Chicago Senior Living Advisors Blog
An article posted in National Real Estate Investor has predicated that active senior living communities and Continuing Care Retirement Communities will be the most profitable in the future senior housing market.
I was trained in a faith-based, Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) that offered independent living, assisted living, and a nursing home all on one campus. A CCRC will allow the senior to move between the various levels of care without having to move out of the building or complex, thus saving the senior and his/her family the stress and heartache of having to move a second time. In the case of a couple, if a husband or wife requires a different level of care, placement at a CCRC will allow them to remain together in the same home. If a resident needs short term rehabilitation, most of the skilled nursing areas of CCRCs are certified by Medicare. The necessary rehabilitation programs are offered right there without having to temporarily move to another community. Therefore, I wasn’t surprised to see the posted article’s author predicating that CCRCs will be one of the most profitable options for senior housing.
REAL LIFE STORY
Several years ago, I had placed a client in a CCRC at the independent living level. The client developed dementia and began needing some help with activities of daily living. She was moved to the assisted living/memory care level. She had built some strong friendships with a number of the other residents at the community and was very happy there.
The children of the senior lived in the area, but one was located in a suburb much further away than the other two children. The child who was further away noticed that a brand new assisted living/memory care community had just opened its doors near her. She took a walk-in tour and immediately became enthralled with the modern construction and décor. Plus, it would be so much easier for her to visit her Mother, even though a move would burden the other two children to visit. She immediately made arrangements for her Mother to be assessed by the new community’s liason, even though she was not her Mother’s Power of Attorney for Healthcare or Finances.
Her daughters requested that I compose an email that stated the reasons why their Mother should not be moved. I have shared my response below:
Hello X,
Per our conversation of yesterday, I think that considering a move for your Mom is not in her best interest and here are my reasons:
- In my opinion it is better to place an individual in a continuing care retirement community. Her current home has all three level of care including skilled nursing (if your Mom ever needs it). If you move her to the assisted living community you mentioned and she needs skilled care, you will have moved her three times. That is very bad for a person who has dementia. In addition, she would have to acclimate herself to the move to the new place as well. It is likely she will have trouble adjusting.
2. They do not accept Medicaid. So, when you run out of money, she will have to move elsewhere. Her current community can accommodate her for life if she outlives her funds.
- That is a brand new operation and the kinks will take time to work out. Also, the fact that the aesthetics are pretty does not necessarily reflect good care. Her current home is an older operation with a very good reputation.
- Do you really want to uproot her and start the ice-breaking process all over with new people?
Thus far, the negatives outweigh the positives, and the only positive I see will be that she will be closer to your sister.
The following day, my client’s Mother fell and sustained injuries that required short term rehab. which could be completed in her current CCRC. All plans for a future move were cancelled.