Continuing Care Checklist

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC)

Lifestyle: Seniors currently living independently but want the security of being cared for when needed throughout the aging process.

Common Names: Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs), Life Care, Life Care Facilities, and Life Care Communities.

Services: This type of community offers a long-term contract providing for independent living, assisted living services, medical services, long-term care and skilled nursing services, usually all in one location.

The resident can take advantage of a full range of care and services available as his or her health and needs change without having to consider relocating. The resident may begin in an independent living residence, transfer to assisted living, and later move to an onsite intermediate or skilled nursing care facility should ongoing care be required.

Some of these communities offer residents with Alzheimer's Disease or other forms of memory loss, specialized programs adapting to their changing needs and care requirements. As in the assisted living concept of care, services are tailored to an individual's needs and typically include meals, housekeeping, transportation, and personal care assistance. Planned social, educational, and recreational activities are frequently available as in those types of senior housing and retirement homes discussed earlier.

Most of these communities emphasize preventive health care through encouraging regular immunizations, examinations, proper nutrition, social opportunities, exercise and physical therapy at convenient onsite locations. The best Continuing Care Communities use a multidisciplinary approach to coordinate the care of their residents with chronic or debilitating medical problems. These services may include primary health care, specialist's care, diagnostic testing facilities, counseling, and social services. Combinations of services may be offered in an outpatient clinic, a skilled care facility, or in a resident's home.

The key difference between this type of community and an assisted living one is that a lifetime commitment exists to care for a resident regardless of changes in level of care or health needs.

Housing: Continuing Care Retirement and LifeCare Community settings may range from expansive campuses to high rise apartment complexes. Housing choices vary widely as well including studio, one, two, and three, bedroom apartments, cottages, townhouses, duplexes, clusters or even single family homes. This type of retirement housing has grown in popularity by integrating independent living, assisted living and skilled care together at one site.

Note 1: While hundreds of communities may qualify as a CCRCs by definition, over time, a few "hybrids" have emerged. These are complexes that may combine Independent Living communities or 55+ (age restrictive) communities, with Assisted Living only. Others may have Assisted Living combined with a Skilled Care facility. If you wish to move into a true CCRC, be sure to ask about the services and housing options available in each community considered.

Note 2: Within the Continuing Care Retirement Communities that you will see commonly abbreviated CCRC are life care facilities that meet higher standards regarding fees and covered expenses. Some CCRCs have met the standards of the national Continuing Care Accreditation Commission (CCAC) which conducts extensive evaluations of facilities and accredits those that meet its standards.

Payment Method: Residents commonly pay an entry or buy-in fee to join the community with monthly maintenance fees thereafter. These fees may be sizable and vary considerably depending on the size and location of residences, whether for single individuals or married couples, and if renting or owning living space. Furthermore the type of additional services and amenities, and the level of financial risk for needing long-term care are determining factors in overall costs.

There are three different types of contracts and fees to consider all of which include housing, amenities, residential services and short term and emergency care. These contracts differ in the cost for entrance fees and monthly fees.

An extensive contract offers unlimited long-term nursing care with little or no significant increase in your usual monthly fees. This is the most expensive contract but may prove to be the most cost-effective later should skilled care be needed.

A modified contract includes a specified amount of health care or long-term nursing care beyond which additional fees are incurred that you are responsible for payment.

The fee for service contract requires that residents pay for all health and medical services and long-term care at daily nursing care rates. This is the least expensive plan initially because all long-term nursing costs must be paid for separately at a later time when needed.

These complicated long-term contracts require careful understanding and also legal review because of possible partial and complete entrance fee forfeiture. It may be necessary to consult you financial planner to help you determine which plan is best for you.

Try our Needs Assessment and we will suggest the best care options for your individual situation.