{"id":20811,"date":"2019-09-24T13:41:59","date_gmt":"2019-09-24T18:41:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bethesdahealth.org\/?p=20811"},"modified":"2024-08-09T09:20:26","modified_gmt":"2024-08-09T14:20:26","slug":"expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Moving from a home that you have lived in for decades, full of memories and familiar in its every detail, can challenge anyone\u2019s ability to be open to something new and different.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, many people have formed incorrect perceptions and expectations when it comes to being part of and living in a retirement community. No fear, however \u2014 help is on the way!<\/p>\n<p><!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --><span id=\"hs-cta-wrapper-91e67f75-97d1-4ef0-b2c3-789f14f6097f\" class=\"hs-cta-wrapper\"><span id=\"hs-cta-91e67f75-97d1-4ef0-b2c3-789f14f6097f\" class=\"hs-cta-node hs-cta-91e67f75-97d1-4ef0-b2c3-789f14f6097f\"><!-- [if lte IE 8]>\n\n\n<div id=\"hs-cta-ie-element\"><\/div>\n\n\n<![endif]--><a href=\"https:\/\/cta-redirect.hubspot.com\/cta\/redirect\/21230352\/91e67f75-97d1-4ef0-b2c3-789f14f6097f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"hs-cta-img-91e67f75-97d1-4ef0-b2c3-789f14f6097f\" class=\"hs-cta-img aligncenter\" style=\"border-width: 0px;\" src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/21230352\/91e67f75-97d1-4ef0-b2c3-789f14f6097f.png\" alt=\"Discover our services, amenities, and activities designed to promote an enjoyable lifestyle for seniors. Book a tour \u2192\" \/><\/a><\/span><script charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/js.hscta.net\/cta\/current.js\"><\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> hbspt.cta.load(21230352, '91e67f75-97d1-4ef0-b2c3-789f14f6097f', {\"useNewLoader\":\"true\",\"region\":\"na1\"}); <\/script><\/span><!-- end HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --><\/p>\n<p>Marie Bartels, Sales Counselor at <a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/living-options\/independent-living\/bethesda-terrace\/\">Bethesda Terrace<\/a>, an <a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/living-options\/independent-living\/\">independent retirement living community<\/a> in South St. Louis County, has graciously shared her top four \u201cexpectations vs. reality\u201d points of reference.<\/p>\n<h2>Expectation: Living in an \u201cInstitution\u201d<\/h2>\n<p>When many senior adults begin thinking about leaving their personal homes for a senior community, they envision a <a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/seven-myths-about-skilled-nursing-home-communities\/\">nursing home<\/a>, with images of a cold, sterile building where people sit for hours on end and are neglected.<\/p>\n<h2>Reality: It\u2019s Your Home!<\/h2>\n<p>The reality of an independent living apartment is quite different, with the resident\u2019s own pictures on the walls, and furnished with their own furniture and treasured mementos. In addition, dogs and cats often are welcome! In other words, it is your <strong>home<\/strong>, not an institution. You\u2019ll enjoy <a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/independent-living-amenities-you-cant-get-at-home\/\">planned activities, meals, maintenance and housekeeping<\/a>, and new friends are practically right outside your apartment door.<\/p>\n<h2>Expectation: Boredom<\/h2>\n<p>When leaving their long-time home, a senior adult may wonder what he or she will do when everything is different at the new community. They often don\u2019t realize that their personal experiences in their home have become more isolating, and their level of inactivity has increased.<\/p>\n<h2>Reality: Socialization and Fun!<\/h2>\n<p>When moving into an independent living community, one of the key words is options \u2014 because <a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/socializing-st-louis-independent-living-communities\/\">you have lots of options<\/a>! You can do as little or as much as you want, but there are plenty of things from which to choose.<\/p>\n<p>There are <a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/how-to-choose-an-active-age-restricted-community\/\">day trips to explore, community attractions to visit, shopping, or visits to new restaurants<\/a>. Within the community, you eat your meals restaurant-style in an attractive dining room, and you can enjoy in-house movies, games, and regular Happy Hour with your peers. Marie adds that, surprisingly often, <a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/lifelong-friends-reunited-bethesda\/\">residents reconnect with other people in the community they haven\u2019t seen for years<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Expectation: Living in a Retirement Community Is the \u201cBeginning of the End\u201d<\/h2>\n<p>For some senior adults, making the decision to enter a senior living community means giving in to the end of your life, as it signifies the \u201cfinal step\u201d of their journey.<\/p>\n<h2>Reality: It\u2019s the Beginning of a New Life!<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/the-basics-of-senior-living-and-care-communities\/\">Independent living provides many seniors with a new level of freedom<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For example, Marie knows of a couple who live in Bethesda Terrace who <a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/summer-travel-health-tips-for-seniors\/\">love to travel<\/a>. When living in their own home, they would have had to worry about who would cut the grass, or if a pipe broke while they were gone. Now, they are comforted knowing that all of that is taken care of, and they can travel worry-free.<\/p>\n<p>She believes many residents didn\u2019t know <a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/curb-senior-loneliness-the-smart-way\/\">how lonely and isolated they were<\/a> until they became independent living residents. She has watched those residents get stronger physically and become more vibrant and social after they arrived and acclimated to their new home.<\/p>\n<h2>Expectation: \u201cI\u2019ll do it when I have to.