A Guide to Retirement Communities for Singles

As social creatures, human beings rely on connecting with others to survive and maintain a high quality of life. Without social connections such as family or close friends, people may experience social isolation and loneliness. That can be detrimental to their physical and mental health. Older adults in particular are at risk of finding themselves unexpectedly alone due to retirement, loss of mobility or the death of a partner or spouse. 

According to the National Institute on Aging, about 28% of older adults in the United States live alone. While this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re socially isolated and don’t have friends or family living nearby, seniors may still feel lonely not having someone in the house with them. Reduced mobility and limited access to transportation can also worsen loneliness, especially if seniors are simultaneously dealing with depression, anxiety or other health issues. Retirement communities can provide a safe and secure place for older adults to build connections, but single seniors may be hesitant to move to a traditional community if they’re worried about being surrounded by married couples.

However, that doesn’t have to be the case. This guide provides an overview of retirement communities for single seniors, how they can be beneficial for reducing loneliness and what financial assistance is available to cover costs. 

A singles retirement community is a location for unmarried or unpartnered seniors to live among other single older adults. These communities can help seniors meet people and gain new experiences to help them feel connected with others. The main purpose of these communities isn’t to necessarily help single older adults meet a new significant other, although that can happen, but to reduce the stigma of needing to be coupled to move to a retirement community.

Singles retirement communities usually offer services and amenities similar to regular senior living communities. To help residents stay active, most communities provide a fitness center with features such as exercise classes and a swimming pool. Daily activities and social events are also scheduled to offer plenty of socialization opportunities. Depending on the community, residents have access to transportation for off-site excursions and can shop, visit local restaurants or catch a movie. 

There aren’t too many differences between singles retirement communities and traditional senior living communities. Most of them are designed for adults aged 55 or older and offer various levels of care, from independent living to skilled nursing. Singles retirement communities may emphasize social interactions among residents through built-in programs, social events and one-on-one opportunities to help them get to know one another. 

Some seniors may be hesitant about moving to a retirement community due to fear of losing their independence or control over how to live their lives. However, these communities offer unique advantages for single seniors wishing to make new friends and have fewer responsibilities. Some major benefits of retirement communities for singles include:

• Maintenance-free lifestyle: Some single seniors may wish to downsize during retirement. Many retirement communities offer lawn care, housekeeping, in-home maintenance and laundry services, allowing residents to spend more time engaging in activities and less time on home upkeep.
• Built-in social network: Making new friends can be harder as you age. Singles retirement communities offer a built-in network of peers residing in the same location. Instead of traveling, you can simply walk to your neighbor’s home, making it easier to meet new people and socialize. 
• Regular social engagement opportunities: Most singles retirement communities offer socialization opportunities, including exercise classes, organized social outings and on-site group activities such as book clubs, arts and crafts, cooking lessons and community gardening. This can make it easier for seniors to meet other residents based on common interests. 
• Comprehensive medical care: Older adults are at greater risk of developing health conditions. It can be hard to get needed care if you live alone and don’t have access to transportation. Many retirement communities have physicians, registered nurses or other health care professionals on staff or transportation services to help residents attend off-site medical appointments. Around-the-clock assistance with personal care tasks such as dressing, bathing or meal preparation is also available for single seniors needing a helping hand. 
• Dating opportunities: Single seniors seeking companionship may have access to more dating opportunities at a retirement community. Some communities offer special events such as dinner events, movie nights, happy hours or prom nights in an intimate setting for date nights. 
• Stress-free travel: For single seniors who enjoy exploring new places, traveling solo can be a bit intimidating. Some retirement communities offer overnight trips or other travel opportunities to help residents discover new places while making friends. If you’re a senior who does enjoy traveling solo, retirement communities are secure locations with security staff and neighbors who can keep an eye on your home while you’re away. 

Older adults who’ve been living alone for a while may be concerned about losing their independence or privacy when moving to a retirement community. At the same time, they may want easy access to socialization opportunities when they’re feeling lonely and want to be around other people. Here are a few factors to look for in a singles retirement community to ensure you have an ideal balance of support and privacy.

