Retirement home

housing facility intended for senior citizens

A retirement home is a place where old people live together. Sometimes, these places are known as old people's homes or old age homes. In many ways these homes are like hotels: Each resident has a room or suite, with its own bathroom. In some cases, there are rooms for couples. Like in a hotel there's staff who prepares the meals, the residents usually eat together.

Such homes are for elderly people who have special needs. Some of these people need help with everyday tasks, such as washing themselves in the morning, or changing from one set of clothes to another. Many of the people in these homes suffer from age-related diseases, which makes it very hard or impossible for them to live alone, without help.

Putting someone in a retirement home is expensive: the price charged usually depends on the level of help the person needs. Very often, relatives care for the people, before they are sent to retirement homes. Only when the burden becomes too big are people sent to retirement homes. Nursing homes are very similar, but there are for those people who need a lot of medical attention.

Many of the people in retirement homes suffer from age-related diseases, such as dementia.