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.
Hospice care services and facilities are intended for patients who are transitioning into the last months of their life, typically working with those that have a life expectancy of six months or less. Patients in hospice care are commonly facing a terminal condition or serious health condition, such as heart failure or cancer.
Once it is established that curing the condition and prolonging the patient’s life is no longer a viable option, hospice care is implemented as a means to maximize the quality of life and provide support services to the patient and their family.