158 Independent Living near Facilities Athens, NY. Page 5

Independent Living

For those who wish to live primarily without personal assistance but wish for the benefit of having daily tasks and responsibilities maintained by professionalls, an Independent Living Community may be the perfect option. Daily needs such as housekeeping and meal planning are taken care of, which permits occupants more free time to live life as they wish. Along with their daily needs being met, residents can enjoy the opportunity to live among peers, surrounded by others of similar age groups and backgrounds. Typically comprised of a private living space and a full kitchen, these communities offer homes with many of the amenities of apartment life but without the hassle. Guests can be invited over and entertained, and there will be more time to spend with them with the basic maintenance of daily tasks out of the way. While policies differ between locations, many residences allow pets as well. If residents decide they would like to utilize the services of independent medical professionalls, they always have the option. There are an assortment of costs and advantages to consider when deciding on an independent living community. It is important to learn if these amenities are included in your care plan: laundry, wellness program, parking, private phone, initial assessment fee, housekeeping, cable TV, and transportation. The benefits and amenities associated with independent living include transportation, restaurant-style dining hall, beauty salon & barber shop, fitness center & swimming pool, community activities, game/TV room, concierge services, and laundry service.

Cost of Living

The community in which a senior care community is based will have a significant effect on community price. The overall cost of living is a big influence in deciding which destination is the best fit for your family. The rent burden for Athens is around 27.0% of the average person’s monthly income. Monthly, the median cost of rent in Athens is $1,352 per month and the median home value in Athens is about $181,255.

Demographics and Values

Out of the total population of Athens, 11.0% are widowed, 16.5% have some form of disability, 13.8% live in poverty, and 3.4% do not have health insurance. Racially, the population of Athens is 0.1% Native American, 95.0% white, 1.5% Asian, 0.3% Hispanic, 2.6% black, 0.3% other or not specified, 0.0% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, and 0.5% mixed race. The current population of Athens consists of 1,603 people. Athens has a population density of 180 people per square mile. In Athens, 7.1% of the population are veterans of the United States military. Out of the total city population, 44.2% are male and 55.8% are female. The median age of Athens is 48 years old. In terms of education, 11.8% have a graduate degree, 40.9% have a high-school diploma, and 23.2% have a college degree.

State Information

An overview of New York

The state of New York has a cost of living index of 135.7 where a score of 100 is the national average, and anything above 100 is considered more expensive than the average. The state has a grocery index rating of 114.8 and a housing index rating of 204.4. Residents of New York enjoy its natural beauty which ranks 24th in the United States. There are 205 general hospitals and 496 health centers that provide care for 19,493,819 New York residents. Hospital For Special Surgery, Albany Memorial Hospital, and And Northern Duchess Hospital are among the top three highest ranked hospitals in the state. New York is ranked 25th in quality of life and 13th in healthcare.

Social demographics of the state

The state of New York ranks 5th in the country for diversity and the state is considered very LGBTQ friendly. Twenty-nine percent of New York residents regularly attend a religious service from one of the state’s 14,110 different congregations. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-7%, Muslim-2%, and Buddhist-<1%, with the most common Christian denominations consisting of Evangelical Protestant-10%, Mainline Protestant-11%, and Historically Black Protestant-5%. In New York there are 72 masonic lodges. During the latest presidential election, 37% voted for the Republican candidate while 59% voted for the Democratic candidate. The state has a median age of 39 and 30% of its population being over the age of 55.

State-wide weather information

The average temperature in the winter falls to around 25F. The average high winter temperature is around 25F in the month of December. The average low temperature during the winter drops to around 2F in the month of January. The average temperature in the summer rises to around 68F. Over the summer months the average high temperature peaks at around 86F during the month of July. The average low summer temperature is around 48F in the month of June. On average, the state receives 3.54 inches of precipitation a month. The most precipitation occurs in October with an average of 6.10 inches of precipitation a month. New York experiences an average humidity rating of about 71%. Humidity levels tend to reach their peak in the month of December at around 77%. The average air quality index rating in New York is 34.2 AQI. The average air quality index rating peaks in the month of May with a rating of around 44.5 AQI. While residents of New York mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in New York can include floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and and earthquakes (moderate).

Wildlife to be found in New York

The state of New York has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of swamp milkweed, canada anemone, bluets, and smooth white beardtongue. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the Eurasian boar, the eastern cougar, the black bear, or the gray fox. The state animal of New York is the beaver.