The short answer to this question is yes, but not without some conditions. Much depends on the community and their restrictions. For example, children may not be allowed in certain areas of the community, or there could be limits on how long they can visit, or even the time of day they can visit. To understand the reasons for these restrictions, let’s first explore how senior housing came to be in the first place.
History of Senior Housing
The first senior housing facility in the US was created in Philadelphia in 1817. The facility, known as the Old Ladies’ Home, was established by two Quaker women who wanted to help elderly, childless widows who didn’t have anyone to care for them.
The need for senior housing became more urgent after World War II when more women entered the workforce, leaving no one at home to care for aging family members.
To solve this problem, boarding houses for seniors began to pop up. These were often run by counties and were only marginally better than the poorhouses where seniors who couldn’t live on their own sometimes ended up prior to the late 1800s.
In 1965, Medicare and Medicaid were created. At the same time, people were living longer, thanks to advancements in healthcare. Many boarding homes were converted into nursing homes so they would qualify for the federal money that was suddenly available.
The Fair Housing Act, passed in 1968, addressed housing discrimination. However, since age-restricted communities already existed, they made an exemption in the law for senior housing. To qualify for the exemption, at least 80 percent of the homes must be occupied by someone over 55.
Common Restrictions Concerning Children
In 1995, another law was created: the Housing for Older Persons Act, or HOPA. Under HOPA, no one under the age of 62 can live in a 62+ community. And while there is a little more legal wiggle room within the 80/20 rule in 55+ communities, property managers can make their own rules, prohibiting anyone under 55 from living there, full-time or temporarily.
Since many of the residents who seek out 55+ communities do so because they want to live around other adults in a peaceful environment, most of these communities severely restrict visits from children to certain hours and from certain locations, such as shared amenities like the swimming pool or tennis courts.
Children can even be limited to a set number of days they are allowed to visit within a certain time frame. For example, they may only be allowed to visit 30 or 90 days per year. The rules are different for every community, so be sure to ask about restrictions when searching for a senior living community. Often, these rules are set by the Homeowner’s Association, and they’re typically designed to keep the majority of residents happy.
Grandkids Living vs. Visiting in 55+ Housing
While some senior living communities are more relaxed about visiting children than other communities, most have some type of restrictions that must be followed. Some people might demand leniency for their grandchildren, but they don’t want leniency for the apartment above, below, or next door to them. So even though the rules might seem restrictive, they keep everyone on the same page.
What about babies and toddlers? While the occasional visit, or even babysitting, is probably fine, you’ll want to check the lease. It most often comes down to the amount of time the children are around. Babysitting for an evening while the parents go on a date night might be allowed, but taking care of the grandchildren daily and allowing them to run in the halls or swim in the pool would likely not be allowed.
Different Rules at Different 55+ Communities
One manager of a 55+ community in Madison, Wisconsin said the community’s lease restricts overnight visitors to no more than 14 days in a row and 45 days per year. He said most of the residents love grandkids and don’t mind seeing them around the building. Daily babysitting onsite would have to be handled on an individual basis, he said, depending on how it went. Are the kids loud or bothering people? Are there any complaints? “We like kids,” he said, “but I have to take care of my residents first.”
Miles away in sunny Florida, another property manager took a different approach. These independent living apartments, while restricted to seniors 55+, have no visitor regulations. “This is their home,” she stressed. “They can do whatever they want here.” And that includes spending quality time with the grandkids, whether it’s in their own apartment or at the pool.
Since HOPA doesn’t provide any specific guidelines or restrictions regarding those under the age of 18 from visiting residents in a 55+ community, the decision is essentially up to the management, HOA, or landlord. It’s something you’ll want to find out in order to find a senior living community that works for you.
