Is it true that all retirement communities have religious affiliations?

No !

Some do but not all !

Ask for sources; please get to the truth.

Of course not. Granted, many do, but certainly not all.

Many are for profit and also non-religious affiliated. Probably those who are religiously affiliated are not for profit.

Here’s an article about one large retirement community developers that I’m aware of. You can see that they are for profit:

https://seniorhousingnews.com/2016/01/20/erickson-touts-record-year-565-million-pipeline/

Certainly not. But many of the best here in the city are faith affiliated and reputed to be extraordinary in their exemplary level of care regardless of the means of recipients. It’s peculiar when I think back on it, but they were all called Old Ladies’ Homes and openly, and as that title states, restricted to old ladies—women my age now or beyond and often depressingly younger. The thing about these places is that they were all vintage on prime real estate, established early in the previous century and often in the 19th. They were foundation endowed and deeply so.

No. In some cities some of the best are religiously affiliated, but then in other cities that is not the case. Even the ones that are religiously affiliated, usually it is not an issue if you are not religious or are a different religion.

I just realized I misread this Q. You are not asking about independent living facilities here, you are just talking about active adult communities. I think most retirement communities are not religiously based. The largest one in the world, which is where I live, is not. I don’t think any of the Del Web’s are. I know the GL Homes communities all over Florida aren’t. All of the communities I just named are for profit. The developers get out of some of them and it gets turned over to a home owners association. It depends on the community.

No, @JLeslie, I don’t think you did. I’m probably the one who’s confused. I am pretty new to this subject and haven’t grasped all the distinctions with the terminology. I’ve been Googling a lot and reading a lot, but it needs time to sink in.

I’m definitely not interested in an “active” lifestyle that revolves around a golf course or swimming pool. Give me a library and an art studio instead. Is it “independent living” when it is explicitly not independent?

@Jeruba There is a lot of terminology, and possibly people use the terms differently. It might even differ from state to state?

I think of Independent Living as a building or community that has apartments or houses that can be owned or rented depending on the particular Independent Living facility. They usually have services like shuttle buses to shopping and medical appointments, one or two meals a day, and the ability to step up to nursing care if they have that service, if that becomes necessary. If you own an apartment the ownership is not usually like regular full ownership, your heirs might not inherit the full value of your dwelling if you own it. People I know comment the sooner you move in the more value you get for your dollar if you want to own rather than rent. I have no idea if this is universal with Independent Living facilities, but something to be aware of as you look around.

Active Adult is governed by federal and state laws and in most states it is designated as a 55 and older community (a minimum of 80% of the community must be 55 or older) and no one under 19 can live there. This is what I think of as a retirement community. Some of them are simply condominiums or houses with age restrictions and not much more. No amenities, no activities, but the city you live in might have plenty to do. Some are massive communities like where I live with lots of amenities and classes. We have libraries, art studios, art classes, kilns for pottery and glass, and many other crafts, and that is all free/included. Then there are all the sizes in between. The ownership is just like owning any residential home, the key difference is no children can live in the Active Adult community.

In summary, I think the biggest difference is Independent Living has a “program” of sorts for its residents, while a basic retirement community is just saying no children can be full time residents and the communities come in many shapes and size. I’m not sure if I was helpful.

Mom was in an assisted care center and it was not a religion run one. I don’t think the nursing home she ended up in was one also.

No, in fact very few are sponsored by religious organizations. Many are non-profit through charities or political organizations. Some are affiliated with specific groups or organizations, such a the Screen Actors or a fraternal order.

@JLeslie: Where there are meals cooked is Assisted Living. Assisted Living will have one or two meals a day in a dining room or other communal area, which is optional for the residents. Assisted Living will also do one cleaning per week or something like that, mandatory, so that residents’ apartments don’t get out of hand with mess, clutter, bugs, etc.

I used to go out in the field for my job and assess people who were residents of Assisted Living places, as well as others.

One big one here in NY is Atria. Atria has Assisted Living and there are Atrias all over. They are not affiliated with any religion.

I know some people that moved to a place about an hour from Philly. I’ll google it and link it. It’s not religiously affiliated and it has step ups (independent apartments, both in a building and free standing, then to Assisted Living, then to nursing home).

Friends moved here, and they were so enthused about it. It sounded like a great place, and it’s about an hour from Philly.

https://www.sunriseseniorliving.com/communities/the-quadrangle/about.aspx

@jca2 Here, the independent living includes meal plans. Here’s a link with a lot of the information for one of our independent living locations called Freedom Pointe. https://freedompointefl.com/independent-living/

Maybe the meals are optional in some places.

Your link mentioned what I touched on, that you can move up to different levels of care depending on your needs as you get older. That’s the hook. The people living in the independent living get priority over outside people trying to get into the assisted living.

@JLeslie: So I guess the Independent Living is different from renting or owning an apartment in an apartment building at The Villages.

@jca2 Yes. Freedom Pointe is part of The Villages so you can still use all Villages amenities, but that complex has very specific fees and expenses for the Independent Living and other services offered. There are a few Independent Living facilities here and even more Assisted Living
and Memory Care facilities in and adjacent to The Villages. They built most of them in the last ten years as the original Villagers are starting to age.

Most of The Villages is single family homes just like in any city or community, and we have an amenity fee (now $160 a month) similar to HOA fees in communities all over America. The Villages is just age restricted to 55 and up. We do have some rental apartments inside TV also, but no ownership for regular apartment style living (condominiums) which I have put on suggestion surveys for years. I think we should have that option.

Remember, The Villages is 25 miles by 7 more or less with 130,000 residents, so having some long term care facilities is no different than any city that has those facilities. If someone needs to put their parents, spouse, sibling in a care facility it’s right here in our bubble, and if it’s inside The Villages it’s golf cart accessible.

No, it isn’t true.