50+ Lifestyles

Aging and You

Downsizing Options: Is Apartment Living Your Next Step?

By Julie Arndt
Marketing Director at Ridgecrest Village

Older adults who are contemplating downsizing to an apartment, condo, or senior housing should take several things into consideration. Space, budget, neighbors, privacy, and safety to name a few. I recently was having a conversation with Ridgecrest CEO, Patrick McDonald, about this very thing and it hit me like a ton of bricks (to borrow a phrase) that older adults who have lived in their house for many years, may find traditional commercial apartment living quite challenging; opposed to living in a retirement community built with an eye towards downsizing and all that goes with it.

He said when he first moved to the QCA he lived briefly in Ridgecrest’s Terrace Independent Living while he waited for his wife and daughter to move here from Minnesota.  Shortly after they arrived, they moved to a commercial apartment building closer to their daughter’s school while their home was being built.  They were shocked by the paper-thin walls in the commercial apartment.  He could hear people walking and talking upstairs, downstairs, and next door. None of that existed in his brief stay in Terrace.

Have you ever been at a hotel and unable to sleep because someone staying on the floor above you sounded like they were stomping around in the middle of the night…when they were simply walking?  I recall the first few years out of college when my husband Steve and I lived in an apartment, before we bought our first home.  We had the top floor on the end, so noise wasn’t so much the issue, but the late-night cigarette smoke (from the older lady downstairs) drifting in through our open windows was a problem. There was also an eclectic mix of folks who lived there of all ages. We virtually lived amongst strangers.  Keeping our car safe in the parking lot was always a concern, as well as walking in after dark…and it was a very nice place in the day.

After owning our own home for decades, looking back now, private quiet living would be difficult to give up. That’s where Terrace comes in. Patrick reminded me how nice it was in Terrace opposed to the commercial apartment that he moved to.  First, the floors and walls are all concrete, so it’s quiet!  Living around others who are of similar age is also a huge plus and there are rules!  No smoking is allowed on campus and there are activities to get to know your neighbors.  You can enjoy all the benefits of privacy, coming and going as you please with underground parking, but still be within walking distance (indoors) of other groups if you are inclined not to be alone.

Friendships can readily emerge when living in a retirement apartment surrounded by your peers. Being safe and secure in an environment which optimizes natural socialization can positively impact both your physical and cognitive health. This is all important to older adults who are looking to downsize.

Ridgecrest Terrace remodel project could be the perfect solution for seniors who are looking to transition out of their home into an apartment.  Terrace is currently being remodeled and has units available to rent. If you are an older adult and thinking of making a change, consider a retirement community apartment for your next move! Say good-bye to paper thin walls for good!

Julie Arndt, is a licensed social worker and Director of Marketing at Ridgecrest Village with over 30 years’ experience working in the field of geriatrics and senior advocacy. She can be reached at jarndt@ridgecrestvillage.org.