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Louisville, Kentucky, perfectly balances urban living with Southern hospitality. While you may see a beautiful skyline along the Ohio River, locals see a cluster of neighborhoods offering a nostalgic, small town feel. As the largest city in Kentucky, Louisville is a surprisingly affordable area lauded for its wealth of activities, events, and age-friendly environment.
Independent living communities in Louisville provide a home where seniors can relax without the constant worries of being a homeowner. Between concierge, housekeeping, and other on-site services, seniors in independent living communities experience convenience and resort-style amenities. However, if you’re looking for less luxury and more affordability, you may benefit more from our guide to senior apartments in Louisville.
A Place for Mom partners with independent living communities in Louisville, Kentucky, located in Jefferson County. While these independent living communities are scattered around the Louisville area, many rest to the east of downtown Louisville in the Middletown area. Additionally, we partner with communities in Jeffersonville, Indiana. This is why you’ll also find local resources for Indiana seniors in this comprehensive guide to independent senior living in the Louisville area.
This guide provides answers to questions on paying for independent living, local senior benefits, and the various types of communities in the area. Additionally, you’ll get a sense of what living in the Louisville area is like as a senior.
Types of care available in Louisville, KY
Independent Living
I chose Lake Forest Village because of all of the things above that are 5's. I looked at others and none of them even compared. Everything is all inclusive here, there are no extra charges for anything. The food is amazing, I would give it a 6 out of 5. I would recommend them to others looking.
I sensed a real concern by the staff for the people under their care. While there may have been internal (employee/employer) issues, as there may be in any work environment, it never manifested itself in my presence. In my opinion, employees are acting professionally in that regard. As for the facility, it was wonderful, above what I expected to find.
It's a nice cozy facility, clean and bright; but their food budgets are in need of review as they run out of resident favorites often. The dining experience is less than perfect due to space and ordering/ serving processes. I'd still recommend at this time but my loved ones have only been there 6 months so we are hoping Vitality can/will address a permanent solution to the nutrition portion of their care.
8027 Glimmer Way, Louisville, KY 40214
It has been a nice experience so far for us with this community. The apartments look very nice. The staff is great, they are quick to respond to my concerns. The community looks very well maintained. My only...
Louisville, Jefferson County, KY is home to Overlook Terraces - a senior housing community with some of the most spectacular hilltop views to be found in the area. Here, a gorgeous home at an affordable price is combined with a prime location just minutes from downtown Louisville. Overlook...
1014 South 2nd Street, Louisville, KY 40203
1014 South 2nd Street, Louisville, KY 40203
945 S 5th St, Louisville, KY 40203
2960 Goose Creek Rd, Louisville, KY 40241
1720 East 8th Street, Jeffersonville, IN 47130
Great family environment. All staff friendly and helpful. My Father (85) is much happier now than when living alone.
It's the perfect alternative for seniors who can no longer live on their own at home.
3101 N. Hurstbourne Pky, Louisville, KY 40241
This place is wonderful! My aunt has lived here for about a year and a half (maybe closer to 2 years) and loves it. She has made some new and now very dear friends, she loves the staff and they love her....
Parr's at Springhurst in Louisville, Kentucky is an assisted living community with a lot to offer. Louisville is known for providing a high quality of life, having parks around every corner, and welcomes new faces in this tight-knit community. The beautifully landscaped and clean yard is just one...
2223 Magazine St, Louisville, KY 40211
9729 Cornell Trace Rd, Louisville, KY 40241
Cornell Trace is an independent living community located in eastern Louisville, Kentucky, in Jefferson County. The community consists of two-bedroom patio town homes with attached garages. Cornell Trace is a residential area with plenty of wooded areas and nearby open space. Though the area has a...
1804 Russell Lee Drive, Louisville, KY 40211
3202 Margee Dr., #1104 #1104, Louisville, KY 40216
Whispering Woods II is a 55+ assisted and senior housing community located in the western area of Louisville, Kentucky, in Jefferson County. The community is surrounded by residential housing and has large areas of open space with green grass and trees. Major freeways and bus lines are close-by,...
3202 Margee Dr., #1104 #1104, Louisville, KY 40216
Whispering Woods II is a 55+ assisted and senior housing community located in the western area of Louisville, Kentucky, in Jefferson County. The community is surrounded by residential housing and has large areas of open space with green grass and trees. Major freeways and bus lines are close-by,...