\u201d<\/h2>\n<p>The urge to stay in the home they have lived in for decades is strong. Many seniors choose to delay the thought of moving into a senior living community until they are no longer physically or cognitively able to live safely in their home.<\/p>\n<h2>Reality: \u201cWhy didn\u2019t I do this a long time ago?\u201d<\/h2>\n<p>Marie strongly advises senior adults to <a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/when-is-the-right-time-to-consider-independent-senior-living\/\">begin exploring independent living communities earlier rather than later<\/a>, and before there is a \u201cneed.\u201d These communities regularly put on programs and seminars for the public to learn what they have to offer. Many current residents at Bethesda Terrace have told Marie that they wish they had made the move much earlier, and this sentiment is echoed among Bethesda\u2019s five other independent senior living communities across the St. Louis area.<\/p>\n<p>Marie suggests attending some seminars and touring some communities to see which ones are a good fit. If you have never been to one, you may be pleasantly surprised.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/independent-retirement-living\/\">Bethesda\u2019s Independent Retirement Living Communities<\/a> offer a worry-free retirement and an active lifestyle. We have communities in Clayton, Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Florissant, Oakland and South County. <a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/contact-us\/\">Schedule a tour at a community near you to learn more.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --><span id=\"hs-cta-wrapper-12540b3b-5f9f-413f-b0df-dccd07b0dbcf\" class=\"hs-cta-wrapper\"><span id=\"hs-cta-12540b3b-5f9f-413f-b0df-dccd07b0dbcf\" class=\"hs-cta-node hs-cta-12540b3b-5f9f-413f-b0df-dccd07b0dbcf\"><!-- [if lte IE 8]>\n\n\n<div id=\"hs-cta-ie-element\"><\/div>\n\n\n<![endif]--><a href=\"https:\/\/cta-redirect.hubspot.com\/cta\/redirect\/21230352\/12540b3b-5f9f-413f-b0df-dccd07b0dbcf\"><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"hs-cta-img-12540b3b-5f9f-413f-b0df-dccd07b0dbcf\" class=\"hs-cta-img\" style=\"border-width: 0px;\" src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/21230352\/12540b3b-5f9f-413f-b0df-dccd07b0dbcf.png\" alt=\"Thinking about independent senior living?\" \/><\/a><\/span><script charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/js.hscta.net\/cta\/current.js\"><\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> hbspt.cta.load(21230352, '12540b3b-5f9f-413f-b0df-dccd07b0dbcf', {\"useNewLoader\":\"true\",\"region\":\"na1\"}); <\/script><\/span><!-- end HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --><!-- end HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bethesda has a 133-year tradition of providing excellent senior living options, including <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/living-options\/independent-living\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">independent living<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/living-options\/assisted-living\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">assisted living<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/living-options\/memory-support\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">memory care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/living-options\/skilled-nursing\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">skilled nursing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If you are considering independent living, we welcome you to tour one of our exceptional communities, including <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/living-options\/independent-living\/bethesda-barclay-house\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bethesda Barclay House &#8211; Clayton<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/living-options\/independent-living\/bethesda-gardens\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bethesda Gardens &#8211; Kirkwood<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/living-options\/independent-living\/bethesda-orchard\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bethesda Orchard &#8211; Webster Groves<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/living-options\/independent-living\/bethesda-terrace\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bethesda Terrace &#8211; South County<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/living-options\/independent-living\/village-north-retirement-community\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Village North Retirement Community &#8211; Florissant<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/living-options\/independent-living\/the-oaks-at-bethesda\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Oaks at Bethesda Villas &#8211; Kirkwood\/Webster<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Discover the level of care only a non-profit staffed by highly-trained nurses, therapists, and aids can offer.\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Moving from a home that you have lived in for decades, full of memories and familiar in its every detail, can challenge anyone\u2019s ability to be open to something new and different. Unfortunately, many people have formed incorrect perceptions and expectations when it comes to being part of and living in a retirement community. No [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":20813,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,12],"tags":[119,289,120,121,290,70,91],"class_list":["post-20811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-independent-living","category-senior-living","tag-independent-living","tag-life-at-bethesda","tag-quality-of-life","tag-retirement-living","tag-retirement-living-guide","tag-senior-living","tag-socialization"],"aioseo_notices":[],"acf":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 4.9.0 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Moving from a home that you have lived in for decades, full of memories and familiar in its every detail, can challenge anyone\u2019s ability to be open to