Buckle up – we’re going to tackle a controversial subject here. There’s a big push these days for seniors to move into continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) – where they can “age in place” and never have to leave because the community offers all the levels of care they could ever need. That’s pretty attractive proposition – who really likes moving, anyway?
Although these CCRCs sound delightful on paper, when it’s put into practice, you may find that it’s not actually meeting your needs. Yes, we know – the whole point is that all your needs will be met. But that really depends on your personal situation. It’s possible that an all-care-levels community isn’t the best place for you. Here’s why.
You may be trading quality of care for convenience.
Yes, the idea of a CCRC is that you will always be cared for, no matter how much you need. But is the care you’ll receive the quality you want? Sure, it’s an easier solution, but just because your CCRC is rated highly for assisted living doesn’t mean that memory care is top-tier. We don’t mean that as a slam against CCRCs. It’s just that if you’re not in one, you have more flexibility to find the best quality of care for you or a loved one.
You can’t choose where you want to go for a higher level of care.
It’s possible you might be better served in a standalone community, or want to go to a nursing home that has a vibe you prefer. If you’re currently living in an independent or assisted living community, you have a choice of where to go. At a CCRC, you’ve invested in one option – there.
You may not end up needing nursing home or memory care services.
Not all of us end up needing a higher level of care. You may never end up needing rehabilitation services, skilled nursing or memory care. You can’t know what the future will hold, of course, but you could end up spending a lot of extra money for a “maybe” when you could spend less money at a place that’s right for you right now.
CCRCs are incredibly expensive.
Let’s start with the entry fee. CCRC’s often require a large buy-in or payment up-front – we could be talking well into the six figures, here. And that’s just for starters. You’ll then typically have to pay a monthly rental fee, as well as any other additional costs for services or amenities you want. Now, that big down payment often goes into a trust of sorts, and many times a percentage of it can go to your heirs after you’ve passed away. But if, heaven forbid, the community goes bankrupt or experiences some other financial crisis, that money could disappear. And some CCRCs don’t refund anything at all.
While there’s the right fit for everyone, at Melrose, we’ve found a system that we feel – and our residents feel – works. We offer independent living and assisted living to our residents. While we don’t have on-site memory care or skilled nursing, we have excellent relationships with the very best health care professionals, organizations and communities in the Iowa City area. We love our residents, and we want to make sure they get the highest quality care they deserve…and if that’s not what we can provide, well, that’s okay. As long as they’re being cared for, that’s all that matters to us.
Getting older and having to require more care can be hard. But we want to make it as easy as possible and help you live the life you deserve without a lot of disruption. Want to talk about it? Give us a call at 319-341-7893. We understand that this is a tricky subject, but we’ll be honest and open and discuss options with you so you can get a taste of what life is like here at Melrose.
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