You don’t have to look far to appreciate that the U.S. population of older adults, those at least 65 years old, is increasing at historic rates. In the last decade, the population of older Americans increased by over 15 million, with many of us baby boomers now entering our 70’s and 80s. The majority of seniors are fortunate to live in their own homes. And while some older adults may prefer the assistance offered by senior living, the vast majority prefer to continue living in their homes for as long as possible—according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, nearly 90 percent of adults over 65 want to remain in their current homes as they grow older. Labeled simply “aging in place,” this phenomenon will have a significant impact on the Rockwall real estate market.
Currently, Rockwall has two age-restricted communities, Ladera and The Standard. Ladera is a gated community located on the northeast corner of Hwy. 66 and John King Blvd. The HOA takes care of all outside maintenance, and it was marketed as a “lock & leave” community. The Standard is east of State Highway 205, on Community Lane, and marketed as a 55+ Activity Community.
With so many seniors wanting to stay home as long as possible, below are a few tips that you might want to implement.
With so many seniors wanting to stay home as long as possible, below are a few tips that you might want to implement.
Additional tips on a room-by-room basis are listed below.
I sold a home in Fate to a single, senior lady on the first of last year. After living in her home for less than a year, she called and said she was tired on the upkeep and maintenance and wanted to sell and move into a senior apartment complex. I encouraged her to test it out before selling to make sure she would like the lifestyle. In less than a week she called me and said, put it on the market! She was loving her new lifestyle.
If you are like her there are multiple options. Rockwall has several “Senior Living Communities”, with each offering different levels of assistance, services, and activities.
Liberty Heights offers studio to two-bedroom apartments with services such as meals, housekeeping, and linen. While Brookdale and Lakeshore Senior Apartments, both offer one, and two-bedroom apartments with similar services, they also offer varying degrees of health services as needed. This includes assistance with medication, bathing, dressing, and more. The health services are charged on an a la carte basis, ensuring you only pay for what you need.
Whether you are at home or in a senior community and need additional assistance, there are service companies that will come to you. You will need to vet them, based on the level of care required.
Jerry Welch, Realtor
Jerry Welch is a full-time, professional REALTOR® with over 17 years in real estate and specializes in helping seniors’ transition. He holds an SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) designation, which reflects his extensive education on topics such as tax laws, probate, estate planning, and equity conversion strategies. He offers relevant information on current market trends as well as being a valuable resource regarding real estate transactions. He was one of the founding members and is a past chair of the Rockwall Chamber SSA (Senior Services Alliance) Program. (972) 800 3915 https://jerrywelch.ebby.com/
