6 Best Independent Living Communities in Fort Scott, KS

Independent Living

For seniors who desire to live primarily without assistance but wish for the benefit of having chores and housekeeping taken care of by professionalls, an Independent Living Community could be the perfect choice. Residents may continue to live their lives as they wish while their food is prepared by a professionall chef, housekeeping and laundry duties are taken care of by staff, and social activities are organized and scheduled. Along with their daily needs being met, residents can enjoy the opportunity to live among peers, in a community with others of similar ages and backgrounds. Typically consisting of a private living space and a full kitchen, these communities offer residences with many of the amenities of apartment life but with none of the hassle. Guests can be invited over and entertained, and more time can be spent with them with the basic maintenance of daily tasks out of the way. While policies differ between locations, a number of residences allow pets as well. If residents decide they would like to utilize the services of independent health care providers, they always have the option. There are an assortment of costs and advantages to balance when choosing an independent living community. It is important to figure out if these amenities are covered in your service plan: Waiting list deposit, wellness program, internet access, meals, move-in fee, initial assessment fee, laundry, and transportation. The luxuries that pertain to independent living include concierge services, game/TV room, restaurant-style dining hall, healthcare center, golf course, community activities, fitness center & swimming pool, and private rental hall.

Demographics and Values

Fort Scott has a population density of 544 people per square mile. Currently, the population of Fort Scott consists of 7,628 people and in total the Fort Scott metro area has a population of 7,813. In Fort Scott, 21.8% have some form of disability, 9.9% do not have health insurance, 18.7% live in poverty, and 8.9% are widowed. In terms of education, 6.1% have a graduate degree, 17.3% have a college degree, and 30.3% have a high-school diploma. Racially, the population of Fort Scott is 90.4% white, 0.6% Native American, 1.6% Asian, 2.8% Hispanic, 0.0% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 2.4% mixed race, 4.7% black, and 0.4% other or not specified. In Fort Scott, 7.2% of the citizens are veterans of the United States armed forces. Out of the total city population, 53.9% are female and 46.1% are male. The median age of Fort Scott is 38 years old.

Cost of Living

Cost of living can be a major influence in selecting what care option is best for your loved one. Monthly, the median rent in Fort Scott is around $558 and the median home value for Fort Scott is $65,246. The rent burden for Fort Scott is about 16.9% of the average person’s monthly income.

State Information

An overview of Kansas

There are 144 hospitals and 75 health centers that service a population of 2,912,321. The three highest ranked hospitals in Kansas are University Of Kansas Hospital, Newton Medical Center, and Providence Medical Center. Based on natural beauty, Kansas ranks 8th in the nation. The state of Kansas has a cost of living index of 89.7 where a score of 100 is the national average, and anything below 100 is considered less expensive than the national average. The state has a grocery index rating of 91.9 and a housing index rating of 73.8. Overall, Kansas ranks 22nd in quality of life and 33rd in healthcare compared to other US states.

Social demographics of the state

The state has a median age of 37 and 29% of its population being over the age of 55. The state of Kansas ranks 25th in the country for diversity, and the state is considered LGBTQ friendly. In the last presidential election 36% of Kansas residents voted Democrat and 57% voted Republican. In Kansas, 37% of the population attend some form of religious service and there are 4,782 different congregations. The top three Christian denominations in the state are Evangelical Protestant-31%, Mainline Protestant-24%, and Historically Black Protestant-2%. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-<1%, Muslim-<1%, and Buddhist-<1%. In Kansas there are 279 masonic lodges.

State-wide weather information

Kansas experiences an average humidity rating of about 66%. The highest monthly average humidity rating is 72% in the month of December. The average monthly precipitation for the state of Kansas is around 2.55 inches. The most precipitation occurs in May with an average of 6.73 inches of precipitation a month. The average air quality index rating in Kansas is 36.0 AQI. The average air quality index rating peaks in the month of July with a rating of around 46.4 AQI. The average temperature in the winter falls to around 32F. During the winter, the average high temperature peaks at around 53F during the month of February. The average low temperature during the winter drops to around 12F in the month of January. The average temperature in the summer rises to around 76F. The average high summer temperature is around 95F in the month of July. In the summer, the average low temperature drops to around 54F during the month of June. While residents of Kansas mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in Kansas can include tornadoes, floods, and and earthquakes (high).

Wildlife to be found in Kansas

The state of Kansas has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of Siberian elm, sugarberry, moonseed, and bur oak. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the muskrat, the cottontail, the prairie dog, or the woodchuck. The state animal of Kansas is the American buffalo.