Looking for a community living option that can accommodate all your needs without having to move as your care requirements change? Then a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) might be right for you.
CCRC’s offer the convenience of multiple levels of service to progressively meet your needs, from retirement to assisted living and nursing care, allowing you to remain in the same community as your care requirements change. Seniors without care needs would enter the CCRC at the Retirement Community level, living independently in private homes, condominiums or apartments. If a resident finds they eventually need some assistance around their home or with personal care some CCRC’s offer in-home care services on an hourly basis. If the residents care needs progress to the point where they are no longer able to live independently they can then move to the assisted living or nursing care portion of that community.
Benefits of a Continuing Care Community lifestyle:
- Peace of Mind – Seniors and their loved ones can feel comfortable knowing that there is a plan for their future and their needs will be met.
- Continuity of Care – Staff and caregivers develop an understanding of each resident’s needs and personalities and seniors get familiar with the as well. Staff also become keenly aware of changes in condition and can appropriately respond as care needs develop.
- Less stress – Few things are more stressful than change and moving, particularly for seniors requiring care. Continuing care within the same community and with familiar caregivers helps minimize relocation stress and its consequences.
- All inclusive – CCRC’s take care of it all. Housekeeping, laundry, meals, utilities, yard work etc. It’s all included in the community lifestyle, allowing seniors to relax and enjoy the amenities offered.
- Community Lifestyle – With all the tiers of care come all the amenities that go with them. The list of potential amenities of a CCRC is endless; from hair salons, fitness facilities, game rooms to swimming pools. Each community is unique in what it offers allowing seniors choice in lifestyle.
How they work:
Typically CCRC’s require an entry fee combined with a monthly maintenance fee that covers all care needs and amenities of the community. Due to lifestyle and continuity of care benefits, Continuing Care Retirement Communities tend to be more expensive than more traditional care community arrangements, with entrance fees and monthly maintenance fees varying greatly between types of facilities and each resident’s situation. In your search for the CCRC for you, make sure to have each sales community representative explain in detail what the entrance and monthly maintenance requirements are and gather information about any other program options they may offer.