Continuing Care
Retirement Communities
With a wide array of senior living and care options to choose from, it’s possible to find the right home for yourself or an elderly loved one, no matter how complex your needs may be. A continuous care retirement community in Texas offers a comprehensive approach to senior living, providing a comfortable place for your friends and family to call home through all stages of their later years.
What is a Continuing Care Community?
A continuing care retirement community (CCRC) is designed to provide seniors with a residence that adjusts to their needs as they age, offering a lifelong place to call home. CCRCs can vary in terms of services offered and overall structure, but a majority operate according to a tiered program that allows the resident to customize the type and amount of services they receive.
Many seniors at CCRCs live in single-family homes or apartments completely independently, maintaining this lifestyle as long as possible. If and when they need additional help or support, it is available in their community. This “all-in-one” systems means that many CCRCs provide meals, housekeeping, transportation, and health and emergency services as desired by individual residents. CCRCs often include on-site assisted living homes or skilled nursing areas where they can deliver medication management, personal care, and other services.
The biggest benefit of continuous care is that the residents remain in the community they know and love throughout all stages of their life as a senior, maintaining connections to their neighbors and enjoying a comfortable sense of familiarity.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities Texas
MKR Senior Health Strategist can help you in your search for continuing care communities, providing our free placement services and expert guidance to find the perfect fit for you or your loved one. Our senior care consultants have worked with dozens of senior living facilities and neighborhoods across the State, making them a valuable resource of information, support, and guidance.
At absolutely no cost to you, we can help you locate continuing care that fits your:
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Location
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Lifestyle
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Desired services
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Budget
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Medical needs
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Insurance coverage
Learn More About Continuing Care in Texas
Continuing care retirement communities (CCRC) are often referred to as Life Care Communities and are residential campuses specifically designed to meet the changing needs of seniors. Typically, a continuing care facility provides a full range of support services within a single residence, including:
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Independent living
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Assisted living
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Nursing home care
Residents will typically move into continuing care while they are still able to live independently, requiring little in the way of healthcare support. As resident ages and their daily health and care needs shift, the level of services provided will increase appropriately. Not only does this create an environment in which a resident can live for the long term, but it also ensures that each individual’s unique needs are monitored and met on a consistent and personalized basis.
Seniors who reside in continuing care benefit from “aging in place” rather than being forced to move between various senior living facilities as they age and require additional care. For both these seniors and their families, there is a great comfort to be found in the consistency of their surroundings and continuity of care in residential campuses.
Services Offered in Continuing Care Retirement Communities
In a continuing care retirement community, each resident (with the help of their family, if needed) can select the housing option that fulfills their needs. Generally, there are three options for living in continuing care:
Independent living: Ranging from apartments to single-family homes, independent living is intended for seniors that do not require supervision or constant care. Residents of independent living are able to come and go as they please, participating in an active lifestyle both inside and outside of their community.
Assisted living: For individuals who benefit from personal care and everyday chores, assisted living can be a good choice. Usually, assisted living facilities feature private apartments for each resident, a shared dining space, and some other common areas. Staff is available to help seniors with daily needs, such as basic hygiene, bathing, laundry, and light housekeeping. In assisted living homes, various programs and daily activities are also offered.
Skilled nursing care: In a skilled nursing facility, highly-trained medical personnel attend to the medical care needs of residents in nursing homes. This type of living arrangement can be temporarily useful for individuals recovering from medical procedures or short-term conditions, as well as those in need of long-term, round-the-clock care.
How Can an Elder Care Placement Agency Help Me Find a Continuing Care Community?
An elder care placement agency is designed to match seniors with the care and living arrangement that serves their needs, providing expert recommendations for a variety of communities and facilities including continuous care. Typically, an agency consultant will meet with the senior and their family to discuss specific medical needs, preferred living arrangements, budget, location, and other factors. After the consultant has gathered pertinent details, they review their network of senior communities and facilities to find what adequately suits the individual’s variety of needs and wants. The consultant shares their recommendations with the family, and can then support them in the enrollment process and overall transition.
While some agencies charge for these services, others (such as MKR Senior Health Strategist offers them at no cost to their senior and their family.
Cost of Continuing Care in Texas
How much does a continuing care retirement community cost in Texas, Texas? Like any form of senior housing, the cost of a continuing care community will vary based on:
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Location
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Services provided
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Length of contract
Continuing care is unique in that it allows a prospective resident to “purchase” lifetime access to housing, care, and support services that will adapt to fit changing needs. Whereas other senior housing solutions may be limited in the scope of services they can offer, continuing care can be a good way to invest in the future – and end up saving money in the long run.
Typically, the costs associated with continuing care include an entrance fee and monthly fee, with some facilities charging for specific services if/when they are needed. In Texas, the average monthly cost of continuing care ranges from $900-$5,400 (depending largely on the type of contract).