Today's residential housing caters to retirees who demand far more than the old-school retirement homes. Facilities boast full-size gyms, chefs trained at top cooking schools, professionally decorated interiors and an activity list that would exhaust even a teenager. Shown here is the Mirabella in Portland, Ore.

Shown here is a pool and clubhouse at the Del Webb Orlando community development in Davenport, Fla. Del Webb, one of the best-known brands in retirement living, caters to buyers who want to live an amenity-filled lifestyle.

Residents play pickleball at the Del Webb Orlando community development. Such developments that cater to so-called 'active adult' buyers have seen an increase in activity with the recovery of the housing market.

Protected Sandhill Cranes are a common sight at the Del Webb Orlando community development.

Del Webb caters to active adults who want access to a range of activities.

Retirees often use golf carts to travel around their communities.

Residents of the Del Webb Orlando community participate in the annual holiday party.

Shown here is the Villa Marin retirement community in San Rafael, Calif.

Shown here is an interior shot of a unit at the Villa Marin retirement community.

Shown here is the clubhouse at Meadowbrook Pointe on Long Island. Such communities cater to active adults who don't want an old-fashioned retirement community. The Long Island community includes a sports bar, card rooms and a theater.

 

Shown here is the ballroom in the clubhouse.

 

Here are the living room and kitchen of Ron and Susan Van Dina's townhouse in Meadowbrook Pointe. Developers are racing to build communities catering to the coming wave of baby boomer retirees, a generally active group that is redefining retirement.

Pictured are Mr. and Mrs. Van Dina with their dog, Daisy. More developers today realize that retirees don't want to part with beloved pets when they move. Dog parks are becoming more common.

The clubhouse at Meadowbrook Pointe includes a movie theater.

Resident Dennis Sullivan, 71, stands in the fitness center at Atria West 86 on New York City's Upper West Side. The high-end community features gourmet cooking and transportation to Big Apple shows and museums.

The roof terrace of the Atria West 86 has sweeping views of Manhattan.

Rita Pereira, 90, arranges flowers during a floral design class at Atria West 86.

Shown here is the living room of Mrs. Pereira's one-bedroom apartment at Atria West 86 in Manhattan.

Shown here, the living room in Mrs. Pereira's apartment. She likes living in bustling New York City and says, 'I didn't want to be in Florida alone.'

Menu items at the Atria's West 86 community on Manhattan's Upper West Side include a Belgian endive salad with micro greens and teardrop tomatoes, and sesame-seared tuna with baby bok choy. Chefs also offer the classics: steak, chicken and salmon.

The Vi at Silverstone in Arizona is a continuing-care retirement community, or CCRC. It has different types of housing—traditional single-family homes (known as villas), assisted-living residences and a skilled nursing home—to serve residents as their needs change. Shown here are the villas.

Arch Rambeau and his wife, Laree, both 77, paid a $650,000 move-in fee late last year to 'buy into' the Vi at Silverstone. They also pay a monthly fee of more than $6,000. They like that they will be cared for through the various stages of the aging process. 

'We no longer have any maintenance responsibility. If a light burns out, they come and replace the light,' said Mr. Rambeau, a former General Dynamics senior vice president who lives in a private villa with a two-car garage. 'It's like we decided to go live at the Hyatt in Orlando, Fla., or some place, and decided to just live there the rest of our lives.' Shown here is the main lobby at the Vi at Silverstone.

The indoor pool at the Vi at Silverstone.

 

Shown here, left to right, are Barbara Breeden, Ellin Hayes and Josie Guarnieri playing a round of golf at the Vi at Silverstone.