What happens when you want the freedom and lifestyle of Independent Living but could also use some help with everyday tasks?
It’s a question many older adults and families encounter when researching senior living options. You may be living independently in most ways but appreciate assistance with bathing, dressing, mobility, or another activity of daily living. Does that automatically mean Assisted Living is your only option?
Not necessarily.
Independent Living with Services offers another approach. At Oakmont Senior Communities, residents enjoy a private apartment, meals, housekeeping, laundry, activities, and other community amenities. When personal care is needed, residents can separately arrange services through an on-site third-party care provider.
Understanding how that model differs from traditional Assisted Living can help you determine which environment best fits your needs, preferences, and budget.
Key Takeaways: What is Independent Living with Services?
- Independent Living with Services combines an Independent Living lifestyle with the option to separately arrange personal support through a third-party provider.
- Oakmont provides residents’ apartment homes, meals, housekeeping, laundry, activities, amenities, and other community services.
- Personal care services at Oakmont are provided separately by a trusted on-site third-party care partner, not by Oakmont Senior Communities.
- Residents interested in care services can meet with the provider for an assessment and enter into a separate care agreement based on their individual needs.
- Oakmont’s care partners are available on-site 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- For some older adults, paying separately for an Independent Living apartment and the personal services they need may provide cost savings compared with traditional Assisted Living.
Table of Contents
What Is Independent Living with Services?
Independent Living with Services vs. Assisted Living: What’s the Difference?
What Types of Support Might an Older Adult Need?
Can Independent Living with Services Be More Affordable?
Finding the Senior Living Option That Fits
What Is Independent Living with Services?
Independent Living is designed for older adults who want to maintain their independence while enjoying the convenience, social opportunities, and amenities of community living.
Our residents have their own apartment homes while enjoying services that make everyday life easier, including meals, housekeeping, laundry, maintenance, activities, and more.
Independent Living with Services adds another layer of flexibility.
If a resident needs personal assistance, that support can be arranged separately through a trusted on-site third-party care provider. This allows someone to continue enjoying an Independent Living environment while receiving individualized help with certain daily needs.
The distinction is important: Unlike traditional Assisted Living communities, our community does not provide personal or medical care services as part of your resident agreement. Oakmont provides the Independent Living community and lifestyle, while a separate trusted care provider assesses the resident, establishes a care agreement, and delivers those services.
What Is Assisted Living?
Depending on the community and a resident’s individual needs, Assisted Living may provide support with tasks such as bathing, dressing, grooming, mobility, or other personal needs.
Unlike Oakmont’s Independent Living with Services model, housing, and personal care in a traditional Assisted Living setting are generally provided within the Assisted Living model itself.
Both approaches can support older adults who need help with everyday activities. The difference lies largely in how the housing and care are provided and paid for.
Independent Living with Services vs. Assisted Living: What’s the Difference?
At Oakmont, the Independent Living community and personal care provider operate separately but in conjunction with one another. Our communities provide the apartment home and community lifestyle, including dining, housekeeping, laundry, activities, amenities, maintenance, and social opportunities. If personal care is desired, the resident separately contracts with an on-site third-party provider.
In a traditional Assisted Living community, housing and personal care are generally offered within the Assisted Living setting.
For someone who wants to remain in an Independent Living environment but needs some additional help, the ability to separate housing from care can provide valuable flexibility.
What Types of Support Might an Older Adult Need?
The amount of help someone needs can vary considerably. One person may simply appreciate occasional assistance, while another may benefit from more regular support with activities of daily living, commonly known as ADLs.
These can include tasks such as:
- Bathing
- Dressing
- Grooming and personal hygiene
- Toileting
- Mobility and transfers
- Eating
Available services and care plans are determined by the third-party provider following an individual assessment.
This personalized approach means needing help with certain activities doesn’t necessarily require giving up the apartment, community, friendships, and Independent Living lifestyle you enjoy.
Can Independent Living with Services Be More Affordable?
For some residents, separating housing from personal care may also offer a financial advantage.
Depending on the cost of Assisted Living alternatives and the amount of personal care an individual requires, this approach may represent significant savings while allowing the resident to enjoy a spacious Independent Living apartment.
However, everyone’s situation is different. Apartment rates, care costs, available services, and individual needs can change. Families should compare the complete costs and services of each option rather than assuming one senior living model will always be less expensive than another.
Finding the Senior Living Option That Fits
Needing some help doesn’t necessarily mean giving up your independence. At Oakmont Senior Communities, Independent Living with Services gives residents an opportunity to enjoy the home, amenities, relationships, and lifestyle of an Independent Living community while separately arranging personal care when they need it.
For families comparing Independent Living vs. Assisted Living, understanding these distinctions can make it easier to choose an environment that balances independence, support, lifestyle, and cost.
Find your community and discover whether Independent Living with Services at Oakmont Senior Communities could be the right fit for you or someone you love.