive impairments, are having difficulty managing on their own,” the article noted.
Further, a national survey of independent senior living residents, staff members and prospective residents released Tuesday shows that most feel safe and glad to be part of a community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Plante Moran Living Forward, the senior living development consulting division of Plante Moran Cresa, partnered with Charlotte, NC-based Retirement DYNAMICS, a senior living consulting firm, to survey approximately 5,000 older adults, staff members and prospective residents representing 70 independent living communities across 13 states. The majority of respondents were from life plan communities (CCRCs) or cooperatives. The average age of residents who answered the survey was 81.
The survey revealed that 93% of residents felt their community took necessary precautions to keep them safe. Fully 77% of residents said they were “glad to be living in a community during the pandemic,” with 86% affirming they were happy they made the decision to move.
