While CCRCs are becoming increasingly common across America, they are more numerous and best established in the Southeast, where the CCRC ''movement'' originated. Complete national guides to the geographic locations of American and Canadian CCRCs are available from an organization called Senior Selections, which can be found on the internet. Geographic location may be one of the most important factors for you or your loved one, especially if maintaining close family contact is a priority. There may be a lengthy waiting list at some CCRCs, which also may be a deciding factor in choosing one CCRC over another.
In addition to location, you should be assured that your loved one will receive a full complement of amenities. Make sure that if a CCRC is what you want—an establishment that provides a full range of care options in one location—that it is what you're actually getting. Some senior residential arrangements may not include nursing home facilities so if a resident becomes unable to remain in the current housing, he/she will be forced to leave the senior community for a nursing home in an unfamiliar place. This is particularly important because significant financial obligations on the part of the resident are involved and you may not be getting what you think you've paid to receive.
Of course you wouldn't consider making such an important decision without actually visiting the CCRC, meeting some of the staff and seeing the physical location and layout for yourself. The public relations staff will set up a guided tour for you. Many, if not all CCRCs, maintain guest housing so that you and your loved one can spend a weekend at the CCRC to see firsthand what the experience is like. This is an ideal way to judge the dining facilities, physical plant maintenance, socialization and general atmosphere of the CCRC. It is also a wonderful chance to meet some prospective neighbors. Be sure to talk with the residents to see what their opinions are of the facilities and care provided. You may be able to tell a lot about the overall quality of life in a CCRC by the positive or negative comments you hear from the residents themselves.
To date, consumer advocacy groups haven't researched customer satisfaction among CCRC residents, so you'll have to do your own market research and make your own assessments. Begin with a little self-assessment after spending time at the CCRC and learning something about the activities and the staff. Could you/your loved one be comfortable there? Of course, a resident should be physically comfortable, but also socially and culturally at ease. CCRCs promote a distinct lifestyle based on being discreetly set apart, monitored and protected. This appeals to many seniors, but it may not be to everyone's taste especially if a person enjoys being around younger people and children.
Beyond being pleased by the surroundings and feeling at home with the staff and residents, there are some harder questions to ask. Do residents have a say in determining what services are provided by the CCRC? Does the CCRC help its residents arrange for services that it may not be able to provide? Is the organization licensed, certified according to state regulations and/or accredited? Will facilities and staffing be adequate when all residential units are filled? How are resident complaints handled? Take note of parking and storage availability, if these are important to you.
There should be little or no restriction on personal property that a resident may bring to the CCRC. Living spaces are roughly equivalent to one's own home and generally may be furnished as such. Based on location, availability, services and amenities plus your own observations about the quality of life in a CCRC, you should be able to make a satisfying choice.