Continuing Care Retirement Communities

This entry addresses continuing care retirement communities, residential campuses primarily for people age 65 and older, typically consisting of independent apartments or houses and a range of long-term care services—including home and community-based services, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes—in one physical setting. In exchange for often large entry fees and monthly payments, continuing care retirement communities provide access to and some level of long-term care services at no additional charge. They account for a very small proportion of long-term care services, in part because of the challenges of the campus setting and the high cost of entry.

The primary appeal of these settings is the ability to remain within the community and not have to navigate an unfamiliar service delivery system. This comprehensive availability of ...