Currently, the average age of retirement in the United States is 63. The secret to a happy retirement for many individuals is to remain in good health and stay active. The happiest retirees, according to a recent survey, tend to be involved in 3 to 4 types of activities on a regular basis.

Senior living communities can provide a variety of fun and enriching activities for active seniors. In addition to being able to socialize with other retirees by taking classes or going on outings, these communities provide other opportunities to remain engaged.

There are roughly 1 million Americans choosing to live in these and other types of senior communities. This enables seniors to continue living independently, which can make a significant difference in maintaining a positive outlook on life. The number of retirees choosing to live in these communities is steadily increasing, and is expected to double by 2030.

When looking for the right community, many retirees will look at several before making their final decision. In 2012, for example, National Research reported that 60% of the independent living residents in their customer satisfaction surveys visited 2 or more communities prior to choosing their new home. While there may be additional reasons for their decisions, such as having friends that lived there, reputation and recommendations accounted for 44%. The community’s location made a difference for 40% of the participants.

Holleran Consulting LLC presented customer satisfaction survey results at a 2013 conference. These were obtained from 57,900 individuals living in 265 communities from 36 states. In addition to 84.5% of the respondents stating that they would recommend their community to others, 89.3% stated that their experience was either good or excellent.

When needed, retirement centers also provide beneficial assisted living services. High blood pressure, Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementias are common with over 3/4 of the residents in retirement centers. Assisted living facilities also provide help with daily activities such as bathing and dressing. Nearly 4 in 10 residents may need some assistance with these and other daily living activities, such as walking or medication monitoring.

Money magazine conducted a recent survey that showed 48% of retirees are happier than they expected to be upon retiring. While the reasons for this may vary, it’s likely that being healthy and active are at the top of the list. Another reason may be that these individuals are choosing to living in retirement centers that provide a variety of amenities, opportunities to socialize with other retirees, and a sense of community.