something new and different. Unfortunately, many people have formed incorrect perceptions and expectations when it comes to being part of and living in a retirement community. No\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"max-image-preview:large\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"author\" content=\"bhg-admin\"\/>\n\t<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"generator\" content=\"All in One SEO Pro (AIOSEO) 4.9.0\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Bethesda Health Group - Exceptional Senior Living, Care and Services\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community - Bethesda Health Group\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Moving from a home that you have lived in for decades, full of memories and familiar in its every detail, can challenge anyone\u2019s ability to be open to something new and different. Unfortunately, many people have formed incorrect perceptions and expectations when it comes to being part of and living in a retirement community. No\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/iStock-1045354984-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:image:secure_url\" content=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/iStock-1045354984-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"533\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-09-24T18:41:59+00:00\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-08-09T14:20:26+00:00\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BethesdaHealthGroup\/\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@bethesdahealth\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community - Bethesda Health Group\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Moving from a home that you have lived in for decades, full of memories and familiar in its every detail, can challenge anyone\u2019s ability to be open to something new and different. Unfortunately, many people have formed incorrect perceptions and expectations when it comes to being part of and living in a retirement community. No\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@bethesdahealth\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/iStock-1045354984-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"aioseo-schema\">\n\t\t\t{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\\\/#blogposting\",\"name\":\"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community - Bethesda Health Group\",\"headline\":\"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/bhg-admin\\\/#author\"},\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/09\\\/iStock-1045354984-1.jpg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":533,\"caption\":\"Senior Couple Sitting In Chairs And Chatting In Retirement Home\"},\"datePublished\":\"2019-09-24T13:41:59-05:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-08-09T09:20:26-05:00\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\\\/#webpage\"},\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\\\/#webpage\"},\"articleSection\":\"Independent Living, Senior Living, independent living, Life at Bethesda, quality of life, Retirement Living, Retirement Living Guide, Senior Living, socialization\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\\\/#breadcrumblist\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org#listItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\",\"nextItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/senior-living\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"Senior Living\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/senior-living\\\/#listItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Senior Living\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/senior-living\\\/\",\"nextItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/senior-living\\\/independent-living\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"Independent Living\"},\"previousItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org#listItem\",\"name\":\"Home\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/senior-living\\\/independent-living\\\/#listItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Independent Living\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/senior-living\\\/independent-living\\\/\",\"nextItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community\"},\"previousItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/senior-living\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"Senior Living\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\\\/#listItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community\",\"previousItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/senior-living\\\/independent-living\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"Independent Living\"}}]},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Bethesda Health Group\",\"description\":\"Exceptional Senior Living, Care and Services\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/BethesdaHealthGroup\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/bethesdahealth\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.tiktok.com\\\/@bethesdaterrace\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/BethesdaHealth\",\"https:\\\/\\\/linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/bethesda-health-group\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/bhg-admin\\\/#author\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/bhg-admin\\\/\",\"name\":\"bhg-admin\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\\\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\\\/\",\"name\":\"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community - Bethesda Health Group\",\"description\":\"Moving from a home that you have lived in for decades, full of memories and familiar in its every detail, can challenge anyone\\u2019s ability to be open to something new and different. Unfortunately, many people have formed incorrect perceptions and expectations when it comes to being part of and living in a retirement