Affordable Senior Living communites help (Denver, Lakewood: appointed, apartments, for rent)

[thedfly]

Can anyone recommend any affordable senior living communities? They are open to townhomes/condo/apartments and mobile/manufactured home parks if they are nice. Would like to be close to shopping and hospitals. Not willing to pay more than 1500/month or spend more than say $140,000.

Primarily interested in Littleton, Centennial or possibly Lakewood but open to other areas.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by thedfly

Can anyone recommend any affordable senior living communities? They are open to townhomes/condo/apartments and mobile/manufactured home parks if they are nice. Would like to be close to shopping and hospitals. Not willing to pay more than 1500/month or spend more than say $140,000.

Primarily interested in Littleton, Centennial or possibly Lakewood but open to other areas.

One of the best sources for finding affordable housing is this website. It will list all types of housing and has an excellent map for finding them.

Search Affordable Housing and Apartments

If you are willing to pay 1500 a month, for rent, than you are well beyond the range of needing "affordable housing". For that amount, you can find some luxury senior housing. However, $140,000, for purchasing, would put you at a much lower level of housing.

There is certainly the need to be near shopping and hospitals when you are a senior. I would also add another essential is good public transit. I think what I would do if I were you would be to first narrow my focus on the hospital that meets my needs--because this is the main focus and the limiting factor. That would then bring down where I would seek to live. Then, I would look for good shopping and public transit.

From my experience and knowledge, being a disabled senior citizen, I would say the best hospital that provide good shopping nearby, senior housing and the best public transportation would be to live near Swedish Hospital in the City of Englewood. Another good choice for a excellent neighborhood would be Porter Hospital on South Downing in Denver. Actually anywhere between these hospitals, in Denver, would give you some good safe neigborhoods with good amenities--these hospitals are both near each other. Also there is many senior housing communities nearby, that have been long established, which fill the need for seniors to live near hospitals.

Another good choice would be to live near Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge, on West 38th. It has many senior housing nearby, good shopping and a safe neighborhood. At your level, you can easily afford apartments in the great Applewood neighborhood, just west of the hospital.

If you are looking for Lakewood, then perhaps you should consider moving near Union and Alameda because the new St. Anthony Hospital is due to open, next year, right next to the new light rail station. This area has established and well regarded neighborhoods in Green Mountain. In Centennial you could choose to live near Littleton Hospital, at Broadway and Mineral. There is excellent shopping nearby; good neighborhoods in west Centennial that border Littleton and good public transit up and down Broadway.

A good full resource of housing for seniors would be the Blue Books which are available free all over Denver. The website which has these listings is:
http://www.seniorsbluebook.com/ These guides are excellent and the definitive guide for housing. There are more than one, each concentrates on different areas. I highly recommend these guides. If you do a search on this site and seek senior housing, independent living, in and around Denver, you will get this listing
http://www.seniorsbluebook.com/searc...ng-5/Denver-8/

Another good choice would be this weblink http://www.seniorsresourceguide.com/...ver/index.html

I hope all this helps. I believe that we should spend more time and effort to support seniors to find the resources they need.

Livecontent

[DOUBLE H]

I'll second the suggestions by LiveContent. I lived in the Englewood/Littleton area for many years before moving to the Grand Junction area. Swedish and Porters are only a few miles apart from each other. If I had to relocate in Denver, it would be in that area. Nice neighborhoods in Englewood and that part of Denver, both Safeways and King Soopers have stores a mile or so away. The old Cinderella City Mall has been replaced by a variety of retail businesses and believe it or not some attractive condos.

I lived off Broadway and Arapahoe (Highline Meadows/Broadway Ramparts)from '78 to '93, just a ways north from Littleton Hospital. Ample shopping in either direction on Broadway with King Soopers located a couple miles north (Broadway and Littleton Blvd) and east (Dry Creek and University).

[thedfly]

The problem I found when trying to help my parents find housing in those guides is that many don't disclose pricing and when we contacted them to inquire, they were 2-3K per month. Crazy! I put $1500 as a max because it was pretty hard to find any that were below that limit. Ultimately I'm sure they'd love something in the 500-800range, but I have yet to find anything meeting that criteria except the Allied Jewish apartments and they aren't Jewish.

I just checked out your links Livecontent, and I think it will be very helpful to start with!

They really are looking for a community where they feel welcome and safe. They don't want a big yard or house to maintain but a little outdoor area for bird feeders and/or flowerpots would be ideal.

Someone mentioned Golden Terrace Village in Golden (near 470 and 70) and I will drive up that way to check it out. I think the nearest hospital would be St. Anthony about 15 min away.

Just trying to get some ideas as they will be visiting next month.
Thanks!

[suzco]

Originally Posted by thedfly

. . . I have yet to find anything meeting that criteria except the Allied Jewish apartments and they aren't Jewish.
. . .

