Varying Sizes of Retirement Communities in Rockford
Retirement communities in Rockford are
age-homogeneous living environments for older persons, almost all of whom are
retired. The communities usually have defined boundaries, and often have age
restrictions. Retirement communities come in many varieties and sizes, and no
one type fits all older adults. The variety occurs because older Americans are
a heterogeneous population, and those who choose living in retirement
communities represent a broad spectrum of older Americans.
Were the communities planned or
unplanned?
Within these types of retirement
communities there are other major defining characteristics. A prime
characteristic is the cost of buying or renting a dwelling unit. Some
retirement communities in Rockford such as public housing have residents of low
or moderate income, while at the other end of the income and asset scale are
half-million-dollar homes for affluent elderly persons. The economic level of a
retirement community will determine the kind of housing, the quality of the
building and facilities, and the services and amenities that may be available
to the residents. Thus retirement communities vary from a modest mobile home to
a luxurious five-bedroom house with a three-car garage and a view of a golf
course. Obviously one must be specific when one generalizes about retirement
communities in contemporary America.
There are some extremely large
retirement communities in Rockford that have upwards of forty thousand
residents. These large communities are broken down into neighborhoods to give
more of a small-town experience. The large communities contain almost all the
facilities needed by most residents—shopping, banking, medical facilities,
recreational areas, and more so that one’s needs can be met in the immediate
community. It is a safe and protected lifestyle. Other retirement communities
are smaller in size and are adjacent to towns or cities, or are in rural areas
where residents must leave their campuses for many of their needs. However,
retirees in such settings may have the advantage of a feeling of ‘‘closeness’’ to
their fellow residents.
Leisure-oriented Retirement
Communities (LORCs)
They emphasize the provision of the
opportunities, services, and facilities to pursue a wide variety of leisure
activities. A great deal of personal support may be found in the LORCs, but
supportive activities tend to be informal. Gerontologists have been studying
these kinds of communities for over a half century. The early retirement communitiesin Rockford were often affiliated with fraternal or religious organizations and
unions, and usually provided low-cost housing and activities for the residents,
who were often members of the sponsoring organization. Around 1960 there was a
sudden spurt in the development of LORCs as a result of changing attitudes
toward retirement and an increase in the number of healthy older persons with
adequate income to pursue an active lifestyle.
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