You may have heard the term “retirement community” brought up in conversation before, but how about a CCRC? Are they the same thing? Well, yes and no.
Although both terms have similar meanings, not every retirement community is a CCRC, which stands for Continuing Care Retirement Community. According to seniorliving.org
- Independent living
- Assisted living
- Skilled nursing
- Rehabilitationhttps://otterbein.org/blog/post-acute care
So what else do you need to know about a CCRC, and why would you want to choose one? Let’s take a closer look at the answers to these questions.
What Does a CCRC Offer?
As mentioned above, a CCRC offers multiple levels of care, each with its distinct characteristics.
Depending on your age and your care needs, you can enter a CCRC at any level. For many, one of the major draws to choosing a CCRC is that once you are part of the community, you can stay in the same community indefinitely, even as your health and care needs change.
For example, you could move into an independent living apartment and live there for as long as you’re comfortable being on your own. Then, you might experience an unexpected injury or illness, prompting you to consider a move to assisted living. Moving from one level of care to another would involve some adjustments, but you would still be in the same community that you already know and love.
On the flip side, you may never need to advance to a different level of care, but you will have the peace of mind of knowing that if you need additional care, you will have a place to go ― no need to worry about the future.
Most CCRCs also offer a wide variety of amenities and opportunities for personal enrichment. This may include regularly-scheduled activities, outings, classes, seminars, and more. And home maintenance is a thing of the past at most CCRCs, as the community will take care of everything for you, from mowing the grass to changing a lightbulb. It’s a great way to spend more time doing the things you enjoy and less time doing chores and other obligations that come with homeownership.
What are Some Reasons to Choose a CCRC?
Our residents at Otterbein St. Marys
- Moving closer to their adult children or family
- Tired of the hassles of home maintenance, yard upkeep, etc.
- Desire for more social interaction
- Wanting direct on-site access to dining, amenities, and activities
Of course, these are just a few examples. Many of our residents have shared their personal reasons for moving to Otterbein, and you can read them all on our Otterbein SeniorLife blog
- Tired of the hassles of home maintenance, yard upkeep, etc.
- Assisted living