There is no requirement that they be Jewish to live at Allied Jewish Apartments (http://www.ajsh.org/C151DDE712564193AEA742F6BA5144E4.asp?ccb_key=0F0F6 FBCFA024D328D373705A2B37375&ie_key=7DBB2A668882423 A8879BBD0A550D3C2 - broken link).

Allied Jewish Apartments has a history of providing affordable and subsidized Senior Living and Assisted Living apartment homes and services for adults 62 years of age and older. We are in the beautiful Cherry Creek neighborhood, convenient to malls, restaurants, theatres, shops, and walking paths. Public bus routes stop just outside your door. AJA housing and services are available to elders of all faiths and ethnicities.

[thedfly]

Originally Posted by suzco

There is no requirement that they be Jewish to live at Allied Jewish Apartments (http://www.ajsh.org/C151DDE712564193AEA742F6BA5144E4.asp?ccb_key=0F0F6 FBCFA024D328D373705A2B37375&ie_key=7DBB2A668882423 A8879BBD0A550D3C2 - broken link).

I did see that on their site, but by watching the video I also see that is looks like it is predominantly Jewish with customs, foods, etc. I haven't ruled it out completely, but just looking for other options.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by thedfly

The problem I found when trying to help my parents find housing in those guides is that many don't disclose pricing and when we contacted them to inquire, they were 2-3K per month. Crazy! I put $1500 as a max because it was pretty hard to find any that were below that limit. Ultimately I'm sure they'd love something in the 500-800range, but I have yet to find anything meeting that criteria except the Allied Jewish apartments and they aren't Jewish.

I just checked out your links Livecontent, and I think it will be very helpful to start with!

They really are looking for a community where they feel welcome and safe. They don't want a big yard or house to maintain but a little outdoor area for bird feeders and/or flowerpots would be ideal.

Someone mentioned Golden Terrace Village in Golden (near 470 and 70) and I will drive up that way to check it out. I think the nearest hospital would be St. Anthony about 15 min away.

Just trying to get some ideas as they will be visiting next month.
Thanks!

When you are talking about $2-3K a month in senior housing, you are talking about all inclusive room and board--not crazy. You are looking at too broad a range of housing for your parents. You must first define their needs. A trailer park is not in same category.

The housing you are considering is a mobile home park and and a trailer park which includes many transient spaces for campers and RVs. I would not consider that an ideal spot for seniors. There are many senior only mobile home parks in the area, that are better situated as per shopping, public transit and health care.

Livecontent

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by DOUBLE H

I'll second the suggestions by LiveContent. I lived in the Englewood/Littleton area for many years before moving to the Grand Junction area. Swedish and Porters are only a few miles apart from each other. If I had to relocate in Denver, it would be in that area. Nice neighborhoods in Englewood and that part of Denver, both Safeways and King Soopers have stores a mile or so away. The old Cinderella City Mall has been replaced by a variety of retail businesses and believe it or not some attractive condos.

I lived off Broadway and Arapahoe (Highline Meadows/Broadway Ramparts)from '78 to '93, just a ways north from Littleton Hospital. Ample shopping in either direction on Broadway with King Soopers located a couple miles north (Broadway and Littleton Blvd) and east (Dry Creek and University).

As I get older and have more problems, I have been looking at these great neighborhoods near Porter and Swedish. I have been through these neighborhoods for many years; and I find these areas, safe and good place to live with good parks, like Harvard Gulch.

Another area that I find attractive is a little farther east around Yale, toward Broadway. These neigbhorhoods are attractive. I have always find the area around the old University Hills shopping center as a good place. There is a senior high rise condo, just behind the King Soopers on Yale and Broadway. It is called La Fontana. What makes this nice is that one can walk to King Soopers and all the stores on the old University HIlls shopping center site. In addition, a library is a few blocks away. There is good public transit on Broadway and Yale with the rail station is only a down the road at Yale and I-25.

I think living more in an denser areas, either in the city or suburbs, are better for seniors because of the better public transit and the ease in walking to closeby shops and other services. Denver has many great neighborhoods that can serve seniors well. Allied Jewish is good senior residences, in a good walkable neigbhorhood and there are many other like that in safe neighborhoods. There are also many good neighborhoods in the older denser suburbs.

Senior should not have a requirement to drive to get around and many times should not be on the road. We just had a big accident on 470 where an 89 yr. old drove the wrong way and a younger man was killed. That is why it is imperative that we provide, clean, safe, secure walkable neighborhoods for seniors with good public transit.

Livecontent

[thedfly]

I checked out that place on recommendation from a senior who lives there and works at one of the senior only mobile home parks. She did tell me that it HAD been a senior only park but had changed recently. I drove through and was really disappointed. I will continue looking.

I will look into La Fontana. Thanks!

['M']

Originally Posted by thedfly

I did see that on their site, but by watching the video I also see that is looks like it is predominantly Jewish with customs, foods, etc. I haven't ruled it out completely, but just looking for other options.

There are Jewish folks living there, but there are many other ethnicities also living there. I hear it's a wonderful place to live.