Many retirement communities offer private living spaces for residents. Having your own space means you have the freedom to decorate it according to your personal taste and invite guests over whenever you want. It also gives you a private place to relax and unwind if you aren’t up for socializing.

Often, older adults are single due to the death of a spouse or partner, which can be devastating and hard to cope with. A singles retirement community should provide a supportive environment that doesn’t make individuals feel bad about being single or that focuses only on providing dating opportunities. While some seniors may want to date, others may want to focus on making friends for emotional and social support.

Even as an adult, making friends naturally can be challenging and awkward. Engaging in planned activities such as social events, exercise classes or clubs makes it easier to meet people. If making friends is a priority, you should focus on retirement communities that provide daily planned activities to help you socialize and stay active.

Safety can be a top concern for single seniors. Around-the-clock assistance is already fairly common in retirement communities, but it’s still a good feature to look for. Many communities offer emergency call systems in each apartment in case there’s an accident or you fall and have trouble getting back up. Personal care attendants may also be available 24/7 to assist with daily tasks, housekeeping, laundry or transportation whenever you need it. 

Singles retirement communities should promote social opportunities among residents but also let you make your own decisions. This includes choosing what activities to participate in, when you wish to socialize and when you’d rather be left alone at home. Moving to a community doesn’t mean losing your independence, but rather having the freedom to choose how you wish to spend your time there. 

Before beginning your search for a singles retirement community, it may be helpful to consider what elements are most important to you. This can make it easier to focus solely on communities that meet your personal criteria and eliminate the locations that don’t. If you aren’t sure what exactly you want yet, here are some questions to consider when looking at retirement communities for singles.

• What is the ratio of single residents to married residents?
• What planned activities and events are offered?
• How often do residents socialize?
• What housing options are there for singles?
• How does the community promote socialization among residents?
• What security measures are in place?
• How often do residents have access to trained staff?
• Is there a communal dining space for shared meals?

Retirement communities for singles should cost the same as standard retirement communities. Pricing will vary depending on where you live and what type of community you choose. If you’re looking at a 55+ community with no medical or personal care assistance, prices will likely resemble those of local housing costs. However, if you do want assistance from trained staff, assisted living or a continuing care retirement community may be a better option. These prices can vary, depending on the community’s location and the level of care needed. The following table contains pricing information for three options.

Retirement communities can be expensive to pay for on your own. Take a look at some of the financial assistance you may be eligible for to make the cost more manageable. 

Medicare doesn’t cover singles retirement communities or long-term care options such as assisted living and independent living. Medicare Part A covers some residential communities, including nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities and hospital inpatient care. However, depending on your state of residence and income, you may have access to subsidized senior housing. These housing programs usually provide private apartments, meals, housekeeping and laundry services. 

Medicaid is jointly funded by the federal government and each state, meaning coverage will vary depending on your state of residence. Room and board at retirement communities or long-term care facilities isn’t usually covered by Medicaid, but certain services, including personal care assistance, therapy and medication management, might be. You can look up your state’s profile using the U.S. government’s Medicaid database to learn more about the program. 

If you qualify for the Veterans Pension program, you can use your monthly payments to help cover retirement community fees. For long-term care services, including personal care assistance, therapy or medical care, you may be eligible for financial assistance through VA health care. These benefits can be used in various settings, including:

• Assisted living facilities
• Nursing homes
• Community living centers
• Private homes with trained caregivers
• Your own home, which may include a private apartment in a retirement community

Most private insurance policies don’t cover room and board at retirement communities or long-term care facilities. However, depending on the policy, your insurance may cover medical expenses such as medications or doctor visits. Long-term care insurance is also an option if you can no longer perform daily living tasks on your own or have a cognitive impairment. 

Finally, you may be able to use life insurance to cover some retirement community costs. Usually, only policies worth $50,000 or more are eligible, and the monthly payments are sent directly to the community. Although you get the money fast, using these funds closes out your life insurance policy, and you won’t receive the whole face value.