3202 Margee Dr #1104, Louisville, KY 40216
Whispering Woods I is an affordable senior housing apartment complex for seniors 55 and older located in a beautiful and cozy neighborhood in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky. Whispering Woods I is located right by I-264, making it easy to get almost anywhere. We are nearby many shopping...
9700 Stonestreet Road, Louisville, KY 40272
10202 Valley Farms Blvd, Louisville, KY 40272
10202 Valley Farms Blvd, Louisville, KY 40272
11313 Bold Forbes Rd, Louisville, KY 40272
Woods of Glen Hill Manor is a housing apartment for seniors in quiet and beautiful neighborhood in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky. Woods of Glen Hill Manor is surrounded by gorgeous landscaping of mature trees with plenty of room to relax and breathe. Our community is convenient to many...
Based on averages of what seniors paid over the last 12 months, A Place for Mom’s proprietary data shows seniors paid $3,480 per month at our independent living partner communities.[01] This price includes the cost for room and board, as well as add-on fees.
The cost for independent living can vary depending on the location, amenities, and floor plan. For example, the starting price for a studio at our independent living partners in Louisville averages $2,640 per month, while a two-bedroom starts at $4,250 per month.[01]
Below are what the baseline costs typically include in independent living monthly fees, depending on the facility:
Many of our independent living partners in Louisville have a variety of on-site amenities, which may have add-on fees or increase the overall cost of living. On-site amenities at our Louisville-area partner communities may include the following:
Additionally, depending on the community and your circumstances, there may be additional fees, such as the following:[01]
The following prices are average baseline costs across the area for all independent living communities. Unlike our independent living partner costs in Louisville, these figures do not include typical add-on fees. They are meant to give you an idea of comparative costs in the area.
5.29 miles from you
Your zip code
4.49 miles from you
When seniors start looking to retire in an independent living community, they typically start to evaluate their payment options. Most retirees start by looking at their current personal income sources and rely on these to pay for their independent living community. For additional needs, like health care, Medicaid and Medicare may help seniors pay for home health care services while living at the senior community of their choice.
Most seniors planning for retirement in an independent living community use private pay methods, like personal income, retirement accounts, and savings. Since an independent living community is not considered a care facility, long-term care insurance will not cover rent or meal costs at these communities. However, additional income sources can help offset a senior’s costs of living during retirement, like Social Security benefits, pensions, investment returns, or any of the following options:
Independent living communities aren’t regulated like assisted living facilities, since they’re not considered care facilities. However, independent living communities follow local rental regulations since they’re typically rented units. Most of our independent living partners in Louisville also have assisted living units, which must abide by more advanced assisted living state regulations. To learn more about assisted living regulations, visit our Louisville guides to assisted living and memory care. Read on for the general rental regulations of independent senior living facilities.
As a tenant in Kentucky or Indiana, you cannot be discriminated against for your disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender, thanks to the federal Fair Housing Act. However, many independent living communities have minimum age requirements, such as requiring residents to be 55+ or 62+.
Both Kentucky and Indiana share common landlord and tenant obligations. These areas require landlords to provide a safe, clean, and habitable living environment. To meet these living standards, landlords must maintain working conditions for installed utilities, like the following:
While landlords have more extensive obligations under state and city laws, tenants, such as yourself, are required to maintain a clean and habitable living environment. This is mostly limited to maintaining your apartment appliances and the cleanliness of your living space.
The City of Louisville also has requirements for the construction of the building or facilities. Apartment units and all common areas must meet structural code standards. Some examples of Louisville building codes for apartment units include the following:
Landlords are required to make reasonable accommodations and modification for those with disabilities. This may include offering accessible parking, installing hand rails in a unit, or allowing services animals even if a no-pet policy is in place. However, there are limitations to these accommodations. It’s always best to check with your prospective community ahead of time to get a thorough understanding of their accommodation practices.
Kentucky: Your landlord is allowed to require you to restore the property to the condition it was in prior to any modifications you made. If you have a service animal, you can submit a request to the landlord, which, if approved, will allow your service animal in the apartment building. Landlords cannot charge a pet fee or deposit for service animals.
