Boomers Worry About Moving to Senior Communities for 1 Surprising Reason—but Would Thrive in These 10 Retirement Spots

A rising number of baby boomers are opting to stay in their large family homes and age in place, rather than downsizing to retirement communities—and there’s one surprising factor behind that decision.

There are obvious financial reasons for their reluctance to downsize—low, locked-in mortgage rates and a shortage of smaller, less-expensive homes on the market, for starters.

But interest rates are slowly descending, and many 55+ communities have room to spare. So what’s keeping boomers firmly planted in places? One factor may surprise you.

It all comes down to what’s on their plates. A new survey, The Great Expectations survey by Age of Majority, a consultancy specializing in the 55+ market, found that when considering a residential facility, boomers prioritize their tummies. A whopping 71% say food quality is a “very important” factor when deciding on a move to a new community.

“Nowhere is the desire for independence more evident than in the ability to choose what and where we eat. Boomers are the first instant-gratification aging generation,” says Joe Cuticelli, an executive with the Restaura Hospitality Group which commissioned the study. “They expect to be able to enjoy their version of great food anywhere, anytime and, importantly, they understand the impact of nutrition on longevity.”

Can you blame them? Who wants to be limited to basic meat, potatoes, and canned veggies on a tray when you’ve had the chance to travel the world and experience exotic cuisines, or even shop at Whole Foods, which is only a few miles from your big, beautiful family home?

It’s all about the food

When retired educators Margaret and Ted Ruenitz decided it was time to leave their Los Angeles-area home behind and move to a smaller, less-complicated community where medical care was readily available, the last place they wanted to move was a senior facility with institutional type hospital food. They had sampled the world’s most interesting cuisine and knew how to cook it.

The couple landed on Wesley Palms, a senior community on a verdant San Diego hillside overlooking the bay, where an award-winning chef prepared gourmet meals, where restaurants and upscale markets were a short drive away, and where they could make many like-minded friends.

“Our research shows that, aside from necessities like affordability, safety, and accommodations, food quality drives the decision in choosing a senior living community,” says Cuticelli.

When retirement loomed near, executive chef Gary Kutella and wife Sharon considered many different options for relocations but settled on The Villages, the nation’s largest 55+ community. It wasn’t lost on them that The Villages offered multiple wining and dining venues.

“There are so many options for eating out, there’s probably a place for whatever you’re in the mood for,” he says.

He also notes that the community’s grocery stores and farmers markets carry all the ingredients needed to prepare the foods they crave.

Positioned to pay for upscale eats

With today’s aging population holding over 80% of the wealth in the U.S. and representing $8.3 trillion in annual economic activity, senior community administrators would be remiss in not catering to their potential clients’ culinary preferences.

And some have managed to pull it off perfectly. Not only do they offer top-grade home kitchen options in their residential facilities, but they hire top chefs and nutritionists to oversee menus and source their ingredients from local, organic farmers.

The also design elegant dining facilities (forget about plastic chairs and formica tables), and organize cooking demonstrations and trips to local farmers markets and upscale grocery stores.

We’ve come up with a list of 10 senior living communities with top ratings when it comes to food and beverage. Some are so tantalizing, you’ll actually look forward to turning 55—the minimum age to move in.

10 Top-rated senior communities with phenomenal food

1. Vi at Palo Alto 

Palo Alto, CA

Vi is situated on a lush, green campus in the heart of Silicon Valley, right across the street from Stanford University, which has vibrant academic programs for seniors. Vi offers residents elegant, resort-style apartments for independent living, along with access to more comprehensive care.

A recently completed a multimillion-dollar upgrade, including a brand-new bar and redesigned fine and casual dining restaurants, is especially appealing to the foodies who live there, as is the fact that Vi is relatively close to a variety of upscale restaurants, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and weekly farmers markets.

2. The Barclay at Sarasota

Sarasota, FL

This retirement community has lovely independent-living apartments and villas, with fully appointed kitchens and gorgeous views overlooking lakes and fountains. Its well-reviewed lodge has fine, friendly, and professional care. Excellent cuisine, overseen by professional chefs and nutritionists, is available to everyone.

Touted as offering “extraordinary cuisine,” The Barclay also serves up interesting culinary activities including cooking demonstrations, a baking club, organized restaurant outings, and wine tastings.

In addition, they have a number of dining-out options, among them an elegant dining room with lake views, a cafe, a wine-tasting room, a lounge bar, and a private dining room available with reservations. The elaborate brunch served every Sunday is a big favorite.

3. The Clare

Chicago, IL

Almost unrivaled when it comes to luxe apartments for independent living, these sumptuous homes have spectacular Gold Coast views, balconies, open floor plans, etc. The assisted living accommodations are quite posh as well.

There are plenty of interesting amenities, but the culinary options are designed to wow residents and their families. They have a full gamut of gourmet offerings, developed by executive chef Hagop Hagopian, who has a passion for providing the best quality entrées and has formed a partnership with local mushroom supplier, Four Star Mushrooms.

The Clare also houses what have been rated as some of the finest restaurants in Chicago, including venues like The Ambassador Lounge with small bites and a wide selection of spirits and cocktails; and The Abbey on 53, which has remarkable views and serves dishes like squab, branzino, and Wagyu filet, each course expertly paired with the perfect wine.

