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Abstract

With an increasingly aging population, American society needs to more effectively address living options for the aging population in the present and future. Older adults have unique needs due to their age, physical and mental condition, varying needs for medical and health care and assistance with their daily activities. Freedom Village is an example of a very successful continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Holland, Michigan. Using a case study approach and structured questions to ask two residents of Freedom Village, her aunt and uncle, over a period of several months, the author learned that they have lived very happily at Freedom Village since 2009. The community provides them and other residents with a safe environment; high quality medical care options that are flexible enough to change as their needs change; opportunities for social contact with both their peers and with younger people; and caregivers who are trained in and understand the unique needs of an older population. One disadvantage of Freedom Village, however, is its steep cost, both to buy in and to pay the monthly maintenance fees. The author concludes that care for older adults should be the responsibility of both their families and the state/federal governments, through policies and legislation that encourage family members to care for their older parents. This will ensure that livable communities such as Freedom Village will be as accessible to older adults with limited resources as they are to those with more extensive means.

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