In the Louisville area, you can take advantage of the independent living center, Center for Accessible Living (CAL). This center helps those with disabilities learn independent living skills, as well as experience support, advocacy, and more.
Indiana: While you’re allowed to make modifications, like installing a ramp or removing carpet in your unit, your landlord can make you, as a tenant, pay for these modifications. Additionally, the landlord can require these modifications be done professionally.
As COVID-19 regulations begin to relax, so does the level of guidance provided by some states, such as Kentucky. The Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) is currently following community level COVID-19 guidance, and Jefferson County is currently under a low level of guidance. Below is Jefferson County’s COVID-19 guidance for general and senior living environments.
To be sure you completely understand your prospective community’s rules around COVID-19, it’s best to check with them before your move in.
Masking. A mask may be required after an indoor setting was exposed to a COVID-19 infection. Senior living care settings do not currently require masks.[12,13]
Quarantining. If you test positive for COVID-19, you’re recommended to isolate for five days (with no symptoms) or 10 days (with symptoms). If you have close contact with someone with a COVID-19 infection, monitor your symptoms for 10 days.[12]
Whether you’re looking for a community you can age in place at or one where you can experience a luxurious, convenient lifestyle, the Louisville area offers a variety of options. In this section you’ll learn more about the features of independent living communities in the Louisville area, so you know what to expect to find in the current market.
A majority of our independent living partners in Louisville offer multiple levels of care services on the same campus. This may include assisted living or memory care services and round-the-clock supervision. These types of communities help seniors age in place, so if additional care or assistance is ever needed in the future, they won’t have to worry about moving to a different community.
Only 5 out of our 12 independent living partners in Louisville are stand-alone independent living communities, meaning they only serve fully independent seniors who don’t need care. Our independent living partner in Jefferson, Indiana, is one of these stand-alone communities.
Similar to independent living communities across the county, Louisville offers a variety of room and apartment accommodations. Depending on your preferences, you’ll be able to find communities with studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments. In addition to these standard layouts, some Louisville independent living communities have single-family cottages, allowing you to have more space and a sense of freedom. If you live in one of these types of cottages, you may be able to have a garage and/or yard.
Many of our independent living partners in Louisville go beyond the current market standards. For example, all our Louisville independent living partners provide meals. Additionally, if you’re looking to live in a resort-like atmosphere, many independent living communities have superior facility amenities, like the following:
Besides communal amenities, some independent living communities have these features in their apartments to provide additional conveniences for seniors:
You won’t find yourself bored at any of our partner independent living communities that value active living. Between on-site activities and off-site outings, you’ll have access to a variety of options at a majority of our independent living partners in Louisville. Approximately 66% of our independent living partners in Louisville staff an activity director, who helps coordinate engaging, valuable activities.
In a Louisville independent living community you may have access to a variety of activities. These can include but are not limited to the following:
In addition to activities, many independent living communities encourage socializing and creating friendships through clubs for hobbies or interest groups. These can include but are not limited to the following:
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Our free touring checklist can help you choose the right community.
Percentage of seniors 62 and older within Jefferson County, Kentucky[14]
As America’s Aging Care Capital, according to Forbes Magazine, Louisville offers innovative health care as it works to improve healthy aging solutions. You’ll have access to high-quality care through Louisville’s distinguished health care systems. With specialized aging care teams and certified stroke centers, many of these local hospitals perform well for adult conditions common to seniors. Read on to learn about some of the most distinguished hospitals in the area.
