If you’ve been shopping for senior living communities recently, you may have heard them called by different names and found the terminology confusing, to say the least. Actually, Life Plan Communities and Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) are the same thing—Life Plan Community is a newer name that was created in the past few years to better reflect the true nature of the communities; they aren’t just about care, although future care is an important consideration.
To a great extent, these communities are centered around active living, healthy aging, and wellness. They enable seniors to live active, engaged lives in a beautiful setting, surrounded by friends. So, if you’re trying to compare Life Plan Communities vs. CCRCs, know that the only difference is the name.
How Do Life Plan
Communities Work?
In Life Plan Communities, most people initially move into independent living, where they can live just like they do in their own home, but with the added benefits of community living, including maintenance, amenities, activities, social opportunities and the promise of future care, if needed down the road.
People usually pay two different types of fees when they move into a Life Plan Community. The first type is a refundable or non-refundable entrance fee, a sum of money paid up front to secure a place in the community, with access to higher levels of care, should the resident need it. A non-refundable entrance fee has a smaller price tag, but does not allow money to be returned to a resident or his or her family in the event of a move or a death. Refundable fees, which are offered at Ingleside communities, are usually higher in initial price, but part or all of the fee will be returned when a resident leaves the community.
The second type of fee is a monthly fee, which covers the monthly expenses of living in a community, including dining, amenities, activities, indoor and outdoor maintenance, security, utilities, housekeeping, transportation and more. Residents can also move in at a higher level of care, and the financial arrangements are usually different in those cases.
What Are Different Senior Living Options?
In Life Plan Communities, there are usually several senior living options, which together make up a continuum of care. No matter what level of care an individual needs, they continue to live an engaged life within the community.