In a move away from traditional “cookie cutter”-style retirement communities, many new retirement niches have emerged to serve new preferences among baby roomer retirees, writes U.S. News.
Retirees are now opting for choices beyond traditional golf course and ocean view senior living communities, writes U.S. News, with niche communities catering to seniors interested in higher education, the RV lifestyle, and even for Harley Davidson enthusiasts.
“Both current retirees and those just arriving, the baby boomers, are seeking more choices and less of the cookie-cutter options of a community located either on a golf course or in an isolated rural location,” Andy Carle, founding director of George Mason University’s Senior Housing Administration curriculum, told U.S. News.
The seven unusual niche retirement communities include Aegis Gardens’ retirement community in Fremont, Calif., which caters to people who speak Mandarin and Cantonese and features Feng shui consultants.
ShantiNiketan in Tavares, Fla. attracts many Indian-Americans with offerings that include a dining menu comprised mainly of Indian food and vegetarian options; a prayer room with daily bhajans, and an auditorium that plays Bollywood and other foreign language movies each night after dinner.
At Lake Weir Living, located near The Villages in Florida, boomers are encouraged to bring their campers, boats and classic cars—and their Harleys. The community’s units can be customized to accommodate residents’ ‘toys,’ such as a three-car garage or an area designed for RVs.
The other four communities are RainbowVision in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which is LGBT-friendly; Lasell Village in Newton, Mass., where residents are required to complete a certain number of hours of learning and fitness activities each year, along with other higher education-affiliated communities; Escapees CARE in Livingston, Texas, where residents live in their own RVs with access to adult day care services; and the Burbank Senior Artists Colony in Burbank, Calif., where retirees have access to a performance theater, creative art studios, and a Hollywood-theme clubhouse.
Read more on all seven niche community types.
Written by Alyssa Gerace