Find top-notch care at Baptist Health Louisville, ranked as the No. 1 hospital in Louisville and No. 3 in Kentucky, according to U.S. News and World Report. With specialized teams for stroke and heart attacks, the hospital is high performing for those conditions. The hospital is also high performing in lots of other adult procedures and conditions, such as colon cancer surgery, multiple cardiology surgeries, diabetes, hip replacements, knee replacements, and more.[16] In addition to this location, the hospital also has centers in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
You can receive innovative care at Norton Hospital — the teaching hospital for the local University of Louisville School of Medicine. This hospital is ranked No. 2 in Louisville and No. 5 in Kentucky, according to U.S. News and World Report. This hospital has a Primary Stroke Center certified by The Joint Commission, a nonprofit organization that accredits health care in the United States, and the health agency, American Stroke Association. In addition to offering exceptional care for strokes, the hospital performs highly for several other adult procedures and conditions, like heart attacks, heart failure, diabetes, kidney failure, hip replacements, and knee replacements.[16]
UofL Health — Jewish Hospital is another distinguished hospital in the area and is known for many medical firsts in the United States. The hospital is ranked No. 3 in Louisville and No. 6 in Kentucky, according to U.S. News and World Report. With their certified stroke center, the hospital offers exceptional care for the common senior condition, strokes. Additionally, the hospital performs well for a variety of adult conditions, including but not limited to heart attacks, heart failure, kidney failure, and knee replacements.[16]
You’ll be able to get around town and attend local appointments easily thanks to transportation services provided at our partner independent living communities. Nearly all our independent living partners (about 91%) offer on-site transportation services. A majority of Louisville residents have their own vehicle, and you can feel at ease knowing all of our independent living partners offer on-site parking options for residents.
Besides on-site transportation, approximately 66% of our independent living partners are conveniently located near public transportation options. This is helpful, since the Louisville area can be difficult to get around due to few public transportation options. Public transit is available through the local Transit Authority of River City (TARC) system.
While the area is difficult to get around without a vehicle, the downtown neighborhood is easier to walk, with a Walk Score of 95 in the Central Business District. However, as you can see below, the greater Louisville-Jefferson County area is difficult to get around without a vehicle. Overall, the city has rather low ratings (out of 100) for walking, transit, and biking.
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The Louisville area has an abundance of local entertainment opportunities, attractions, and activities. Known as a foodie destination and home to the Kentucky Derby, beloved sports teams, and the world’s best handcrafted bourbons, Louisville is famous for a lot. However, Louisville residents know the city goes beyond their famed cultural strengths, with a solid infrastructure, various shopping centers, exquisite performing arts theatres, and stunning nature areas. Plus, seniors can live an active lifestyle beyond their senior living community thanks to the city’s age-friendly mentality.
The Louisville area is a wonderful place for seniors to retire with a copious amount of senior-friendly activities scattered throughout the city. The Louisville Metro Government partnered with AARP Kentucky, Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency (KIPDA), and the UofL Institute for Sustainable Health and Optimal Aging to create Age-Friendly Louisville — a community-driven initiative to make Louisville accessible for seniors and those with disabilities.
Besides senior centers, the area has a YMCA Forever Young program to help seniors aged 50+ stay healthy and active through activities and outings. Additionally, Clark County has a senior games gang through their area agency on aging location, Life Span Recourses. This is a membership for seniors aged 55+. You can compete in competitions all year round, as well as participate in activities that your area may or may not host, including but not limited to the following:
The Louisville area also has many active living opportunities for seniors through local senior centers. While all of our independent living community partners offer on-site activities, you may be able to find additional active senior opportunities outside of the community. Some local senior centers are managed through Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency (KIPDA), which you can find on their website. These centers offer meals, social opportunities, health and wellness programs, educational seminars, counseling, and more.
Whether you’re living in or visiting this Southern state, you may want to attend its most famous event — the Kentucky Derby. Get dressed up in full Southern flair for this annual horse race, which takes place in the legendary racetrack, Churchill Downs. While the Kentucky Derby tries to accommodate those with disabilities, the area has limited space and cannot store wheelchairs brought to the event. From the parking lot to the racetrack, the attraction offers accessible shuttles to help those with disabilities into the event.
Go deep underground with another must-see in Louisville. The Louisville Mega Cavern is a fantastic cave and cavern system with accessibility options in Kentucky. This is system is one of the most well-known, man-made caverns and can be explored through the historic underground tram tours, which are ideal for seniors with mobility issues. Prior to your visit, ask about wheelchair-accessible tours through the Mega Tram.
Louisville goes beyond their legendary horse racing track with its multiple large stadiums, where you’ll find both collegiate and professional sports teams.
The city is home to the University of Louisville Cardinals. In addition to Division 1 college football in the Cardinal Stadium, you can enjoy local minor league baseball games watching the Louisville Bats play in Louisville Slugger Field. Besides these teams and stadiums, Louisville is also home to a large soccer stadium — Lynn Family Stadium. In fact, it’s known as one of the largest soccer stadiums in the area. This is where you can watch the professional soccer club, Louisville City FC, play during the exciting USL Championship.
