106 Independent Living near Facilities Cambridge, MA. Page 5

Independent Living

Independent Living Communities provide individuals with a harmony between living an independent lifestyle and not having to worry about chores. Frequent needs such as housekeeping and meal planning are taken care of, allowing seniors more free time to live their lives as they wish. Along with their daily needs being met, residents can enjoy an opportunity to live among peers, surrounded by others of similar ages and interests. Within the individual units, residents have access to a private living space and a full kitchen, and can even live with a partner if they prefer. While policies vary between communities, many residences allow cats and dogs as well. Nursing and health care services may always be arranged for with private care providers as desired. There are a variety of costs and advantages to consider when deciding on an independent living community. It is important to determine if these services are covered in the plan: meals, laundry, housekeeping, parking, private phone, internet access, Waiting list deposit, and field trips. The conveniences that pertain to independent living include golf course, healthcare center, private rental hall, laundry service, game/TV room, restaurant-style dining hall, beauty salon & barber shop, and fitness center & swimming pool.

Cost of Living

Senior community price is affected by the community in which it is located. The rent burden for Cambridge is around 18.4% of the average monthly income. Cambridge has a median home value of around $670,281 and the median cost of rent is about $1,989 per month.

Demographics and Values

Of the population of Cambridge 47.4% have a graduate degree, 8.9% have a high-school diploma, and 76.4% have a college degree. Out of the total population of Cambridge, 2.3% do not have health insurance, 2.8% are widowed, 69.5% participate in the labor force, and 6.8% have some form of disability. Based on gender, 49.1% are male and 50.9% are female. The median age of Cambridge is 30 years old. Cambridge has a population density of 6,862 people per square mile. The total population of Cambridge consists of 113,630 people. In Cambridge, 1.9% of the citizens are veterans of the United States armed forces. Demographically, Cambridge is 15.7% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 66.9% white, 2.1% other or not specified, 8.8% Hispanic, 4.2% mixed race, 0.1% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, and 10.8% black.

State Information

An overview of Massachusetts

Overall, Massachusetts ranks 8th in quality of life and 2nd in healthcare compared to other US states. The natural beauty of Massachusetts is ranked 26th in the nation. There are 78 general hospitals and 129 health centers that provide care for 6,941,273 Massachusetts residents. The three highest ranked hospitals in Massachusetts are Cape Cod Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and New England Baptist Hospital. Out of a national average of 100, Massachusetts has a cost of living index rating of 134, a grocery index rating of 114, and a housing index rating of 170.

Social demographics of the state

During the latest presidential election, 33% voted for the Republican candidate while 60% voted for the Democratic candidate. In terms of diversity, Massachusetts ranks 16th in the nation and is considered very LGBTQ friendly. The median age in the state is 39, and 30% of the population is over the age of 55. In terms of religious values, 23% of Massachusetts’s population regularly attend some form of service and there are in total 4,200 different congregations. The top three Christian denominations in the state are Evangelical Protestant-9%, Mainline Protestant-10%, and Historically Black Protestant-2%. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-3%, Muslim-<1%, and Buddhist-<1%. In Massachusetts there are 27 masonic lodges.

State-wide weather information

Massachusetts experiences an average humidity rating of about 71%. The highest monthly average humidity rating is 71% in the month of December. The most precipitation occurs in May with an average of 6.10 inches of precipitation a month. On average, the state receives 4.04 inches of precipitation a month. During the winter, the average temperature in Massachusetts drops to around 28F. The average high winter temperature is around 45F in the month of January. In the winter months, the average low temperature falls to around 7F during the month of December. The average temperature in the summer rises to around 68F. Over the summer months the average high temperature peaks at around 85F during the month of July. In the summer, the average low temperature drops to around 50F during the month of June. On average, Massachusetts has an air quality index rating of around 38.9 AQI. The highest seasonal air quality index rating occurs in the month of May with a rating of 47.5 AQI. While residents of Massachusetts mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in Massachusetts can include hurricanes, earthquakes (moderate), and and tornadoes.

Wildlife to be found in Massachusetts

The state of Massachusetts has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of flowering dogwood, white spruce, flowering dogwood, and butterfly weed. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the cardinal flower, the woodchucks, the spike gayfeather, or the white pine. The state animal of Massachusetts is the woodchucks.