Live Well, Live Fully: Exploring the Enriching Amenities of Senior Living

When you move to a Life Plan Community (also known as a continuing care retirement community or CCRC), you won’t be getting a one-size-fits-all experience. Instead, you’ll have endless possibilities tailored to your unique preferences, passions and pace of life.

Life Plan Communities are designed to support your everyday needs, interests, hobbies, goals and sense of connection. Access to a wide range of senior living amenities — such as creative studios, wellness classes, lifelong learning opportunities and social clubs — gives you the freedom to shape each day in a way that feels meaningful to you. 

Senior Living Amenities Designed With You in Mind

There are plenty of reasons to move to a Life Plan Community — one of the biggest is the availability of senior living amenities that make life easier and more enjoyable. 

While the specifics will vary from community to community to meet the needs of the unique people who call the community home, here are some of the many amenities you may enjoy:

Everyday Essentials

Daily errands are made easier because the essentials are available right on campus. You can enjoy low-maintenance living while team members handle tasks such as building maintenance, lawn care and housekeeping. When someone else takes care of these time-consuming tasks, you can spend more time focusing on what you want to, whether that’s spending time with friends and family or finding new passion projects.

Residents also enjoy the safety that comes with living in a secure community and having staff available on campus around the clock. This not only offers peace of mind that you, your home, pets and belongings are safe every day but also provides you the opportunity to finally plan that trip you’ve been putting off without worrying about who will watch your home.

On-campus transportation services allow you to easily visit the larger, local community without the hassle of car maintenance unless you choose to keep your vehicle. These convenient services make it easy for you to get to medical appointments and scheduled shopping trips without worrying about traffic or finding a parking spot.

Beyond transportation services, Life Plan Communities often offer regular group excursions to enrich your social calendar. These organized outings to local museums, theaters, restaurants, and concerts provide wonderful opportunities to experience cultural events with friends and neighbors, all with the convenience of arranged transportation.

And with internet and cable provided, you can stay connected and keep up with your favorite TV shows from the comfort of your private residence. This means no more dealing with fluctuating costs because they’re included in your predictable monthly fee.

Wellness and Active Living

Life Plan Communities take a holistic approach to wellness, making it easier for you to meet your health goals. Communities often offer preventive health screenings and wellness lectures on campus — just walk or bike to an on-site health event. 

You’ll also find a wide range of amenities that support physical wellness, including different options available to meet various interests and fitness levels. Some of the senior living amenities that exceptional communities offer include swimming pools, tennis or pickleball courts, fitness programs with individualized training sessions and more, empowering you to make good decisions about your health. Many communities also offer scenic walking paths. Dog parks are often available in pet-friendly communities, so you and your furry companion can both get in some exercise. 

Kate, a resident of Valle Verde, a HumanGood community in Santa Barbara, California, discovered pickleball there. She had never played the game before moving to Valle Verde, but when she saw others playing, she decided to try it. Now, she loves playing pickleball and has a group of friends she plays with, who refer to themselves as the “Pickle Pals.” 

“The Pickle Pals have fun during pickleball gatherings and celebrate each other every day,” Kate says. “The camaraderie here is so incredible on and off the court, and I have made some wonderful friendships at Valle Verde.”

Joel, a resident of Rydal Park & Waters, a HumanGood community in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, has also found a lot of value in the fitness offerings. Before moving to the community, he always tried to stay active, but once he moved to Rydal Park & Waters, his fitness routine became more regular. He frequently works out with the on-site personal trainer; participates in classes such as Essential Strength, Flex and Balance; and plans hiking excursions to local parks and trails with his friends.

Just like Kate, Joel discovered pickleball in the community and immediately became a fan of the sport. 

“Playing pickleball not only has improved my balance and increased my stamina and strength but has [also] given me a social outlet,” he says. “It’s a game that brings people together. I helped to coordinate matches with residents who have also learned to love the game and enjoy a little competition — like me! Living at Rydal Park & Waters has given me a new lease on life, and I am grateful for all the people, new experiences and the memories I am making every day.”

Lifelong Learning 

Wellness is about more than maintaining physical health and eating right. It’s also about maintaining cognitive wellness. 

Life Plan Communities offer many ways and events designed to maintain cognitive health. Along with meal options packed with superfoods, you’ll find an array of lifelong learning opportunities. 

It’s common to find guest speakers, visiting experts or even fellow residents leading talks and presentations on everything from history to current events. You can also pursue other ongoing education, such as auditing college courses. For example, at Judson Park in Des Moines, Washington, residents run their own College of Intellectual Inspiration, which offers courses, lectures and discussions created by the community for the community.

You’ll also find a lot of appreciation for literature and the arts. You can tap into your creative side with workshops and writing groups, where you can share your stories, try your hand at poetry or simply enjoy the process of putting pen to paper. And whether you love a good mystery or prefer thought-provoking nonfiction, there’s always a group of fellow readers ready to chat at book clubs in the community. And there are many comfortable spaces on-site to curl up with a good book or explore a new subject in on-site libraries.

Jerry and Tania, residents of Springhouse, a HumanGood community in Boston, enjoy the educational opportunities available to them through the weekly Great Courses series. The series covers many topics, ranging from physics to art to history. 