The Brown Hotel in Louisville is where the famous Hot Brown was created, and to this day, people visit the hotel to enjoy the unique dish. This dish is not your ordinary turkey sandwich; this open-faced sandwich is topped with strips of bacon smothered in Mornay sauce. In addition to the Hot Brown, the Kentucky Derby Pie was created in the Prospect neighborhood. This delicious chocolate and walnut filled pie recipe continues to remain a secret by creators at Kern’s Kitchen. In general, Kentucky is known for many southern staples, from burgoo to benedictine.
Many Kentucky residents accompany their southern dishes with a nice bourbon. Louisville is known for having the best handcrafted bourbon out there. So much so that the area houses Bourbon District in downtown Louisville and Whiskey Row along Main Street. In the Louisville area, you can find many distillery tours where you can witness the distilling process and try some of the best bourbon in Kentucky:
While every Louisville neighborhood has a variety of shopping areas, the Westport Village is one of the most well-known shopping destinations with locally owned businesses. Additionally, you can find a copious amount of well-known stores at the local malls — Mall St. Matthews and Oxmoor Center.
Experience the loud thumping of music at live concerts or the exquisite theatrics of performing arts at accessible venues, like the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts and the Iroquois Amphitheater. The Iroquois Amphitheater offers experiences of a lifetime with their live concerts. And the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts goes beyond with additional performances listed below:
Whether you’re looking for a golf course, an outdoor park, or a river cruise, the Louisville area has a variety of outdoor areas for you to enjoy. You can enjoy the stunning views of the Louisville skyline on one of the many riverboat cruises. From beautiful views on sunset rides to picnics on the river, seniors aged 65 and older are sure to enjoy a riverboat ride at a discounted rate.
If you prefer to stay on land, you can enjoy one of the Louisville parks. At these parks you’ll have access to miles of hiking paths, as well as areas for activities like fishing, picnics, and camping. Crossing over the state line, you can find the Jefferson Memorial Forest in Indiana. With over 60 miles of charming hiking trails, including the wheelchair-accessible Tulip Tree Trail, which is one of the largest city-owned urban forests in the United States. Jeffersonville city parks also have specialty parks with the city’s Home of Champions Wall, where locals honor well-known people from their area.
The Louisville area also offers 10 unique golf courses with affordable golfing experiences. These golf courses push you to improve your skills with challenging holes. You can find the local golf courses and prices on the Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government website.
StoryPoint Middletown, The Ashton on Dorsey and Magnolia Springs Louisville are the top-rated Independent Living facilities near Louisville, KY. These Independent Living facilities received the highest rankings based on verified family reviews. See full list of communities.
The average cost of Independent Living in Louisville is 3,539 per month. This cost may vary based on location, amenities, floorplan, level of care and other factors.
A Place for Mom. (2022). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Veteran status (S2101): Jefferson County, Kentucky [Data set]. American Community Survey.
Commonwealth of Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Home and community based waiver.
Indiana Medicaid for Members. Aged and disabled waiver.
Louisville Metro Human Relations Commission. Fair housing.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Fair housing and equal opportunity serving Indiana.
Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government. Check it out!! – Property maintenance.
Landlord-Tenant Relations, Indiana General Assembly § IC32-31. (rev 2022).
Discriminatory Practices; Fair Housing, Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government § 92.03 (2020).
Assistance animals — Reasonable accommodations in dwellings — Limitation of liability — Penalty for misrepresentation of an assistance animal, Kentucky State Government § 383.085 (2018 & rev. 2019).
Indiana State Government. (Feb. 2023). Frequently asked questions.
Kentucky Department of Public Health. {2022, July 27). Have you been exposed to or tested positive for COVID-19?
Cabinet for Health and Family Services. (2022, Sept. 16). Provider guidance memo: Face coverings in long-term care and senior living congregate care settings.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Age and sex (S0101): Jefferson County, Kentucky [Data set]. American Community Survey.
United States Census Bureau. (2021). Population 65 years and over in The United States (S0103): Jefferson County, Kentucky [Data set]. American Community Survey.
U.S. News and World Report. Best hospitals in Louisville, KY.
Walk Score. Living in Louisville-Jefferson.
Martinson, M. (2023, March 29). Personal communication [Phone interview].
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