community. No\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/#website\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\\\/#breadcrumblist\"},\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/bhg-admin\\\/#author\"},\"creator\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/bhg-admin\\\/#author\"},\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/09\\\/iStock-1045354984-1.jpg\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\\\/#mainImage\",\"width\":800,\"height\":533,\"caption\":\"Senior Couple Sitting In Chairs And Chatting In Retirement Home\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/blog\\\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\\\/#mainImage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2019-09-24T13:41:59-05:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-08-09T09:20:26-05:00\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/\",\"name\":\"Bethesda Health Group\",\"description\":\"Exceptional Senior Living, Care and Services\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bethesdahealth.org\\\/#organization\"}}]}\n\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\t\t\t(function(c,l,a,r,i,t,y){\n\t\t\tc[a]=c[a]||function(){(c[a].q=c[a].q||[]).push(arguments)};t=l.createElement(r);t.async=1;\n\t\t\tt.src=\"https:\/\/www.clarity.ms\/tag\/\"+i+\"?ref=aioseo\";y=l.getElementsByTagName(r)[0];y.parentNode.insertBefore(t,y);\n\t\t})(window, document, \"clarity\", \"script\", \"tc7hbk96kl\");\n\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t<script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https:\/\/www.googletagmanager.com\/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer',\"GTM-PS849LW\");<\/script>\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro -->\r\n\t\t<title>Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community - Bethesda Health Group<\/title>\n\n","aioseo_head_json":{"title":"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community - Bethesda Health Group","description":"Moving from a home that you have lived in for decades, full of memories and familiar in its every detail, can challenge anyone\u2019s ability to be open to something new and different. Unfortunately, many people have formed incorrect perceptions and expectations when it comes to being part of and living in a retirement community. No","canonical_url":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/","robots":"max-image-preview:large","keywords":"","webmasterTools":{"miscellaneous":""},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/#blogposting","name":"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community - Bethesda Health Group","headline":"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/author\/bhg-admin\/#author"},"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/#organization"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/iStock-1045354984-1.jpg","width":800,"height":533,"caption":"Senior Couple Sitting In Chairs And Chatting In Retirement Home"},"datePublished":"2019-09-24T13:41:59-05:00","dateModified":"2024-08-09T09:20:26-05:00","inLanguage":"en-US","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/#webpage"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/#webpage"},"articleSection":"Independent Living, Senior Living, independent living, Life at Bethesda, quality of life, Retirement Living, Retirement Living Guide, Senior Living, socialization"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org#listItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org","nextItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/category\/senior-living\/#listItem","name":"Senior Living"}},{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/category\/senior-living\/#listItem","position":2,"name":"Senior Living","item":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/category\/senior-living\/","nextItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/category\/senior-living\/independent-living\/#listItem","name":"Independent Living"},"previousItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org#listItem","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/category\/senior-living\/independent-living\/#listItem","position":3,"name":"Independent Living","item":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/category\/senior-living\/independent-living\/","nextItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/#listItem","name":"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community"},"previousItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/category\/senior-living\/#listItem","name":"Senior Living"}},{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/#listItem","position":4,"name":"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community","previousItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/category\/senior-living\/independent-living\/#listItem","name":"Independent Living"}}]},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/#organization","name":"Bethesda Health Group","description":"Exceptional Senior Living, Care and Services","url":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BethesdaHealthGroup\/","https:\/\/x.com\/bethesdahealth","https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@bethesdaterrace","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/BethesdaHealth","https:\/\/linkedin.com\/company\/bethesda-health-group"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/author\/bhg-admin\/#author","url":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/author\/bhg-admin\/","name":"bhg-admin"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/#webpage","url":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/","name":"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community - Bethesda Health Group","description":"Moving from a home that you have lived in for decades, full of memories and familiar in its every detail, can challenge anyone\u2019s ability to be open to something new and different. Unfortunately, many people have formed incorrect perceptions and expectations when it comes to being part of and living in a retirement