As we grow old, we tend to rely on certain amenities that are not conveniently available in an otherwise regular apartment in the neighborhood. Care and service is more than just a liability as we grow old. Senior living apartments are communities that offer low maintenance low income based apartments that cater your housekeeping and dining necessities making your life much easier. Senior living apartments are a good option if you are retired.

To qualify to live in a senior living apartment, the applicant must be 55 to 62 years or older. For the community, to qualify as senior living apartment, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and the Housing for Older Persons Act states that the housing must include at least one person who is 55 or older in at least 80 percent of its occupied units. This means that one spouse can be under the required age. Housing and Urban Development also makes an age exception for disabled individuals.

You can choose your type of senior living apartment based on your most required amenity. You can choose to live in a home with minimal or no maintenance. There are senior living apartment for divorced or for widows and widowers who are looking to downsize their budget or stay in close vicinities of their loved ones.

There are three general pricing categories of a senior living apartment. Affordable senior living apartments let their renters pay not more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities. Federal and state laws provide them with other protections and funding. Market rate senior living apartments offer apartments 15% below regular apartment rates. These apartments normally offer dining, housekeeping and transportation amenities. Luxury senior living apartments offer dozens of upscale amenities. These apartments are normally larger than 2000 square feet in area. They are generally second home for senior citizens and are close to the vicinities that have cultural activities.

The amenities that senior living apartment offer range from common area with TV and living room. Community dining room with meals offered two to three times a day, smoke detectors in every room with fire alarm and sprinklers, computer work stations, and laundry rooms with washers and dryers. Other amenities include pharmacy with onsite pharmacist, 24-hour emergency service, and much more.

When selecting a senior living apartment, do a quick check on factors like; are the residents friendly? Is there a walking trail nearby? What is the crime rate of the neighborhood? Are there any local community centers (a church group etc) nearby to maintain a good social life? All these factors can equally contribute to your selection of senior living apartment. You should anyway choose for a senior living apartment that best suits your lifestyle as they are a very good and an inexpensive option to maintain your lifestyle even after you have retired or do not have a steady source of income.