Whether your eyesight is declining or your joints can no longer handle sitting in a car for long periods, losing your ability to drive can be incredibly upsetting and may feel like a prison sentence. If you can't get around, how can you enjoy your golden years? Some of the most obvious solutions are also the least useful. Asking family members to drive you around, for example, is only practical when they have free hours in their day. And there's only so many times you can call a cab before it starts to drain your savings. Thankfully, there's another option that solves the problem of being unable to drive without all the drawbacks: consider moving into a retirement community. Today's retirement communities are affordable, packed with amenities, and offer you safety and security alongside reduced housework. They also offer numerous benefits for non-drivers. Here are just a few.

Friends on Your Doorstep

One of the worst parts of not being able to drive is loneliness. Unless your friends live on your street, it's difficult to stay in touch with them when you can't get to their homes. Retirement communities solve this problem by surrounding you with potential friends in every home around you. Your fellow retirement villagers will all be close to you in age, and you're sure to find many who share your interests. It's impossible to be lonely when your peers are just a door knock away. If you choose to move into a retirement community, you may even find that the friends you have now follow suit.

On-Site Care

For many seniors who can no longer drive, the health problem that keeps them out of the car also keeps them travelling back and forth to hospitals and care centres. If you have a health problem that needs specialist care or assistance and you're struggling to make your appointments without a car, a retirement community could be the solution. Look for a village with assisted living facilities and on-site nurses who can help you with your daily health concerns without you having to leave your home.

Shuttles to Shops

Shopping, whether for groceries and essentials or clothes and trinkets, can be difficult and even painful when you don't have a car to get you around. Some retirement villages have shops on site, and many more have shuttle busses and transportation available to take you to supermarkets and shopping centres in neighbouring towns. This allows you to get where you need to go without having to drive there yourself. As an added bonus, it turns even the most boring of shopping trips into a social event.

No Need to Rely on Family

Even when your family say they have no problem helping out, it's hard to stop feeling like you're burdening them. Alongside that, as you age, you may feel like relying on others makes you lose your independence. Retirement communities can help with both these problems by offering you a sense of freedom without the need for family help. These communities are set up to enable you to live your life independently, ensuring that the only time you spend with your loved ones is enjoyable family time with no need to run errands.