community. No","inLanguage":"en-US","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/#website"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/#breadcrumblist"},"author":{"@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/author\/bhg-admin\/#author"},"creator":{"@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/author\/bhg-admin\/#author"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/iStock-1045354984-1.jpg","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/#mainImage","width":800,"height":533,"caption":"Senior Couple Sitting In Chairs And Chatting In Retirement Home"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/#mainImage"},"datePublished":"2019-09-24T13:41:59-05:00","dateModified":"2024-08-09T09:20:26-05:00"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/","name":"Bethesda Health Group","description":"Exceptional Senior Living, Care and Services","inLanguage":"en-US","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/#organization"}}]},"og:locale":"en_US","og:site_name":"Bethesda Health Group - Exceptional Senior Living, Care and Services","og:type":"article","og:title":"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community - Bethesda Health Group","og:description":"Moving from a home that you have lived in for decades, full of memories and familiar in its every detail, can challenge anyone\u2019s ability to be open to something new and different. Unfortunately, many people have formed incorrect perceptions and expectations when it comes to being part of and living in a retirement community. No","og:url":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/","og:image":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/iStock-1045354984-1.jpg","og:image:secure_url":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/iStock-1045354984-1.jpg","og:image:width":800,"og:image:height":533,"article:published_time":"2019-09-24T18:41:59+00:00","article:modified_time":"2024-08-09T14:20:26+00:00","article:publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BethesdaHealthGroup\/","twitter:card":"summary_large_image","twitter:site":"@bethesdahealth","twitter:title":"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community - Bethesda Health Group","twitter:description":"Moving from a home that you have lived in for decades, full of memories and familiar in its every detail, can challenge anyone\u2019s ability to be open to something new and different. Unfortunately, many people have formed incorrect perceptions and expectations when it comes to being part of and living in a retirement community. No","twitter:creator":"@bethesdahealth","twitter:image":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/iStock-1045354984-1.jpg"},"aioseo_meta_data":{"post_id":"20811","title":null,"description":null,"keywords":null,"keyphrases":null,"primary_term":null,"canonical_url":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"og_object_type":"default","og_image_type":"default","og_image_url":null,"og_image_width":null,"og_image_height":null,"og_image_custom_url":null,"og_image_custom_fields":null,"og_video":null,"og_custom_url":null,"og_article_section":null,"og_article_tags":null,"twitter_use_og":true,"twitter_card":"default","twitter_image_type":"default","twitter_image_url":null,"twitter_image_custom_url":null,"twitter_image_custom_fields":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"schema":{"blockGraphs":[],"customGraphs":[],"default":{"data":{"Article":[],"Course":[],"Dataset":[],"FAQPage":[],"Movie":[],"Person":[],"Product":[],"ProductReview":[],"Car":[],"Recipe":[],"Service":[],"SoftwareApplication":[],"WebPage":[]},"graphName":"","isEnabled":true},"graphs":[]},"schema_type":"default","schema_type_options":null,"pillar_content":false,"robots_default":true,"robots_noindex":false,"robots_noarchive":false,"robots_nosnippet":false,"robots_nofollow":false,"robots_noimageindex":false,"robots_noodp":false,"robots_notranslate":false,"robots_max_snippet":null,"robots_max_videopreview":null,"robots_max_imagepreview":"large","priority":null,"frequency":null,"local_seo":null,"seo_analyzer_scan_date":"2025-09-26 21:31:58","breadcrumb_settings":null,"limit_modified_date":false,"reviewed_by":null,"open_ai":null,"ai":null,"created":"2025-09-26 21:31:58","updated":"2025-10-21 22:10:52"},"aioseo_breadcrumb":"<div class=\"aioseo-breadcrumbs\"><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\" title=\"Home\">Home<\/a>\n<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">&raquo;<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/category\/senior-living\/\" title=\"Senior Living\">Senior Living<\/a>\n<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">&raquo;<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/category\/senior-living\/independent-living\/\" title=\"Independent Living\">Independent Living<\/a>\n<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">&raquo;<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\tExpectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community\n<\/span><\/div>","aioseo_breadcrumb_json":[{"label":"Home","link":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org"},{"label":"Senior Living","link":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/category\/senior-living\/"},{"label":"Independent Living","link":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/category\/senior-living\/independent-living\/"},{"label":"Expectation vs. Reality: Living in a Retirement Community","link":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/blog\/expectation-vs-reality-living-in-a-retirement-community\/"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20811","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20811"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20811\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40843,"href":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20811\/revisions\/40843"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20813"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20811"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20811"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bethesdahealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20811"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}