Retirement community
A retirement community is a very broad, generic term that covers many varieties of housing for retirees and seniors - especially designed or geared for people who no longer work, or restricted to those over a certain age. It differs from a retirement home which is a single building or small complex where no "common areas" for socializing exist. Many retirement communities are planned for that purpose, and have special facilities catering to the needs and wants of retirees, including club houses, golf courses, and on-site medical facilities. Others are "Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities" (NORC), which become retirement oriented due to market forces rather than design.
There are really three broad categories of retirement communities:
- ACTIVE communities (all residential units, no longterm healthcare facilities)
- ACTIVE/SUPPORTIVE communities (a combination of residential and healthcare facilities - also known as "continuing care retirement communities")
- SUPPORTIVE communities (all longterm healthcare units, like assisted living and nursing care)
Retirement communities are often built in warm climates, and are common in Arizona, and Florida but are increasingly being built in and around major cities in cold climates too.
Some USA retirement communities
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Arizona
Alabama
- Regency Pointe - Alabama's Retirement Resort(tm)in Rainbow City, Alabama (Near Gadsden, Alabama)
Arkansas
California
- Laguna Woods Village
- Leisure World in Seal Beach, California
- Seacrest Village Retirement Communities, Encinitas, California
- Rossmoor, Walnut Creek, California
Connecticut
- Heritage Village
- Arbors of Hop Brook, Manchester, Connecticut
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Jersey
- Cedar Glen in Manchester Township
- Crestwood Village in Manchester Township
- Greenbriar II in Brick Township
- Holiday City in Berkeley Township
- Leisure Village in Lakewood Township
- Leisuretowne in Southampton Township
- Pine Ridge in Manchester Township
North Carolina
Florida
- Century Village
- Century Village East in Deerfield Beach, Florida
- The Heritage in Leesburg, Florida
- Lakes of Mount Dora in Mount Dora, Florida
- Legacy of Leesburg in Leesburg, Florida
- Lehigh Acres
- Villages of Royal Palm in Port Orange, Florida
- On Top of the World Communities, Inc. - Retirement Community in Ocala, Florida