What is the best age to move to a CCRC?

A piece of the magic of continuing retirement care communities (CCRCs) is that, by nature, they offer varying levels of care to older adults in a potentially significant age range. So, if you’re asking yourself if there’s a best age to move to a CCRC, the answer is: it depends.

The best age to move into a CCRC is “less about a specific age and more about when daily life starts to feel harder than it should,” says Christen Bergeron, founder of Navigating Senior Living, a one-on-one support and membership community that guides families through the complexities of aging parent care. “It’s better to make a proactive move, not a reactive one,” she advises.

With that in mind, senior care experts share at what ages they see many people entering CCRCs, how to know when it’s time for you to move, the benefits of these communities and more.

Typical age range for moving into a CCRC

Nailing down an age range for when older adults make the move to a CCRC can be a difficult task. In simplified terms, continuing care retirement communities offer different levels of care under one proverbial roof (but likely in separate buildings), which means they can serve a wide range of clientele, both in terms of age and ability.

With that caveat, the experts we spoke to say that most seniors move into a CCRC between the ages of 70 and 85. The catalyst for the move could be a number of reasons. “It could be moving from quite a distance to be closer to kids, wanting a more relaxed lifestyle (eliminating one or more homes), kids pushing them to make a move, a challenge with living in the home (too many steps, laundry on a lower level) or a health scare,” shares Elizabeth Dupree, director of sales at Edgehill Senior Living in Stamford, Connecticut.

“If you’re active, social and looking to downsize or plan ahead, moving early (say, in your early 70s) can actually be a gift to your future self.”

— Sondra “Sam” Cradduck, gerontologist and psychologist

Is there a best age to move to a CCRC?

Because you or your loved one may have different needs than other older adults, there isn’t necessarily a best age to move into a CCRC. However, regardless of their age on entry, Dupree says that, upon moving in, many of the residents state they wish they had moved in five years ago. This could be due to a few factors, including their ability to enjoy the CCRC’s amenities sooner or even that the move could have been easier had they done it sooner.

“If you’re active, social and looking to downsize or plan ahead, moving early (say, in your early 70s) can actually be a gift to your future self,” says Sondra “Sam” Cradduck, gerontologist, psychologist and owner of The Living Room, a non-medical senior home care agency in Phelan, California. If you move while you’re still active, as opposed to a move necessitated by a crisis, you can “enjoy the independent lifestyle, build community and make the space feel like home,” she adds.

If, on the other hand, you wait until injury, illness or a major life change (such as a loss of a spouse or partner, financial changes or children moving away), moving into a CCRC can feel more like a loss than a choice, says Cradduck. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer for when the best age to move to a CCRC is, “but for most the answer is simple: Move while you still can walk in — on your own terms,” advises Cradduck.

Because the alternative may be worse, according to Bergeron. “Waiting can sometimes feel safer,” she says, “but I’ve rarely seen people regret moving while they still had energy to build a life there.”

What are the benefits of CCRC senior living? 

In a way, continuing care retirement communities (with their combined senior care facilities) have the ability to offer more amenities than a standalone independent living community, assisted living community or memory care facility. Features will vary based on location, but here are some you might find at a CCRC:

• Community building opportunities, such as gardening or book clubs.
• Dining options and nutritional support.
• Social activities.
• Health and wellness amenities, such as fitness trainers, low-impact aerobics and yoga classes and fitness and aquatic centers.
• Cultural experiences, like art classes, concerts and museum tours.
• Lifelong learning, in the form of lectures and classes.
• Volunteer opportunities.
• Safety and security.
• Access to additional care if needs change.
• Minimal home upkeep. “The best thing about living in a CCRC is that you exchange the obligations of homeownership for a neighborhood of peers where all of your needs are taken care of and there are endless activities to satisfy or inspire new interests,” says Reynaldo LeBlanc, campus executive director at The Commons in Lincoln, Massachusetts.
• Other amenities. While it will differ between locations, some CCRCs offer services like on-site salons and barber shops, libraries and more.

“Some people worry they’re giving up independence, but it’s actually the opposite. You’re preserving it… while gaining a supportive safety net in the background.”

— Christen Bergeron, expert senior living advisor

Are there benefits to moving to a CCRC ‘early’?

