Continuing care retirement communities in the United States

A continuing care retirement community (CCRC), also known as a life plan community, is a type of retirement community in the United States that offers a range of aging care services. These services include independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing care, all within the same community. The CCRC model allows residents to transition to different levels of care without having to move away from the community.

CCRCs can be housed in a single high-rise building or in physically adjacent buildings, such as apartments, cottages, or duplexes. They can also be spread out in a campus setting. The goal of a CCRC is to provide residents with the necessary care and support as their needs change over time.

The size of CCRCs can vary, but on average, they consist of around 330 units. This includes independent or congregate living units, assisted living beds, and skilled nursing home beds. Older residents in the United States typically spend around 10-12 years in the independent living facility, 1-2 years in the assisted living facility, and another 1-2 years in the skilled nursing facility.

As of 2010, there were approximately 1,900 CCRCs in the United States, located in 48 states and the District of Columbia. The states with the highest number of CCRCs are Pennsylvania, Ohio, California, Illinois, Florida, Texas, Kansas, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan.

CCRCs provide a comprehensive and convenient solution for seniors who want to age in place and have access to different levels of care within the same community.