Exploring Care Levels in a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC)

You deserve to live in a place that sees you as an individual with your own unique circumstances, requirements, preferences and desires. But before you get too far along your path to senior living, it’s important to understand what care levels are available and what each of them includes.

Before we look at each level of care separately, let’s learn the meaning of the acronym CCRC.  This stands for continuing care retirement community. Nobody wants to think about their health needs changing, but it’s a good idea to be prepared.  A CCRC has all care levels available under one roof, in one community.  You will find independent living, assisted living, a healthcare center which often includes short-term rehabilitation as well as memory care.

Now let’s take a look at each care level in more detail.

 

Independent Living

Independent living is an option, usually for those aged 55 and over who can live independently but prefer the companionship and convenience of a community designed to meet their lifestyle needs.

These communities offer living options with services like housekeeping, maintenance, and security for a comfortable lifestyle. Residents have access to amenities such as fitness centers, social activities, and educational programs, promoting an active, engaging lifestyle while maintaining privacy and independence.

The focus is to simplify everyday tasks, allowing residents to enjoy their interests and hobbies within a friendly and supportive environment.

Independent living may be a good fit if:

1. You’re ready for someone else to handle the household chores and maintenance. Consider no more yard work including shoveling snow.
2. You’re looking for a more active social life filled with friends and neighbors living right next door.
3. You’d love to enjoy a variety of activities, and events that peak your interests, both at the community or in the larger community near you.

 

 

Assisted Living

If you could use a little help with tasks like personal care and medication management, assisted living just might be the place for you. Because staff is available, 24 hours a day, to help with everything from activities of daily living to housekeeping and laundry, you can spend more time doing the things you love.

Assisted living may be a good fit if:

1. You could benefit from having more personal care services than you have at home.
2. You need a little extra help with certain activities of daily living, like dressing, bathing or managing medication.
3. You want supportive care but don’t need the round-the-clock skilled nursing care found in healthcare centers.

 

Healthcare Center—often referred to as Skilled Nursing Facility

Healthcare Centers are a place where you can go to recover, rehabilitate or receive quality, long-term care. Whether you need to stay for a short time after a surgery or other medical issue, or you need round-the-clock licensed healthcare, healthcare centers provide clinical resources in a supportive, comfortable setting.

A healthcare center may be a good fit if:

1. You could use a little extra care after a hospitalization but anticipate being able to return home, or to another type of senior living community, after a period of time.
2. You need a short-term stay for rehabilitation (like physical, speech or occupational therapy) after being hospitalized for a medical procedure.
3. Your medical and personal care needs have become too great to handle at home or in assisted living.

 

 

Memory Care

Memory care is designed for older adults living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. There are two main types of care available in memory care.  The first is assisted living. In assisted living memory care, residents receive help with their activities of daily living in a secure environment designed for those with memory challenges.  The second type of care is skilled nursing. Skilled nursing memory care is much like assisted living memory care.  The difference is that residents need more help than assisted living can provide, such as needing someone to feed them.

Memory care may be a good fit if:

1. You’re worried about the safety and security of your loved one as a result of their declining cognitive abilities.
2. You’ve noticed a decline in your loved one’s personal care or social life, related to their memory loss.
3. You’re experiencing or concerned about caregiver burnout while caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Now that we’ve broken down that various care levels available in senior living communities, consider the following areas as you search for the right fit for you or your loved one.

 

Assessing Needs & Preferences

Begin by evaluating you or your loved one’s physical, emotional, and cognitive conditions in detail to decide on the most suitable level. There are professionals at all senior living communities to help guide you with these decisions. Don’t let the process overwhelm you.

 

Researching & Touring Communities

Start by exploring communities in your desired living location. Arrange visits to prospective communities to see the setting, both inside and outside, as well as how staff interact, and the amenities offered. Always ask for a brochure detailing the community so you can compare the communities that you have visited.

Whenever possible, talk to people currently living there to gauge their opinions about the community and its employees. Compile a list of questions before the tour, concentrating on aspects such as the ratio of staff to residents, emergency plans, food offerings as well as dietary modifications, and lifestyle activities.

 

 

Consulting with Professionals

Consult with medical experts, including physicians, social workers, or geriatric care professionals, who can provide advice tailored to the unique needs of you or your loved one.

Look into speaking with financial advisors specializing in elder law to understand the financial aspects of care for older adults.

 

We’re Here to Help

No matter what care level you think is best for you or your loved one, the process of choosing a senior living community can be overwhelming. The Ohio Masonic Communities is here to help with that journey. We’ve created a series of guides that answer some of the biggest questions about aging and senior living. We hope you enjoy these guides, and that they answer some of your biggest questions. To download one of our Here to Help guides, visit omcoh.org/heretohelp

 

If you or a loved one  is considering a senior living community, consider taking a tour of one of The Ohio Masonic Communities campuses. With three senior living communities across the state of Ohio – Browning Masonic Community in Waterville, Ohio, Springfield Masonic Community in Springfield, Ohio, and Western Reserve Masonic Community in Medina, Ohio – each offers premier living options with exceptional experiences so residents can live their best lives. If you are interested in learning more about one of our communities, give us a call at 1-877-881-1623. We will be happy to answer all your questions and be a trusted resource in the search for the right community for you!