Low Cost 55+ Apartments in Canada
Get Personalized Low Income Senior Housing You Can Afford. Check Benefit Eligibility. Become a Part of the Retirement Family.
Retirement is a busy time in one's life, not only are you moving one from a full time job occupying much of your time to a daily routine occupied by your interests and hobbies. Its not just moving on from working life either, retirement is full of transitions and a lot of daily and lifestyle changes.
A commonly held view of retirement is that it is a time of relaxation and laid back easy living. However, those who are in the process or retiring know how hectic of a time it can be. Any major life change is difficult, and retirement is no exception. That is why it is important to plan out important details before retiring, such as living situation. A common, and well regarded option, is a senior living community or 55+ community. Such communities are filled with individuals or couples of retirement age, as well as amenities and activities to add variation and quality to resident's lives.
Retirement First Steps:
When thinking of retirement options, it is important to understand that age is a driving factor in many of the decisions one will make over their lifetime. Many people consider 62 to be a respectable age for retiring, while others begin to think about the process of retiring at the age of 55. By this age, most people start to actively consider the future changes they will make to their lifestyle. Some of these lifestyle changes includes work, activities, and leisure.
When people reach the age of 55 and older, daily needs, as well as housing needs, begin to change. Most retirees or incoming retirees no longer have large families living at home, their children already out in the world with families of their own. With less people in the home, less space is used and needed. Add on the beginnings of deteriorating mobility in many cases, and large houses are no longer an attractive option. Too much empty space and costly (in both time and money) maintenance. Maximizing one's space and getting the most use out of the space available is important, but is generally a consideration of the younger generation.
On the other hand, as people get older, they tend to want to simplify their space. Consolidating and downsizing is usually one of the first steps to retirement that people take, as dealing with a large amount of unnecessary space can become irksome and tedious. This makes Senior Apartments the perfect option for retiring seniors, or those seniors who want less space but also improved quality of life.
Senior Communities and Apartments: The Options
More than likely a senior of age 55+ is going to be operating on a fixed income during retirement (We know this is not always the case, but it is a good assumption to make). With a fixed income financial planning is incredibly important, as is budgeting. Senior apartments are generally constructed within senior living communities, with seniors in mind, meaning plenty of amenities in the area and a reasonable price. There are also always going to be people reaching retirement age, and with a constant stream of retirees there is constant demand for senior apartments. This is why there are so many new apartment complexes and over 55 retirement communities being constructed across the country. Since the baby boomer generation is just now entering the age of retirement, the need for senior housing at a reasonable price in America is extremely high.
Senior housing communities, or retirement communities, are complexes designed specifically for those aged 55 and older. This age restriction applies to condominium complexes, apartment complexes, housing communities, subdivisions, and mobile home parks. Typically these communities hold fast to the age restriction, requiring at least one resident of any unit to meet the age requirement, and requiring any other residents who do not meet the requirement to either be a spouse or a direct family member.
Retirement living communities are made to offer tenants all the amenities they could possibly think of. They cater specifically to people of this age group. Senior housing tends to be closer in proximity to shopping, hospitals, and parks – closer than many other traditional complexes may be. Those looking to find affordable senior housing should begin by going online to research the different types of housing communities. Once settled on the type of senior housing complex, it’s time to go on some tours and pick the right one.
Finding A Senior Living Community:
There are several different locations where one can search for affordable senior housing. For those interested in government supported options, there are four primary options, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Properties (LIHTC). You'll find many options that qualify if you search on After55.com. After55.com also serves as a great search tool for senior apartments that are not government subsidized. For those who have lesser income, there is the Section 202 housing. To see if you qualify for Section 202 housing you will need to contact you local HUD office. You can find your local HUD office here: HUD Local Offices. If you don't like either of these options there is often Public Housing operated by local agencies. Finally you can apply for section 8 housing, through the Housing Choice Voucher Program. To apply you will need to contact your local public housing agency as well. You can do that here: HUD Public Housing.
If you are having trouble starting your search for a suitable senior apartment or senior living community you can visit our senior apartment guide. We present a few different senior living communities across the states for your consideration, as well as some tips about how to start your own search if you don't see what you are looking for. You can read our top five article here.