10 Best Independent Living Communities in Albuquerque, NM

Albuquerque residents can choose from several private and public assistance options to help pay for independent senior living. Assessing your own unique financial situation will help determine the best way for you to pay for a senior apartment and any personal care services you may require.

While public assistance options will not cover the cost of rent in an independent living community, they may help you offset costs in other areas. If you need personal care services or have a disability or other chronic health condition, public assistance may help cover care, freeing up your personal income for rent and add-on services.

Of our partnered independent living communities in Albuquerque, 40% are stand-alone independent living communities. This means they don’t offer care services you’d find in an assisted living or memory care community. Stand-alone communities fall under the regulations of any other type of apartment.

Regulations for New Mexico senior care communities

Independent living communities that are part of senior living facilities that offer multiple care types may have more strict regulations, such as direct care staff requirements, minimum staff to resident ratios, and service offerings which must include the following:

• Medication administration assistance
• Assistance with activities of daily living
• Recreation and social activities
• Housekeeping and laundry services
• Minimum of three nutritionally balanced meals per day, as well as evening snacks

Skilled nursing, assisted living, and memory care facilities in New Mexico are required to be licensed and regulated by the New Mexico Department of Health’s Division of Health Improvement, Health Facility Licensing and Certification Bureau. Licenses of all of these facilities are renewed yearly.

Inspection reports on New Mexico senior care facilities can be viewed through a search of the Health Care Provider Survey Reports. To look up a particular facility’s inspection report using this tool, select the category of care provider from the drop-down menu, then narrow your search by entering the county, the city, or the name of the specific organization you’re searching for. For more information on assisted living regulations in the area, visit our Albuquerque assisted living page.

Apartment regulations in New Mexico

Landlords of apartment communities in New Mexico, including independent senior living, are required to uphold standards of maintenance, safety, and cleanliness for their tenants. Such standards include the following:

• Ensuring that all electrical, plumbing, sanitation, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and other facilities are in good working order
• Organizing trash removal services
• Supplying running water and heat

Apartments are also required to comply with state housing codes, including the following:

• Shared/common areas must be clean, sanitary, and safe
• Pest infestations must be prevented and exterminated if they do occur
• Building must receive regular maintenance, with walls and roofs reasonably sealed against the weather, and stairs and porches able to support heavy loads.

View the full New Mexico Renter’s Guide.

ADA compliance

Independent living communities must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by making reasonable accommodations and modifications for individuals with disabilities. Owners of housing facilities are prohibited by federal law from denying residency to individuals who have disabilities.

Reasonable accommodations are defined as adjustments to rules or policies so that residents with disabilities are included in the same activities and benefits offered to the rest of the tenants. Accommodations can include offerings such as the following:

• Convenient parking
• Equal access to the complex’s shared spaces or activities for those with disabilities
• Rent payment due date adjusted to correspond with tenant’s disability payments

Modifications can mean making construction changes to the complex and unit that make the space more accessible to those with disabilities, such as adding a wheelchair ramp or hands-free entrance or installing handrails in bathrooms. The costs of these modifications are the responsibility of the property owner, rather than of the resident with the disability.

COVID-19 regulations for Albuquerque independent living communities

As most COVID-19 restrictions in Albuquerque have been lifted, there are no COVID-19 regulations in place for Albuquerque independent living communities at this time.

However, some Albuquerque senior living communities offer independent living alongside assisted living and other care types. As assisted living communities continue to have a few guidelines in place, some multi-tiered senior communities that include independent living may also adhere to these rules.

New Mexico Department of Health contact information

New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department

New Mexico Department of Health staff directory

Albuquerque independent living is designed for seniors who are ready to spend less time worrying about home maintenance and more time enjoying the best of their retirement years. Residents of Albuquerque have access to some of the best sightseeing, outdoor activities, arts and culture, and culinary experiences the Southwest has to offer.

Luxury independent living

Albuquerque has many luxury independent living options, which are typically resort-style communities. Albuquerque independent living combines maintenance-free apartment life with a vacation-like lifestyle, where seniors can do what they love with others in their same stage of life.

Common features of luxury independent living communities in Albuquerque include the following:

• Restaurant-style dining
• On-site barber/salon services
• Movie theater
• On-site laundry facilities
• On-site maintenance
• Planned social events
• Pool and/or spa
• Fitness center
• Common areas/lounges/clubhouses

Multiple levels of support

Many of Albuquerque’s senior living communities feature multiple levels of senior living support all on one campus. Out of our partnered communities offering independent living, 60% feature some combination of independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care. This type of integrated community is ideal for aging in place, as residents can easily transition to a support level that fits them if their needs change. Multiple care types together also offer more variety among residents, often giving more opportunity for friendships and community engagement, regardless of an individual’s specific level of need.

Health care for seniors in Albuquerque

There are several reputable medical centers in Albuquerque, many of which specialize in long-term acute care and rehabilitative stays. These types of facilities strive to minimize the risk of re-hospitalization, which can be vital to the health and wellness of seniors.

Transportation for seniors in Albuquerque

All of our Albuquerque independent living partners offer complimentary transportation to residents. While some of them may require an additional fee for on-demand transport outside of the community’s regular transportation schedule, Albuquerque seniors in independent living should have no problem getting around.

While the neighborhoods and residential areas are walkable, the commercial areas like shopping and dining generally require vehicle access. However, for residents who choose not to own a vehicle, the city does have public transportation options available.

Albuquerque’s main transit bus system, ABQ RIDE, offers monthly passes, assistance with planning your route, and a Guaranteed Ride Home system. Guaranteed Ride Home is ABQ’s “commuter insurance,” and it ensures that in the case of an emergency, such as a passenger missing the last ride, ABQ will make sure that the passenger is safely picked up and driven home.

For residents aged 60 and over, Albuquerque has transportation services for seniors. Seniors can take advantage of the city’s curb-to-curb van transport to medical appointments, meal sites, activities, and shopping, with wheelchair accommodations available for those who need it. Many of these services require reservations, which can be made by calling 505-764-6464.

WalkScore has assessed Albuquerque’s transportation options, city layout, and population density to determine these ratings out of 100: