Does anyone else find large senior living communities distasteful?

Note: I'm not bashing smaller communities or assisted living homes.

Some background:

Near me is a senior community called Laguna Woods (formerly Leisure World). It's so huge it's been declared a city, with its own city council, police, and fire station. All entrances are gated, and visitors have to have their friends call ahead to let them in each time they visit. I read recently that this is not an isolated phenomenon, and there are similar communities throughout the country.

I find the whole concept terribly offensive. Perhaps it is because I'm only 26, but I feel separating seniors from the rest the community services neither group.

I was raised by my grandparents, and I wish more people of my generation had the stabilizing influence of having the previous generation as an important part in their life. I've met kids who are actually afraid of seniors! Also, I've met so many sweet old ladies at church who seem terribly lonely and isolated. At the very least, both groups need to have the other as part of their daily landscape, otherwise we forget how to deal with each other.

The idea of a single apartment complex for seniors is a good one, but an entire city is going too far.

What are your thoughts?