187 Independent Living near Facilities Gainesville, TX. Page 4

Independent Living

For seniors who wish to live primarily without assistance but would like the assistance of having housekeeping handled by professionalls, an Independent Living Community may be the perfect fit. You or your loved one may live their lives as they wish while their food is prepared by a professionall chef, housekeeping and laundry duties are handled by staff, and social activities are organized and scheduled. Along with their daily needs being met, residents can enjoy an opportunity to live among peers, in a community with others of similar ages and backgrounds. Typically consisting of a private living space and a full kitchen, these communities offer residences with many of the amenities of apartment life but with none of the hassle. Guests can be invited over and entertained, and more time can be spent with them with the basic maintenance of daily tasks out of the way. While policies differ between communities, many residences allow pets as well. If residents decide they would like to enlist the services of private medical professionalls, they may always do so. There are an assortment of costs and advantages to balance when choosing an independent living community. It is important to determine if these amenities are included in your plan: housekeeping, cable TV, private phone, field trips, initial assessment fee, wellness program, internet access, and Waiting list deposit. The benefits that pertain to independent living include beauty salon & barber shop, healthcare center, fitness center & swimming pool, security guards, laundry service, game/TV room, golf course, and restaurant-style dining hall.

Cost of Living

Cost of living can be a major influence in determining what care choice fits best. Monthly, the median price for rent in Gainesville is around $805 and the median home value for Gainesville is about $98,161. The rent burden for Gainesville is around 16.0% of the average monthly income.

Demographics and Values

In Gainesville, 67.5% participate in the labor force, 19.7% do not have health insurance, 15.2% have some form of disability, and 8.0% are widows. Based on gender, 47.4% are male and 52.6% are female. The median age of Gainesville is 34 years old. Currently, the population of Gainesville consists of 16,155 people and in total the Gainesville metro area has a population of 16,419. Gainesville has a population density of 328 people per square mile. In terms of education, 32.3% have a high-school diploma, 15.3% have a college degree, and 5.1% have a graduate degree. Racially, the population of Gainesville is 0.9% Native American, 0.3% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 1.6% Asian, 4.3% mixed race, 31.1% Hispanic, 5.4% black, 86.4% white, and 1.1% other or not specified. In Gainesville, 7.0% of the population are veterans of the United States military.

State Information

An overview of Texas

There are 468 hospitals and 501 health centers that service a population of 28,701,845. The top three hospitals in the state are considered to be Nix Health Care System, Grace Medical Center, and Houston Methodist Hospital. Based on natural beauty, Texas ranks 40th in the nation. The state of Texas has a cost of living index of 91.3 where a score of 100 is the national average, and anything below 100 is considered less expensive than the national average. The state has a grocery index rating of 88.9 and a housing index rating of 85.3. Overall, Texas ranks 38th in quality of life and 37th in healthcare compared to other US states.

Social demographics of the state

The state has a median age of 35 and 24% of its population being over the age of 55. In the most recent presidential election, 52% of Texas residents voted Republican and 43% voted Democrat. Forty-two percent of Texas residents regularly attend a religious service from one of the state’s 27,848 different congregations. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-<1%, Muslim-<1%, and Buddhist-<1%, with the most common Christian denominations consisting of Evangelical Protestant-31%, Mainline Protestant-13%, and Historically Black Protestant-6%. In Texas there are 1,292 masonic lodges. In terms of diversity, Texas ranks 2nd in the nation.

State-wide weather information

Texas experiences an average humidity rating of about 65%. Humidity levels tend to reach their peak in the month of February at around 81%. The average temperature in the summer rises to around 82F. Over the summer months the average high temperature peaks at around 102F during the month of June. In the summer, the average low temperature drops to around 56F during the month of June. The average temperature in the winter falls to around 48F. The average high winter temperature is around 75F in the month of February. The average low temperature during the winter drops to around 16F in the month of January. On average, the state receives 31.68 inches of precipitation a month. The most precipitation occurs in June with an average of 7.44 inches of precipitation a month. On average, Texas has an air quality index rating of around 36.8 AQI. The highest seasonal air quality index rating occurs in the month of July with a rating of 51.4 AQI. While residents of Texas mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in Texas can include tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods.

Wildlife to be found in Texas

The state of Texas has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of blackbrush, post oak, ceniz, and small live oak. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the bats, the rattlesnake, the opossums, or the dolphins. Some of the plants species native to the Texas region include perennial bunchgrasses, live oak, and post oak. The state animal of Texas is the nine-banded armadillo.