For a long time, the question of housing after 70 or 80 years old didn’t really arise. We stayed in the family home until the end, even if it meant living alone in a large house that was sometimes unsuitable for the loss of autonomy. But the current generation of retirees is faced with a more brutal reality: soaring property prices and rents, the scarcity of well-located housing and the absence of an intermediate offer between the historic home and the nursing home.
“The main obstacle to residential mobility for seniors is not always the sale of their home, but what they will find next”notes Yann Vettraino, director of the Address Success agency in Serris (77). Many sell a house that has become too large, sometimes at a discount, only to discover that the apartments in their area are expensive, unsuitable for aging and subject to rising rents. Result: due to a lack of solutions designed for them, many seniors find themselves stuck even though they would like to move.
Glaring lack of intermediate offers
The Notariat Services survey confirms this: for 55% of seniorsthe difficulty of finding suitable accommodation in their area is the number one obstacle to mobility. “Between individual homes and EHPADs, the supply of housing truly designed for aging still remains insufficient in many areas”warns Yann Vettraino. Accessibility, à la carte services, proximity to shops and transport: these criteria are becoming decisive, but the offer is poorly maintained, particularly in small towns and rural areas.
Moreover, “we are facing a generation that has not always anticipated its residential journey”continues the professional. Becoming a tenant after the age of 70 exposes you to high rents and sometimes to the reluctance of certain landlords, who consider the income of retirees to be less secure. Without advance preparation or suitable products, elderly households find themselves stuck in housing that is unsuitable or too expensive to maintain.
Senior service residences: comfort and services, but at what price?
First response to this lack: senior service residences, which offer private, secure apartments with services (catering, concierge, activities, 24-hour monitoring). They appeal to independent retirees who want to break their isolation without going to a nursing home. But this comfort comes at a cost: beyond rent or co-ownership charges, service packages can significantly increase the monthly bill.
For owners, buying in such a residence also requires anticipating resale, which can sometimes be tricky if the local supply is abundant. For tenants, the monthly bill can significantly exceed that of a traditional apartment, especially in a tense area. Before committing, it is therefore essential to compare the levels of rent and charges with traditional accommodation in a good location, and to carefully check the services actually included.
Shared and life-long housing: ways to control your budget
Another booming avenue: shared or inclusive housing, where several seniors, sometimes with other groups, share a large accommodation or a small building, while benefiting from common spaces and services. This formula makes it possible to reduce individual costs (rent, energy, shared home help) and to fight against isolation, provided you accept community living and clear collective rules.
The occupied life annuity allows you to stay at home while supplementing your retirement thanks to a bouquet and an annuity. “The challenge of the coming years will be to develop intermediate solutions capable of meeting the expectations of seniors: serviced residences, shared housing, occupied life annuity or new forms of inclusive housing”summarizes Yann Vettraino. These systems combine autonomy, security and budget control, but still remain little known to the general public and too underdeveloped in certain regions. For seniors, the challenge now is to anticipate this residential shift early, in order to choose their solution rather than endure it.