“There’s no crystal ball that tells us the perfect moment to make a life transition — especially one as important as moving into a CCRC,” says Cradduck. However, if you start the process of touring locations or decide to move in “early” (while you’re still fairly independent), these are some of the benefits you might experience, according to the experts.

• You have the time to emotionally adjust. You’ll get to know your new space while you are still active and independent, says Cradduck.
• You preserve your independence. “Some people worry they’re giving up independence, but it’s actually the opposite,” says Bergeron. “You’re preserving it by letting go of the constant responsibility of managing a home, while gaining a supportive safety net in the background.”
• You can participate fully in the community. From events and fitness classes to making friends and joining clubs, you’ll be able to enjoy all aspects of the CCRC experience.
• You’ll have more time to make the “right” choice of community. If you wait for a crisis to happen, your decision will likely be rushed and you may have fewer options. On the flipside, if you start touring early, “you’ll have a better sense of your options and be in control of the timeline,” says Bergeron. “The best decisions happen when you’re not in a rush,” she adds.
• You’re more likely to make smart financial decisions. When you’re able to plan for a move “early,” you can take your time. However, when there’s an urgent need to move, “the choices seem more stressful and pressured,” says Brittany Metzig, a financial advisor at Bond & Devick Wealth Partners in Saint Louis Park, Minnesota. “Having to sell a home in a rush or choose a community quickly without being able to do appropriate research can have long-lasting financial impacts,” she adds.
• You’re less likely to experience relocation stress syndrome, says Christopher Barstein, campus executive director at Meadow Ridge, a CCRC in Redding, Connecticut. This condition is characterized by “symptoms like anxiety, confusion and loneliness,” he adds.

Are there downsides to moving to a CCRC early?

While the list of potential downsides to moving to a continuing care retirement community is shorter than the benefits, they still warrant your attention if you’re considering a move to a CCRC for yourself or an aging loved one. Here are the potential challenges experts say to expect:

• You may fear the stigma of needing senior living. This is especiallytrue if you consider yourself to still be very independent. However, “most CCRCs are filled with people who are still highly engaged and active,” says Bergeron. “People are usually pleasantly surprised when they visit and spend time there.”
• You may spend more money in the long-run. Assuming you are able to continue living independently, “moving too early is going to likely be more expensive than continuing to live in a single-family home with equity,” says Metzig.

The key, says Cradduck, is to reframe the move — it’s not a loss, it’s a planned move toward a better-supported lifestyle.

Choosing the right continuing care retirement community

If you’re able to plan ahead to move to CCRC senior living — assuming there isn’t a crisis that requires it — the experts we spoke to suggested doing the following:

• Tour in person. On this tour, Cradduck advises observing “staff-resident interactions, cleanliness and common spaces.”
• Sit in on meal time. “Have a meal in the dining room with residents (separate from the sales team), and talk to different people,” advises Bergeron. This will help you get a sense of the community you might be joining.
• Consider what kind of home style you want. For example, LeBlanc shares that The Commons has “cottage homes for those who want privacy and the space of a standalone home, while still having access to the services, amenities and the social opportunities.” However, if someone really wants to downsize, they also offer apartments that provide the same community experience.
• Go over each type of care that they offer. Within each area (independent, assisted living, skilled nursing, memory care), a CCRC may offer different services and levels of care.
• Review contracts carefully, says Cradduck. “Entry fees, monthly rates, refund policies and care guarantees vary widely,” she adds.
• Consider the location. If proximity to your current life, children or other family is important to you, location can be an important consideration, says Dupree.
• Read the room. “If you are an introvert, don’t move into a community filled with activities and laughter,” advises Cradduck. “It will quickly become overwhelming and annoying.” And on the other side, “if you are an extrovert, do not move into a quiet, peaceful community as this will oftentimes leave you bored, lonely and depressed,” she adds.
• Arrange a weekend stay, suggests Barstein. There’s no better way to get a feel for a CCRC than to take it for a test run.

When it comes down to it, “amenities can be nice, but they’re not the whole story,” cautions Bergeron. “I always encourage families to observe the culture. How do residents and staff interact? Do people seem genuinely happy? Is leadership visible and engaged? Those are the things that tell you what it’s really like to live there.”