For many seniors, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) offers an appealing path forward: It gives them the ability to maintain independence today while gaining community, amenities, and access to advanced levels of care over time.
But moving into a CCRC involves much more than choosing an attractive residence or convenient location. In many cases, it requires a substantial entrance fee, ongoing monthly expenses, and a long-term contract whose terms may affect your finances, estate plan, healthcare choices, and overall retirement strategy.
In other words—it’s one of the most consequential personal and financial decisions you’ll make in your lifetime.
As financial advisors, we’ve worked with many clients navigating this situation and have seen the complexities of this decision firsthand. This three-part blog series on CCRCs is intended to guide you through some important questions that can help you decide whether to choose (or not choose) this path. Learning about these key points early can help you determine whether a CCRC offers the peace of mind, financial fit, and long-term support you want for the next chapter of life.
What is a CCRC and what benefits does it offer?
Continuing Care Retirement Communities, or CCRCs, provide a full continuum of care for seniors—from independent living to assisted living and skilled nursing—in a single location. They are increasingly being referred to as “life plan communities” because, while the promise of continuing health care is the main focus, it isn’t the only thing that attracts seniors. They also appreciate the fact that this unique living arrangement promotes social interaction and an active lifestyle, allowing them to do the things they enjoy without worrying about home maintenance or social isolation.
A few facts about CCRCs:
- There are more than 1,900 in the U.S. as of 2025.
- The average age is ~75.
- A typical resident lives in an independent living unit for 10 to 12 years. Beyond independent living, residents on average live in assisted living for 1 to 2 years.
- The demand for CCRCs is growing, and the market is expected to grow by 4% between 2026 and 2035.
In all aspects, the broad appeal of these types of communities ultimately boils down to one thing: peace of mind. CCRCs very effectively create an environment that manages the uncertainties associated with aging, providing peace of mind around your future access to care and other challenges.
Still, the decision to build a plan around a CCRC can be complicated. They’re not the right fit for everyone—what brings one person peace of mind may look very different for someone else.
Start by envisioning your future—picture how and where you’ll age.
If you’re currently navigating retirement (or on the cusp of doing so), you’ve likely been flooded with information about the first phases of retirement—those initial carefree years after you stop working and start enjoying the things you once put off or didn’t have time for. At this point, few people want to think about what might happen years down the road, when the challenges and uncertainties of aging begin to creep in. For some, this stage arrives earlier than for others. Despite its inevitability, however, this phase of life rarely gets the thought and attention it needs.
That first phase doesn’t last forever. Soon you’ll be facing a completely new reality filled with both personal and financial uncertainties:
- You don’t know how long your money will need to last.
- You can’t be certain what kind of care you might need as you age.
- You may struggle with isolation and social involvement and/or mobility issues.
Eventually your focus will shift to preparing both mentally and financially for these uncertainties. Think honestly about how you want to approach them, because that answer will shape everything that follows.
Survey after survey shows that most folks want to age in their home as opposed to going to a retirement community. These surveys can be misleading, however; in fact, most people have not put detailed and serious thought into the logistical practicalities of aging until they are confronted with them more directly. Oftentimes, aging in place is not a plan; it’s simply a way of avoiding the conversation.
When folks finally do take on that challenge—when they truly take the time to think about what aging will look like and what they want it to look like—many realize that aging at home has its own set of challenges.
Confront Your Fears Around Aging
If you’re in your 60s or 70s and haven’t yet started thinking about your future, now is the time. The best way to do that is to simply start talking about it. Whether it’s with your spouse, a family member, an advisor, or even just yourself, talk out loud about what you want your later years to look like. By doing so, you’ll inherently need to confront the realities of aging, mortality, and loss of independence. Consider questions like these:
- What if you can no longer navigate the stairs, bathrooms, entryways, etc. in your home?
- What will happen when you can no longer drive to get the things you need?
- How will you handle daily tasks like meal preparation and housekeeping?
- Who will be your support system and what specific roles will they play?
Even if your mind is set on aging at home, spend some time talking about options such as CCRCs. You can’t make a sound decision unless you’ve considered the full range of possibilities.
In part, the goal here is to begin to overcome the fear barrier associated with these aspects of aging. Exploring CCRCs can be a way to break the ice and come up with a plan that’s right for you. This part of the process can sometimes take years because you’re coming to grips with some things that are objectively difficult to think about. You won’t necessarily come up with any definitive answers at this stage, but it will force you to consider your options more realistically.
Even if you don’t arrive at final answers right away, talking through the realities of aging can help you think more clearly about your options, including aging at home versus a CCRC. The goal is to replace fear and uncertainty with a practical plan that supports your independence, care needs, and peace of mind, whether or not a CCRC is ultimately involved.
More Financial Questions to Explore
This first step—thinking honestly about how and where you want to age—creates the foundation for every decision that follows. But determining whether a CCRC is a sound financial fit requires a closer look at many additional factors.
In future posts in this series, we’ll examine these financial considerations in detail, helping you ask more informed questions and evaluate whether a CCRC supports both the lifestyle you want and the financial security you need.
Need personalized assistance with this decision? Reach out to us at Curio Wealth—we’d love to help!
