Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) Facilities
What are continuing care retirement community facilities?
Continuing care retirement community (CCRC) facilities, also known as life plan communities, deliver an amenity-rich lifestyle and age-appropriate care to independent elderly individuals. Should a resident’s medical needs evolve, they also offer access to higher-level onsite care.
CCRCs may provide a variety of residential options, such as duplexes, condominiums, cottages, and studios. They allow seniors to live a maintenance-free lifestyle, providing for domestic needs such as cleaning, cooking, and yardwork.
Other services included with a CCRC may include:
- Onsite pharmacy
- Barber and beauty salons
- Walking trails
- Swimming pools
- Physician and nursing care
- Memory care
- Retail and food shops
- Dentist
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Fitness center
Applicants to these communities must meet certain physical and cognitive health requirements in order to be eligible to take up residence. An aging population has led to high demand for CCRCs and waitlists are common among many facilities.
How do CCRC facilities improve healthcare?
CCRC facilities offer independence and medical care to individuals, which allows them to remain safe and comfortable at home. This continuum of care provides a range of services from activities to healthcare to meet their specific care needs.
Additionally, CCRCs reduce the isolation and loneliness that elderly people can experience by providing a community that increases social engagement.