According to Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) is a facility created specifically to assist a person with care for the remaining years of their life. A CCRC is similar to a nursing home, although different because CCRCs are usually more like individual apartments, cottages, duplexes, etc. Oftentimes, many seniors living in CCRCs are more independent and don’t require as much care in the beginning as those in nursing homes, although CCRCs do offer nursing care for those who require more care. In fact, CCRCs handle everything for seniors, from housing to healthcare to personal care. The senior signs a contract upon admission, giving the CCRC of their choice permission to handle all their affairs for them and determine when and if additional services are necessary. If you or a loved one are approaching retirement age and you’re looking into CCRCs in your area, this guide should assist you in finding the perfect community where you or your loved one will be happy.
Are you ready for a Continuing Care Retirement Community?
One thing that you need to keep in mind before making the decision to move into a CCRC is that living in one isn’t required just because you or a loved one may be of retirement age. CCRCs are usually for seniors who require assistance with at least one type of service and also requires some type of skilled nursing service. Another thing to consider is that by living in a CCRC, you’ll be surrounded by other seniors and the people who assist them on a daily basis. If you’re able to maintain your own household and you prefer solitude then a CCRC may not be a good fit. On the other hand, if you are lonely and desire to interact with other seniors and you don’t have family members to assist you with certain necessities, you may benefit greatly by choosing to move to a CCRC.
Affordability
Continuing care retirement communities aren’t always cheap and can cost anywhere between $200 and $2500 a monthly, depending on the community you choose as well as the services you require. The more independent you are, the less you’ll end up paying. Fees are often required prior to moving in, which is often referred to as an entrance fee, and these fees vary greatly as well. You will want to ensure that the CCRC that you choose is affordable and does not cause any financial hardship.
Availability of services
When deciding on which CCRC is best, you definitely need to consider the services that are offered at each individual facility. If you require regular housekeeping, assistance with meals, or desire to participate in various activities, you need to find out if a specific community offers the desired services before making a final decision. A majority of continuing care retirement communities offer most common services and should include the services you’re interested in, but there are exceptions, which is why you want to be sure.
Choosing the right CCRC is important, because you’ll most likely be there for the rest of your life. Therefore, you want to be sure that you choose a community that not only meets all of your of your personal and medical needs, but also maximizes your quality of life by providing the things that you find necessary in order to enjoy yourself on a regular basis. Making a hasty decision may result in disappointment and the necessity to switch to a different community, which is why you should take your time and learn about all of your options before making a final decision on where you’d like to spend your senior years .