According to a new study by a Stanford economics scholar, people tend to increase their savings more when they are using retirement income projections, and have access to information regarding why it makes sense to save money now for later use. When the information is absent, however, people save less for retirement on average. “The findings suggest that people are not perfectly informed about the link between saving today and income in retirement,” said Gopi Shah Goda, the economist senior research scholar who was behind the research.

Are you planning for retirement? Many people see retirement communities as something to avoid — when instead, for many individuals and couples, they might be something worth embracing. Here are a few things people should know about adult retirement homes before passing judgement.

Three Advantages to Retirement Communities

• As seniors age, many are still fairly independent but have to deal with setbacks like a loss of driving license that might make them fairly isolated. A retirement community is often a social place where people can find a new start, and new friends.
• Home health care for those who need it can cost between $10 and $20 an hour. Even if someone only needs care several times a week, this can add up quickly over the year. Continuing care retirement communities can offer these services and reduce anxiety over caretaking for individuals who need more assistance.
• Retirement living options have come a long way in the past several decades, and it’s not just bingo and knitting anymore. Today, most centers have numerous options for various activities throughout the day, including crafts, movie nights, cycling and more.

Three Facts That Might Surprise You About Retirement

• About 30% of retirement homes in the U.S. have been cited for elder abuse, and in many cases this was neglect. Don’t just go for the cheapest location when they’re housing someone you love — do the research and make sure your center is providing quality and humane care.
• The average cost of an assisted living facility is now about $39,500 per year. While this might seem like a fairly high number, it’s on par with the average living expenses most seniors have while living on their own.
• Over three million people in the U.S. right now are in retirement communities.

Are you planning for retirement? Let us know about your preparations in the comments.