BackMore Terminology for Senior Housing
Article submitted by Seniors Resource Guide.com and Seniors E-Guide.com Staff –
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Within the senior housing industry, there are common terms for specific types of senior housing such as retirement community, assisted living, skilled nursing home and a few other terms. However, there are terms for ‘other types’ of senior housing that are becoming more popular and well-known in senior housing market place.
Here are some examples:
- Modular Home Communities
Modular Home Communities, formally referred to as mobile home villages or trailer parks, are affordable communities with manufactured or pre-fabricated homes. These communities generally have full time residents who enjoy an easy to maintain lot and an involved interactive small community. Part time residents nicknamed "snowbirds" reside a minimum of three months out of the year either in a leased or owned Modular home. The lots and the Modular/Mobile units are either leased to, or owned by, each resident within the community. - HUD ECHO Housing (Elder Cottage Housing Opportunity)
ECHO housing was introduced in the United States in the 1980s based on a program started in Australia in 1975. An ECHO unit is a small house in which an elderly person resides and which is placed near the home of a host (either relatives or close friends of the elderly person). The purpose of this arrangement is to make it convenient and efficient for the occupants of the host family dwelling providing assistance to the elderly person residing in the smaller ECHO house.
Source: Available from Virginia Center for Housing Research-“Evaluation of the HUD Elder Cottage Housing Opportunity (ECHO) Program” - Link to pdf; Internet: accessed 2 May 2011. - Shared Housing
Shared Housing refers to a homeowner sharing his or her home and life with another individual whether a senior, homeless person, disabled person, single parent, AIDs patient etc... Shared housing provides affordable housing for someone who would otherwise be without a home. It offers companionship, preserves neighborhoods, cuts down on healthcare costs, and provides mutual support for the homeowners and renters plus more. Shared housing is divided into two categories. One, a Match up program matching individuals with homeowners providing reduced rent for an exchanged service/s such as house sitting, lawn mowing, home maintenance etc..Category two is a program for unrelated families or larger groups of people sharing the same home, again with reduced rent. For more information refer the National Shared Housing website. www.NationalSharedHousing.org - Short Term Senior Housing (Vacations and Snow-birding)
Short Term Senior Housing is a broad term referring to temporary housing for seniors; anything from a remodeled garage, or attic apartment to short-term lease apartments in most cities. For some it is finding a place to take care of Dad within his or your own budget or it’s about retirees just wanting to try out a retirement community/village before they make a long-term commitment to buy. Short Term Senior Housing is a great alternative to an impersonal nursing home and a good way to try out a place to retire while on vacation before committing to a permanent retirement residence. - Multigenerational Housing
Traditionally ‘Multigenerational Housing’ refers to three or more generations living in one single-family residence. In today's current economic climate there are variations of the three generations scenario where adult siblings are moving in together and/or adult children are moving back in with their parents due to the pressure of the economy. Another variation is elderly parents moving in with their adult children who have young children. This living arrangement can be due to economic reasons, daily care issues and a solution for long term care for the elderly parent. – Read More about Multigenerational Housing
Senior Housing Indexed on www.SeniorsResourceGuide.com
Below is the list of senior housing that we have on www.SeniorsResourceGuide.com. If you are looking for any of the housing mentioned above here is a tip - Use www.Google.com and search on “type of senior housing” "Your City" "Your State" - and you may get some results for: Modular Home Communities, ECHO Housing (Elder Cottage Housing Opportunity), Shared Housing and Senior Short Term Housing (Vacations and Snow-birding).
In regard to ‘Multigenerational Housing’ a good resource is a local Real Estate Agent. Some agents have further training in senior resources and have a designation called Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES). Real Estate agents with this designation may be able to provide more information about ‘Multigenerational Housing’ and other senior resources.
Here are the definitions of Senior Housing we use on www.SeniorsResourceGuide.com and we list these types of senior housing in our searchable directories. They definitions are listed in alphabetical order.
- Active Independent Living
Active independent living communities refers to retirement communities designed for active seniors. These communities usually feature low-maintenance apartments, condominiums, town homes, or ranch-style residences. Communities may be designed around recreational activities such as golf, swimming, boating, or fitness. Amenities vary between communities and may have age restriction covenants. - Alzheimer's Assisted Living
Alzheimer's assisted living provides 24-hour assistance with dressing, bathing, meals, medication monitoring, and transfer assistance. These large and small facilities have secure areas both inside and outside where residents are free to move about. - Alzheimer's Skilled Nursing
Alzheimer's skilled nursing provides long-term, 24-hour nursing care. This is the highest level of nursing care available outside of hospitalization. Some facilities accept only "non-wandering" Alzheimer's patients. - Assisted Living
Assisted living facilities offer an independent environment with 24-hour personal assistance. Several options are available: freestanding large facilities, personal care boarding homes, or continuum of care facilities. Services usually include communal meals, housekeeping, social activities, and assistance based on personal needs. - Continuum of Care
Continuum of care retirement communities offer several care levels at one location, from retirement housing through assisted living and skilled nursing. As your health needs change, you can move through the levels of care without relocating. - Retirement Communities
Retirement communities offer apartment living on a rental basis. Communal dining and a full range of activities are available. Housekeeping, laundry, and assisted living services are sometimes available. - Skilled Nursing
Skilled nursing facilities are licensed to provide 24-hour medical services by registered nurses and other professionals for the chronically ill not requiring hospitalization. This is the highest level of nursing care available outside of hospitalization. - Subsidized housing
Subsidized housing is federally funded housing that provides low-income individuals and families the opportunity to rent safe, decent and affordable privately owned rental housing by supplementing what they could afford on their own. The rent is reduced based on a person's income. Examples include: housing authority offices where applications are processed, low-income senior apartments, section 8 housing, HUD housing, etc.