The decision to move into an assisted living facility can be a difficult one to make, especially if you've lived in the same home for many years. However, if your kids have left the nest and you live alone, caring for your family home may become too much of a burden for you to manage on your own. Consider these four factors when trying to decide whether or not it's time to downsize and move into a retirement community:

Getting Around

Do you have trouble getting around? If you no longer drive and must rely on friends, family or public transportation to get where you need to go, a retirement community may be a welcome change for you. Many retirement homes and independent living facilities offer convenient transportation options for residents, so you'll never need to worry about finding a ride to your next appointment or social engagement.

Maintaining Your Home

Are you struggling to keep up with the maintenance of your home? Paying others to take care of yard work, cleaning and home repairs may become too expensive, especially if you live on a fixed income or modest retirement. In a retirement community, your maintenance responsibilities are minimal, allowing you to truly enjoy the freedom of retirement.

Accessibility of Your Home

Do mobility issues prevent you from enjoying your home to its fullest? If you have difficulty climbing stairs or you worry about having a slip and fall accident at home alone, a retirement home may be the right choice for you. Assisted living facilities offer full handicap accessibility, including ramps, grab bars in bathrooms and emergency response protocols.

Connecting to Family and Friends

Do you ever feel isolated from family and friends while living in your home? The loneliness that comes from isolation not only causes depression, it can also shorten your life, according to Time Magazine. If you live alone and no longer drive, you may go days without having a face-to-face connection with another person.  

In assisted living, you'll likely experience a better quality of life by being part of the community's built-in social network. Most retirement homes offer social events and field trips, allowing you to be surrounded with like-minded peers anytime you wish.

Some believe assisted living facilities are only intended for helpless or feeble seniors. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, you could experience a whole new lease on life with the freedom and independence that comes from living in this type of retirement community. For more information, contact a community like Heritage Commons.