Residents can have meals from any restaurant delivered to their doors; but if they want to go out, they’re within walking distance of many of Chicago’s finest eateries.

4. Wesley Palms

San Diego, CA

Nothing works up an appetite like a breath of fresh ocean air. The gorgeous Wesley Palms senior living community, set on a hillside overlooking Mission Bay, is made up of midcentury modern villas for independent living and apartments for assisted living, almost all with ocean views.

There’s a culinary emphasis here—villas have well-designed and appointed kitchens, and many have garden areas where residents can, and often do, grow their own organic herbs and veggies. They frequently hold culinary events and classes and provide transportation to local events that feature fine food.

The main dining room at Wesley Palms is famous for its gourmet fare and is known to entice friends and family members to visit.

5. The Jefferson

Ballston, VA

Here you’ll find independent urban living for seniors in swanky condos with city views, as a well as assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing facilities, and short-term stays.

The Jefferson is noted for its elegant dining facilities and eclectic cuisine, with culinary team members from more than 27 countries who  pull from their cultures to serve unique dishes. There’s a popular Sunday brunch, as well as special events such as wine tastings, themed feasts, coffee festivals, and more.

In addition, The Jefferson is one block from the Ballston Metro which can whisk residents into Washington D.C., as well as local attractions, including all the dining, shopping, and entertainment Ballston has to offer.

6. Querencia

Austin, TX

Querencia is an upscale, 38-acre senior community in the Texas Hill Country that includes 19 different apartment floor plans—some with walk-in closets, wide-open great rooms, and the opportunity to select your own new finishes. All sorts of assisted living services are also offered.

The sprawling campus not only emphasizes haute and healthy cuisine, but also ambiance.

“The dining experience is more than a meal on your plate—it’s a feast for your senses and a catalyst for connections,” says the website. “Enjoy a coffee with the couple you met on your nature walk, or extend a book club conversation over a fresh and light lunch.”

Residents have their choice of eating in the country-club-inspired Mesquite dining room; The Limestone Grill, with its buffet and comfort food; and the exclusive dining room known as the Cypress Room. Or residents can prepare their own food with the goodies purchased on organized outings to the Barton Creek Farmers Market.

7. The Villages

Central Florida

The Villages is the biggest cheese on the retirement community platter. Spanning 57 square miles, it has every type of senior living accommodations you can imagine, from independent to assisted living and from manufactured homes to mansions. There are over 150,000 hungry residents here.

Since The Villages features shopping centers with chain restaurants and supermarkets, coffee shops and fast-food establishments, plus mom and pop eateries, foodies are never left wanting.

But there are also more than 3,000 special interest groups, many involving culinary interests, including baking, exotic cuisines, coffee, wine, beer, and cocktails—even a whole-food, plant-based diet group and a a gathering for ladies who lunch.

8. Rogue Valley Manor

Medford, OR

Residents can take their pick from high-rise living to individual cottages—there are about 300 of them, with full kitchens and spacious dining areas. Assisted living is also available.

The cuisine focuses on the fresh and healthy options, with seasonal menus featuring diversity and locally sourced foods from Southern Oregon’s farmers markets and vendors. There are always multiple gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and heart-healthy options to choose from.

There are also four dining venues, including the grand Main Manor Dining Room, with views for days; the Quail’s Nest Bistro, for more casual dining; private dining rooms, where you and your family and friends can enjoy catered meals; and the marble-clad Arden Fine Dining restaurant.

9. Maravilla

Scottsdale, AZ

Located in sunny Scottsdale, where people have been wintering for decades because of the healthy, dry climate, Maravilla invites year-round residents to stay in very elegant casitas with private garages, courtyard residences with underground parking, and lovely assisted living apartments.

Everyone can enjoy the culinary team’s efforts to create artistic, seasonal, and regional menus of creatively prepared flavors for each of several dining venues. Such a chore to decide between smoked salmon chowder or pan-seared ahi!

The culinary experts are careful to consider the health benefits of their menu, adding foods that help reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol levels, and protect brain health. Menu offerings feature elevated dishes prepared with whole foods, locally grown fruits and vegetables, and bioactives.

In addition, residents can take part in wine tastings and chef-led, interactive cooking demos.

10. Coterie Hudson Yards

Manhattan, NY

Coterie “offers a sophisticated approach to senior living,” and the cuisine and living accommodations seem to back that up. There are 11 floors of stylish apartments with Manhattan views for both those interested in independent living and in assisted living. It’s also designed, constructed, and operated to achieve greater sustainability and healthier spaces—they even have electric-vehicle charging stations in the garage, energy-efficient lighting, and low-flow plumbing fixtures!

That mindset is apparent in Coterie’s tres gourmet culinary program. With a noted chef as the director of food and beverage, a sommelier, and baked goods from the famous Greywind Bakery, they also give individualized attention to residents, focusing on their specific dietary “needs, preferences, and desires.”

Coterie has several different dining venues, including a fine dining room and a piano lounge with city views. There’s also sky-terrace dining, private dining rooms for friends and family and, of course, room service.