Senior living communities focus on enhancing independence, not limiting it. The new year is prompting many active adults to explore community living as a lifestyle choice rather than a last resort. According to Brittney Thoreson, senior vice president of housing at Vivie,
"There's been a shift where individuals are focusing more on quality, amenities, hospitality—it's not 'what are my care needs?' It's 'how can I have that active, independent solution?'"
One of the most persistent misconceptions about senior living is that moving to a community means giving up independence. Brittney has seen the opposite play out countless times in Vivie communities across Minnesota and Wisconsin.
"When you walk into our communities, it feels active. You see people connecting," she says. "Residents thrive and have better outcomes when they're in a setting that encourages social interactions, better nutrition, and wellness programming."
That wellness programming goes far beyond what many might expect. Many Vivie communities feature wellness centers that offer group exercise classes that are, in Brittney's words, "hopping." There's one-on-one personal training and group wellness options, music and entertainment, church and bible studies supported by Vivie's own chaplaincy team, and well-attended happy hours multiple times a week. Residents form card clubs, board game gatherings, book clubs, knitting and crochet groups, and gardening clubs (complete with raised garden beds for summer growing and indoor green rooms for winter projects).
In independent senior living communities, Vivie embraces every resident as an individual.
“We're looking at the whole person to meet their needs: physical, spiritual, social," Brittney emphasizes. "There's been a shift from care to hospitality: we're creating environments that feel like restaurants, movie theaters, and spaces for active people."
For someone considering 2026 as their year of positive change, the benefits of community living often extend beyond what they initially imagine. Brittney shares stories of potential residents touring a Vivie community and unexpectedly running into longtime friends—former neighbors, old colleagues—and watching those friendships come back to life.
"This is more common than not," she notes. "Because our referral base is often from within the area, people already have many connections. They get involved with the different clubs, serve on the resident council, and connect."
One particularly moving example involved a memory care resident at Grand Arbor whose daughter advocated for her mother to participate in the community's personal wellness plan, particularly the pool time. "Mom absolutely loved it," Brittney recalls. "We saw benefits outside of the pool in her mobility. That was super cool to see—allowing her to have an experience that people might not consider as part of memory care. It became the highlight of her week."
What draws many active adults to explore senior living isn't a need for care; it's a desire for freedom. Freedom from snow removal, yard maintenance, home repairs, and all the daily upkeep that can gradually become overwhelming. It's the freedom to connect with others, to try new activities, to travel without worrying about the house, to have transportation readily available for errands and outings.
Vivie communities regularly organize outings using their Vivie buses: trips to see Christmas lights, shopping excursions, cultural events, and more. There are resident ambassador programs where engaged residents help orient newcomers and invite them to community activities. For those who appreciate staying connected digitally, technology is woven throughout the communities because, as Brittney points out,
"Our residents are technology driven and need the best Wi-Fi and digital services.”
Expect to find a resident on a Facetime call with friends and family at any given moment during the day.
Perhaps one of the most significant advantages Vivie offers is the continuum of care model: the ability to age in place as needs change, without having to search for and move to a new community.
Brittney shares the story of a couple: one spouse needed assisted living support while the other remained more independent. They lived together in an assisted living apartment. When the wife later needed memory care support, she moved to that household while her husband transitioned to an independent living apartment. "Daily, he just had to buzz down the hallway to see his wife," Brittney explains. "He was nearby when she was getting the care that she needed."
She's seen several residents start in independent senior living and transition through to enhanced assisted living, eventually receiving hospice care–all under the same roof, surrounded by familiar faces.
"Consistency and familiarity in faces is a huge benefit," she notes. "In hospice services, residents have their consistent team able to go above and beyond to provide that care."
For those considering senior living in the near future, Brittney offers straightforward guidance:
"Do your research. Identify what are the most important things you're looking for in a community, and prioritize that."
The biggest hesitation she hears? Financial concerns. “We try to help people understand how it works by creating a financial worksheet: What are you paying for gas, lawn care, or property taxes versus senior living?” she says. “What are you getting in senior living, and how do the budgets compare?” Vivie assists future residents and their families with assessing real-world costs and long-term plans as part of the move-in discussions.
Brittney encourages prospective residents and their loved ones to use technology to research online, but then make the phone call and take the tour.
"Make sure you really prioritize what those top things you're looking for are. Is it a wellness center? A top-end restaurant? A two-bedroom apartment with a view? There are so many options and many ways to access that information online as a starting point. But call, make the tour, see the community. Don't hesitate to just call and ask questions."
When asked what advice she'd give to active adults, Brittney doesn't hesitate:
"Age is just a number, and it's never too late to try something new. Be active, stay engaged, try something new.”
She acknowledges that it's easy to get stuck thinking "I'm 85 years old," as if age alone determines possibility. "I know many 80- to 90-year-olds who are still staying active in their groups, but also trying new things. There are a lot of experiences out there. Get involved, stay connected, and plan ahead. It's never too early to start looking at what that future is and what that might look like."