10 Best Independent Living Communities in Columbus, OH

Columbus residents can combine several private and public assistance options to help pay for independent living. Take account of your own unique financial circumstances to determine the best way to pay for independent living and any additional personal care services you may grow to need.

Options like Medicaid and Medicare won’t help cover rent in an independent living community, but they may help you offset home health care costs. If you have a chronic health condition, disability, or another need for personal care, these programs may help cover the cost of home health care services in your independent living residence.

Ohio independent living communities typically have an age minimum of 55, 62, or 65. Age minimums generally don’t apply to every tenant. Rather, one person in each apartment household must meet the age requirement.

Independent living communities are subject to the same regulations as any other Ohio rental units, with tenants and landlords each having their own requirements and rights. However, independent living communities with assisted living or memory care on-site may be more strictly regulated, at least in the units where medical care services are provided. For more information on the assisted living or memory care unit regulations of your potential community, visit our guide to Columbus assisted living.

Ohio apartment regulations

Landlords of apartments in Ohio are required to maintain standards of maintenance, safety, and cleanliness for their tenants. Landlords are required to do the following:

• Ensure that all electrical, plumbing, sanitation, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, elevators, and other facilities are in good and safe working order
• Organize waste removal services (if the landlord is overseeing four or more dwelling spaces within one building)
• Supply running water and heat
• Make any repairs needed to keep the building safe and usable
• Maintain compliance with building codes for health and safety purposes
• Keep common areas clean, sanitary, and safe

Tenants are required to do the following:

• Avoid disturbing other residents with excessive noise
• Keep the premises clean and safe
• Use plumbing and electrical equipment appropriately
• Dispose of waste properly
• Comply with state and municipal drug laws on the premises
• Comply with health and safety codes for housing

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, granting residents with disabilities access to the same activities and benefits offered to the other tenants. Some examples of such accommodations may include the following:

• Provide convenient parking for those with mobility issues
• Provide equal access to the complex’s communal areas or activities for tenant with disability
• Adjust rent payment due dates to correspond with tenant’s disability payments
• Allow a service or therapy animal when a no-pet policy is in place

Modifications can mean making construction changes to the apartment complex and unit in order to make the space more accessible to individuals with disabilities. This could mean building a wheelchair ramp, adding a hands-free entrance, or installing handrails in bathrooms. The costs of these modifications are the responsibility of the property owner, rather than of the tenant with the disability.

Regulations for Ohio senior care communities

Independent living communities that offer multiple care types on the same campus may have more strict regulations in their care units or wings. Some of these regulations include staff requirements, minimum staff-to-resident ratios, and service offerings like the following:

• Medication administration assistance
• Assistance with activities of daily living
• Recreation and social activities
• Housekeeping and laundry services
• Providing three meals per day or a food safe storage for residents to take care of their own food.

Assisted living facilities, or residential care facilities as they are designated in Ohio, must be licensed by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). The ODH performs facility inspections before licensing the facility and a minimum of every 15 months after licensure.

To view Ohio senior care facility inspection reports, you can use the Health Care Provider Search tool. Look up a particular facility’s inspection report by selecting the category of care provider from the drop-down menu. Then, you can narrow your search by entering the county, city, organization’s name, or any information you have for the corresponding fields. To search and compare nursing home facilities, use the Medicare nursing home search tool. You can find more information on related Ohio tenant-landlord laws below.

• View the 2021 Ohio Tenant-Landlord guide.
• View the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging Housing Guide for Seniors and Individuals Who Have a Disabilities.

Ohio Department of Health contact information

Ohio Department of Health
246 N. High St.
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-466-3543

COVID-19 regulations for Columbus independent living communities

As most COVID-19 restrictions in Ohio have been lifted, there are no specific COVID-19 regulations required for Ohio independent living communities at this time. However, communities that include assisted living are recommended to implement precautionary measures in accordance with CDC guidelines. Individual communities may have their own rules in place, so make sure to call prospective communities ahead of time to learn about their specific guidelines. The general guidelines are as follows:

Columbus independent living offers seniors worry-free retirement, where you can shed the responsibilities of home ownership. Live without worry of lawn care and maintenance, and gain access to many other convenient on-site amenities and services.

As a resident of Columbus independent living, you can get the most out of your retirement with the community’s many service offerings dedicated to improving your quality of life. The services available at our partner independent living communities generally include the following:

• Restaurant-style dining
• Maintenance services
• Housekeeping services
• Management staff on-site
• Transportation services
• Laundry and dry cleaning
• Planned events and recreational activities
• Grocery and errand services

On-site amenities at our Columbus independent living partner communities generally feature communal leisure areas and on-site conveniences like the following:

• Beauty salons/barber shops
• TV and movie lounges
• Swimming pools
• Spas
• Fitness centers
• Libraries
• Dining areas
• Cafes/bistros
• Pubs/bars

At our Columbus independent living community partners, you can enjoy private apartments with convenient features like the following:

• Private balconies or patios
• High-speed internet
• Fully equipped kitchens
• Wheelchair-accessible showers
• Multiple floor plan options

Multiple tiers of care on one campus

Out of our partner Columbus communities offering independent living, over 65% feature some combination of independent living, assisted living, and memory care, all in the same community. This type of integrated community enables residents to easily transition to a support level that fits them if their needs change, making it ideal for aging in place.

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.

Social opportunities in and around Columbus independent living communities

Independent senior living communities also provide social opportunities, either through formal activity schedules or resident-run groups. With most residents being retirees, they typically share a common interest in fun and leisure.

Because many of our partner independent living communities in Columbus are centrally located in the downtown area, residents have easy access to the city’s best dining and entertainment venues. Downtown Columbus is easy to traverse on foot or through public transportation. Dubbed “everyone’s neighborhood” for its inclusivity and its variety, downtown Columbus offers events at the Columbus Commons, beautiful views at popular rooftop restaurants, and lovely riverside parks on the Scioto Mile.

Health care for seniors in Columbus

Columbus is home to two state-of-the-art teaching and general medical hospitals.

Transportation for seniors in Columbus

Of A Place for Mom’s partnered independent living communities, 77% offer complimentary transportation services to residents. For residents in communities without transportation, Columbus is highly walkable and bikeable, and it has great public transportation options.

Columbus boasts an award-winning public transportation system, the Central Ohio Transit Authority, or COTA. The American Public Transportation Association awarded COTA its Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award in 2018 and 2020. With buses serving an area spanning over 1.2 million people, COTA has innovative trip planning tools, multiple services like Bike and Ride or Park and Ride, and a free Emergency Ride Home system to make sure Columbus residents don’t get stranded.

You can find information on free and low-cost transportation specifically for seniors and individuals with disabilities in the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAA) comprehensive Transportation Guide.

Most errands in the downtown Columbus area can be accomplished on foot. The city has a bike share system called CoGo in addition to other public transportation options. Further outside of downtown, however, Columbus residents are more likely to need a car to get around easily.

Walkscore.com has ranked downtown Columbus as “very walkable” with the following transportation ratings out of 100: