Naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) are communities that were not initially created for seniors, but rather evolved over time to include a substantial percentage of residents who are age 60 or older. The demographics of NORCs are in contrast to those of traditional retirement communities, which tend to be more homogeneous in terms of the residents\u2019 ages. Because NORCs are occupied by many individuals who remained and grew older in their homes rather than moving to a retirement community, they often have interactions with younger neighbors. <\/p>\n
One of the benefits of NORCs is that upon meeting certain requirements, such communities become eligible for funding by authorities at the local, state, and federal levels for support services that members of the older population usually require. Among those services are programs aimed at health care management and prevention, case management and social work, education, recreation, social activities and opportunities to volunteer. <\/p>\n