"We liked the library, which was essential as we’re both avid readers,” Tania says. “Plus, the community offered views of the nearby arboretum. We felt as though we were in a peaceful, secluded area despite being right in the middle of Boston, which we love. It’s an engaging environment filled with individuals from diverse fields and backgrounds.”

Hobbies and Passions 

With team members handling maintenance, housekeeping and everyday chores, you have more time and energy to focus on what inspires you. Hobby-based clubs and workshops are the perfect way to explore new interests or grow a longtime passion.

There is a wide variety of hobby-based senior living amenities available to meet every interest. For example, you may find woodworking shops and photography clubs, which are a fun way to improve your skills and learn new techniques. 

Jim and Eileen, residents of Hillside, a HumanGood community in McMinnville, Oregon, found endless chances to expand their talents when they moved to Hillside. Jim is a member of the woodshop committee and spends much of his time in the on-site woodshop, where he creates bowls and vases. These pieces are even displayed in the community and local shops! 

Eileen always had a passion for creating quilts, so she loved the idea of a quilting studio on campus. However, she also discovered a new talent and hobby: playing the ukulele. 

“I play piano and guitar, so I thought it would be fun to learn a new instrument,” she says. “Playing the ukulele is so enjoyable, and I love playing in the on-campus Strummers Music Group. It’s been another meaningful creative outlet for me to enjoy.”

Ruby, a resident of the Terraces of Boise in Boise, Idaho, also has a deep appreciation for music, which started as a young child when she learned to play piano. Today, she arranges choir and instrumental performances by residents. 

“I enjoy working with other resident musicians to bring the joy of music to our community, ranging from Christmas and Valentine’s Day programs, Broadway show tunes and ‘Name That Tune,’ a musical game,” she says. “Music is a wonderful way to connect and bring people together, which happens often at The Terraces.”

If you’re like Eileen or Ruby and have a passion for music or a newfound talent, you can also express yourself in the creative arts center through painting, crafting, singing or even stepping on stage for a community play. Or, if you don’t have an interest in performing, you can simply sit back and enjoy performances within the community. 

If you enjoy getting your hands in the soil, gardening clubs offer welcoming spaces to share tips, swap seeds and experience the calm satisfaction of tending to plants alongside others. You might also find joy in birdwatching or spotting local wildlife — a fun, relaxed way to connect with nature and neighbors alike. And if a good film is more your style, movie nights often turn into lively conversations, offering both entertainment and the chance to bond over shared perspectives.

Social Connections and Community

When friendly neighbors are just steps away and your time is truly your own, meaningful connection becomes part of your everyday life. You may join in spontaneous chats over coffee or planned game nights. No matter what you choose, there are countless ways to spend time with others because Life Plan Communities make it effortless to make new friends. 

Enjoy casual fun in the billiards room or join in friendly competition with card and board games. It’s easy to attend community events or host your own in one of the many warm, inviting gathering spaces.

Passionate about helping others? Consider volunteering or joining the resident council to help shape your community. The welcoming committee is also a wonderful way to greet new neighbors when they move to the community. 

A social services committee is another wonderful way to help others. These committees are made up of residents who are social workers, physicians, physical therapists and occupational therapists. Their mission is to provide support and guidance to residents who live independently but have a loved one in a higher level of living.

Hezla, a resident of Piedmont Gardens, a HumanGood community in Oakland, California, is a member of this committee. 

“By participating in the Caring Partners group, I find it very rewarding to share my experiences with others and, in turn, have received valuable suggestions and support along the way,” she says. “Sometimes it can be overwhelming to manage the care of a loved one, so it’s important to have a community like this. I have made some very good friends on whom I can lean in difficult times.”

For deeper emotional support and connection, you’ll find resident-led support groups and spiritual gatherings, which are safe, compassionate spaces that are beneficial for reflecting, worshipping, connecting and sharing. 

Culinary Experiences 

Life Plan Communities make it easy to stay healthy. In addition to fitness centers, group exercise classes and personal training sessions, you’ll enjoy delicious, chef-prepared meals made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients in restaurant-style dining rooms. You’ll also find on-campus bistros and cafes, wine and food clubs, happy hours and more to enjoy with your new neighbors and friends.

Rod, a Hillside resident, is a member of the community’s social wine group and was also instrumental in planning the first wine and food pairing for residents. 

“I recommended we bring in wine from the local award-winning Chris James Cellars winery, and the dining team prepared all the food pairings,” he says. “This was a wonderful example of how residents and team members can lean on each other’s talents and passions and pull off a successful event for everyone to enjoy. I am excited to say another wine-and-food-tasting event is in the works!”

Higher Levels of Living

Life Plan Communities are thoughtfully designed to support you both now and in the future. With multiple levels of living offered within the same community — including independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory support — you can move to the community while active and healthy to enjoy the wide variety of senior living amenities available. Then, if your needs ever change, the support you receive evolves with you.

This continuity of care ensures you won’t have to uproot your life or leave the community you’ve grown to love due to changing needs. In addition, you’ll receive lasting peace of mind knowing that trusted support is always close at hand.

Discover more about the benefits that await you in our free guide, The Advantages of a Senior Living Community.