Absolutely not. Retirement communities differ in many ways, including amenities, contracts, agreements, refunds and overall ambience. North Carolina offers four types of contracts: Type A Life Care, Type B Modified Plan, Type C Fee-for-Service, and Equity-Based. When comparing communities, make sure you compare similar types of contracts. Also, each senior living community has its own special personality based on location, residents and programs offered. If they offer a one- or two-night trial stay, we suggest you take advantage of that so you can really see if the community feels right for you.