LOS ANGELES: A study of close to 7,000 residents of 126 rental independent-living communities found evidence of cliques in three-fourths of retirement communities.
An association has now begun working with operators of communities on strategies to mitigate the effect of cliques and will conduct a new study this year to examine the prevalence of cliques in assisted-living residences as well.
Human nature is sometimes hard to contend with. Cliques and shunning people are seen just about everywhere there are groups of people, of any age, who share spaces and resources. But the first study shows retirement communities to be virulent incubators…