A: Generally, independent living and retirement communities provide meals, housekeeping, transportation, social and recreational activities, and laundry. While they traditionally do not provide health services or personal care, many communities will allow you to contract with a home health agency and receive these services. Still others will provide these services for an additional fee. Quite frankly, as the residents of independent living communities have gotten older and aged-in-place, the communities have had to add services to meet their needs.