Moving to the Dallas - Fort Worth Metroplex? Get your answers and make your buying decisions easy by using our resource guide.
| Retirement and Active Adult Living |
The Dallas-Fort Worth region continues to be a popular retirement destination because it offers a variety of amenities including the ease of living, temperate, year-round weather, access to quality health care, educational facilities, plenty of park space and availability to enjoy arts and leisure. That’s not all – there are economic reasons including job opportunities, housing prices and the absence of state taxes. All combined, it’s a compelling package for many adults 55 and over.
Thanks to a growing retiree population in Dallas, the area is able to offer a wide array of activities, events, services and residential amenities that are specifically tailored to meet the needs of active adults as well as retirees. This is important as studies are finding that today’s over 50 population are healthy and active individuals who may be interested in working, going to school and volunteering as well as enjoying free time – all of this and more is available in the Dallas region.
With the advancing age of the baby boomer generation transitioning into their retirement years, medical cost and housing options are becoming of increasingly greater importance. The significance of senior populations can be found in the numbers. In 2006, it was estimated by the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics that 12 percent of the population were 65 and older. The forum projects that by 2030 the percent of those 65 and older will rise to 20. Along with the climb of the amount of seniors is the rise of health care cost. The good news is that most of the current generation transitioning into their golden years have enjoyed increased prosperity, more than any previous generation, and there are many resources and programs designed for the success of senior living. It is also important to keep in mind that when it is time for retirement, those happiest are those who planned for it the best. This chapter will help weigh housing options, assist in selecting a community type, and inform you about activities and resources.
In a recent survey, Forbes.com named the Fort Worth-Arlington area as the best place to retire in Texas thanks to its low cost of living, access to arts and leisure and relatively low health costs. This mix is especially important as America’s over 50 population is healthier and more active and interested in working, going to school and volunteering as well as enjoying free time – all of this and more is available in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. In fact, Dallas County residents age 65 and over get up to six hours' tuition free at Richland College every semester. Many public colleges around the country are also offering similar programs which give seniors a chance to take classes without tapping into a fixed-income.
For many retirees, housing is the most important concern. For those living independently, single-family housing is available and affordable; in fact the median price of a single-family home in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is $138,500 and the media price for a condo/townhome is $150,000. Throughout the region seniors can select retirement communities, age-restricted homes within master-planned communities, neighborhood homes near the city center or vertical living options available throughout the area.
If recreation is important, Fort Worth offers retirees more than 248 golf courses within 30 miles. The population over age 55 is 19.4 percent, which provides a good diverse mix of other age groups. As for cultural access, there are 78 museums within the area, 26 libraries and 82 movie theaters. In Dallas County, 8.4 percent of the population is over 65, while the U.S. average is 12.5 percent. While the area may not be as recognized as others in the U.S. for retiree relocation, it appears this is changing due to favorable economic factors. Texas cities, including Dallas and Fort Worth, are among the best cities for jobs, and the region is home to a mix of large, medium and small businesses, all who benefit from a state that is friendly to business and able to keep its residents prosperous.
To support the needs of an aging population, numerous Fort Worth organizations are assisting seniors with delivery of daily meals, transportation, social programs, guardianship services, advocacy for nursing home residents and respite care for Alzheimer’s care-givers. Agencies providing these services include the American Red Cross, Area Agency on Aging, Guardianship Services, Mental Health/Mental Retardation of Tarrant County, Senior Citizen Services of Greater Tarrant County, Meals on Wheels, Visiting Nurse Association of Tarrant County and the Parks and Community Services Department.
Through its Neighbor Helping Neighbor program, the United Way and its partners in the Dallas area are reducing the isolation of seniors 60 and older and increasing the dignity, caring relationships and services they need. United Way’s Neighbor Helping Neighbor project has brought together nonprofit professionals and volunteers, government entities, neighborhood groups and faith-based organizations to identify isolated seniors in selected neighborhoods. After determining each senior’s individual needs, they provide or arrange for transportation, household chores and minor home repairs, shopping assistance, wheelchair ramps and safety equipment, yard maintenance, food assistance, visits by phone and in person, information and referral. Older adults helped by Neighbor Helping Neighbor have received dozens of services and report they now have more satisfying social relationships and more help available in difficult times.
