Last verified: October 2026
What is independent living?
Independent living is age-restricted housing, such as apartments or cottages with dining, transportation, activities and maintenance included, for older adults who do not need help with daily activities; because no personal care is provided, it is not licensed as a personal care home or assisted living residence.
That also means it does not appear on the DHS personal care directory or in our licensed-home counts.
Can someone in independent living get help with care?
Yes, by bringing care in: a resident can hire a home care agency, use Medicare home health when a physician orders it, or, if eligible, receive services through OPTIONS, Community HealthChoices or LIFE, but the community itself does not provide personal care unless it also holds a DHS license.
When help is needed every day with bathing, dressing or medications, a licensed personal care home is usually the safer and often cheaper setting.
What is a continuing care retirement community?
A continuing care retirement community (CCRC) combines independent living with licensed personal care or assisted living and a nursing home on one campus, so a resident can move between levels; each licensed level appears separately on the DHS or CMS rosters.
CMS flags nursing homes that sit inside a CCRC; our nursing home pages show that flag where CMS reports it.
Who pays for independent living?
Independent living is private pay: Medicare and Medical Assistance do not pay rent in an independent living community, though residents may qualify for programs such as Pennsylvania's Property Tax/Rent Rebate if they meet its income rules.
The rebate covers renters and homeowners 65 and older with household income of $48,110 or less.
Is independent living the same as a 55+ community?
Not quite: a 55+ or age-restricted community is housing with an age rule and usually no services, while independent living communities add services such as meals, housekeeping, transportation and activities; neither provides personal care, and neither is licensed by DHS.
Both are private-pay housing decisions rather than care decisions.
What should you ask an independent living community?
Ask what the monthly fee includes, how much it has risen in recent years, whether the lease allows outside caregivers, what happens if a resident needs more help than the community allows, and whether a licensed personal care home or assisted living residence is on the same campus.
Independent living: what it is and is not
| It is | It is not | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | housing with services | licensed care |
| On DHS roster | no | yes |
| Daily personal care | brought in from outside | provided by the community |
| Medicare pays rent | no | yes |
