Senior Living for Couples: A Variety of Options

When you and your significant other enter retirement life, you probably have one thing on your mind — relaxation. But once you start to settle into things, it’s common to start thinking about the future. You might wonder what will happen if a time comes when your spouse has different needs than you. Is senior living right for couples?

While senior living might not be something you and your spouse have ever discussed, it might be a good time to consider all your options to prepare yourself for the future. Health needs can change slowly, or an emergency can happen that turns everything on its head. Because of the unpredictable nature of life, it’s in your best interest to sit down as a couple and explore your options together now.

The Top 3 Senior Living Options for Couples

Everyone is unique. Even though you may have spent most of your adult life with your partner, it doesn’t mean you’ll age at the same rate. It’s common for one spouse to experience age-related decline while the other spouse takes over caregiving responsibilities. But it’s not as black and white as aging in place or sending one spouse to assisted living. There are options that will accommodate your lifestyle as a couple now and well into the future.

Below are three options to discuss with your loved one about senior living for couples.

Aging in Place

Many senior couples feel established in their neighborhood and community. Aging in place is a viable option for healthy seniors to maintain their independence and stay in their homes. If you and your spouse have a manageable home and only need minor support services, you can request some in-home care services to make aging in place an option that works now and into the future.

Independent Living Communities

Independent living communities, or residential living communities, are designed to provide aging adults with a higher quality of life. Through engaging programming, activities, amenities and services, residential living communities remove the obstacles associated with owning a home and allow seniors to thrive. With a variety of floor plan options, you and your spouse can find a good fit to accommodate your lifestyle and downsize your responsibilities.

Continuing Care Retirement Communities

When you and your spouse are looking for a seamless transition through every stage of retirement, you should consider a continuing care retirement community. Since you and your spouse will age at different rates, continuing care retirement communities ensure help and support are available when and how you both need it. From assisted living and assistance with activities to specialized memory care, you and your spouse will be able to age in place while still enjoying the highest quality of life.

While all three options provide various pros and cons when it comes to retirement living, nothing can beat the long-term security you enjoy with continuing care. Grace Ridge is a licensed, accredited continuing care retirement community in Morganton, North Carolina. This means that in addition to independent living, you can transition to higher levels of senior health care services whenever you or your spouse need to, right here on the same campus, at essentially the same cost as living in your residence. It’s the peace of mind you and your spouse deserve in your retirement years. 

Plan for the Future with Senior Care from Grace Ridge

A Life Plan Community, also known as a CCRC or continuing care retirement community, offers long-term assurance that you and your spouse will get the right level of care through every stage of retirement. Because a wide range of services, amenities and activities are in one location, residents have a greater sense of stability and can transition to higher levels of care if ever needed.

At Grace Ridge, our full continuum of health care includes independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and specialized memory care, so no matter how your needs change over time, you will always feel at home in our Life Plan Community. We invite you to learn more about Grace Ridge and our continuum of care by speaking with someone from our friendly team about the best options for you and your spouse.