Senior Living Communities and Independent Living Communities
Independent and senior living communities are places for seniors to retire where they can continue to live independently, yet don’t have to worry about a home or its upkeep. These places should provide a safe and comfortable setting as well as provide an opportunity in which to make new friends in the same age range who share the same interests.
Thanks to a growing retiree population in Dallas, the area is able to offer a wide array of activities, events, services and residential amenities that are specifically tailored to meet the needs of active adults as well as retirees. This is important as studies are finding that today’s over 50 population are healthy and active individuals who may be interested in working, going to school and volunteering as well as enjoying free time – all of this and more is available in the Dallas region.
With the advancing age of the baby boomer generation transitioning into their retirement years, medical cost and housing options are becoming of increasingly greater importance. The significance of senior populations can be found in the numbers. In 2006, it was estimated by the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics that 12 percent of the population were 65 and older. The forum projects that by 2030 the percent of those 65 and older will rise to 20. Along with the climb of the amount of seniors is the rise of health care cost. The good news is that most of the current generation transitioning into their golden years have enjoyed increased prosperity, more than any previous generation, and there are many resources and programs designed for the success of senior living. It is also important to keep in mind that when it is time for retirement, those happiest are those who planned for it the best. This chapter will help weigh housing options, assist in selecting a community type, and inform you about activities and resources.
In a recent survey, Forbes.com named the Fort Worth-Arlington area as the best place to retire in Texas thanks to its low cost of living, access to arts and leisure and relatively low health costs. This mix is especially important as America’s over 50 population is healthier and more active and interested in working, going to school and volunteering as well as enjoying free time – all of this and more is available in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. In fact, Dallas County residents age 65 and over get up to six hours' tuition free at Richland College every semester. Many public colleges around the country are also offering similar programs which give seniors a chance to take classes without tapping into a fixed-income.
For many retirees, housing is the most important concern. For those living independently, single-family housing is available and affordable; in fact the median price of a single-family home in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is $138,500 and the media price for a condo/townhome is $150,000. Throughout the region seniors can select retirement communities, age-restricted homes within master-planned communities, neighborhood homes near the city center or vertical living options available throughout the area.
If recreation is important, Fort Worth offers retirees more than 248 golf courses within 30 miles. The population over age 55 is 19.4 percent, which provides a good diverse mix of other age groups. As for cultural access, there are 78 museums within the area, 26 libraries and 82 movie theaters. In Dallas County, 8.4 percent of the population is over 65, while the U.S. average is 12.5 percent. While the area may not be as recognized as others in the U.S. for retiree relocation, it appears this is changing due to favorable economic factors. Texas cities, including Dallas and Fort Worth, are among the best cities for jobs, and the region is home to a mix of large, medium and small businesses, all who benefit from a state that is friendly to business and able to keep its residents prosperous.
To support the needs of an aging population, numerous Fort Worth organizations are assisting seniors with delivery of daily meals, transportation, social programs, guardianship services, advocacy for nursing home residents and respite care for Alzheimer’s care-givers. Agencies providing these services include the American Red Cross, Area Agency on Aging, Guardianship Services, Mental Health/Mental Retardation of Tarrant County, Senior Citizen Services of Greater Tarrant County, Meals on Wheels, Visiting Nurse Association of Tarrant County and the Parks and Community Services Department.
Through its Neighbor Helping Neighbor program, the United Way and its partners in the Dallas area are reducing the isolation of seniors 60 and older and increasing the dignity, caring relationships and services they need. United Way’s Neighbor Helping Neighbor project has brought together nonprofit professionals and volunteers, government entities, neighborhood groups and faith-based organizations to identify isolated seniors in selected neighborhoods. After determining each senior’s individual needs, they provide or arrange for transportation, household chores and minor home repairs, shopping assistance, wheelchair ramps and safety equipment, yard maintenance, food assistance, visits by phone and in person, information and referral. Older adults helped by Neighbor Helping Neighbor have received dozens of services and report they now have more satisfying social relationships and more help available in difficult times.
Senior Living Communities and Independent Living Communities
Independent and senior living communities are places for seniors to retire where they can continue to live independently, yet don’t have to worry about a home or its upkeep. These places should provide a safe and comfortable setting as well as provide an opportunity in which to make new friends in the same age range who share the same interests.
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