Is a Continuing Care Retirement Community a Good Choice for My Parents?

By Bob Gregory

Many people are intrigued at the prospect of helping their elderly parents locate in a Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC). These communities have facilities for seniors who can live independently, seniors who need assistance and seniors who need skilled nursing care, all in one location. The thought of going through the various stages in on Senior Facility is very enticing. Before deciding if a CCRC is right for your loved one you need to review the advantages and disadvantages of this type of community.

The following are some of the advantages of a Continuing Care Retirement Community:

• The most appealing aspect of this type of community is once you move in you will not have to leave the community until death.  You may be moved to a different area or building, but you will not have to leave.

10040060 (Photo credit: moodboardphotography)

• Spouses with different health needs can live in the same community. They may have to be in different parts of the facility but they can visit daily and share meals and activities.

• Families can visit their loved ones at the same time, without having to travel to different facilities.

• Many communities offer recreational activities for persons who are able to participate such as golf, gardening, tennis courts, walking trails and exercise classes and facilities.

• Medical treatments, such as physical therapy, skilled nursing care and daily assistance are available for short term illnesses.

• Most communities participate in Medicaid and Medicare.

There are also a few disadvantages of this type of community:

• An individual usually must relatively healthy and able to live independently to be considered for a Continuing Care Retirement Community, in other words, you have to start in the Independent section to enter.

Senior Couple Enjoying Beach Holiday Running Down Dune (Photo credit: SalFalko)

• The most common type of community requires a large fee in advance, usually from $60,000 to  $120,000. There are also monthly fees which average from $1000 to $1600 per month. There are also rental plans, which are less common, which cover housing and services, but no medical care. There are also a few communities where you can purchase your own living space and can sell it to a qualified person.

• There are no federal regulations for these types of communities. These communities can be accredited by the Continuing Care Accreditation Commission which monitors the facility’s standards.

Since there are varying levels of care in a Continuing Care Retirement Community, it is imperative that the contract specifically address how and when an individual is transferred between levels of care, under what conditions an individual could be asked to move, is the up-front fee refundable if the individual does not stay in the community and what types of services are included in the monthly fees an individual will pay. As with any legal document, it is advisable to have an attorney review the contract before it is signed.

If you find you need an Assisted Living Facility, Nursing Home or any other type of Senior Facility, I hope you will consider www.seniorfacilityfinder.com.

If you would like to contribute your thoughts and ideas, please leave them in our comment section. We want to hear them. Helping people care for themselves or their loved ones is what we care about. 

We look forward to reading yours.

Bob Gregory is an advocate for Seniors and is one of the founders of www.seniorfacilityfinder.com. At SeniorFacilityFinder.com, we are dedicated to helping families get the Elder Care help they need without having to provide their personal information! If find you need an assisted living facility or other type of senior facility, please consider www.seniorfacilityfinder.com

Related articles

• You: Continuing Care Retirement Communities
• Continuing Care Retirement Communities Definition