7 Ways You’re Ready to Consider a Move to CCRC
You know the truism: Timing is everything. But what if that’s not quite true?
But perhaps most important is whether you’re truly ready for a move to an independent living retirement community. Because there’s a big difference between timing and readiness.
Use this helpful checklist to see whether you’re ready for a move to a community. You might get clarity on what’s holding you back and better understand what you need to do to start moving forward.
- You’re tired of the responsibilities. Let’s face it: Homes need lots of love. And maintenance. Which means spending money. One insurance company suggests you’d annually spend about $1 per square foot of living space for home maintenance costs. That would cover expenses like lawn care, plumbing issues and repainting walls. But a home needs much more than that, especially if the home is older or if you need to catch up on deferred maintenance.
- You don’t want to pay for the big-ticket items. If you’ve lived in your home a while, you know the clock is ticking on replacing things like your roof and gutters, appliances, HVAC, and water heater. Homeownership can be like a very expensive game of musical chairs: You don’t want to be the one left holding the house keys when the music stops and the house needs major maintenance.
- You’re much more interested in the opportunities. If you’ve even casually investigated the independent living communities in your area, your interest may have been piqued by everything you could be enjoying right now. You see websites featuring pictures of older adults living independently, exploring exciting new opportunities, forming meaningful friendships with fellow residents. If you read the resident testimonials, at Edgewood Summit, you might hear a common refrain: “We wish we’d moved sooner.” And you might be thinking to yourself, “That could be me.” To which we would say yes, it can be you.
- You know it’s better to have a plan for future care. You’ve seen the statistics that say someone turning 65 today has a nearly 70% chance of needing some type of long-term health care services and support in their lives. You also know you don’t want your plan to be in someone else’s hands. Choosing a Life Plan Community (also called a continuing care retirement community) with independent living — along with other living options on campus, such as assisted living, memory care, and short-term and long-term skilled nursing — represents a smart plan for your future.
- You’ve seen what can happen when people wait too long. Many older adults who are in good health wait until their health is failing to make their move to senior living. They may have been an independent living resident for only a short time before they needed to move to a higher level of care. Or they didn’t get to enjoy an independent lifestyle at all; instead, they moved directly into assisted living, skilled nursing or memory care. And because they had to quickly make their move after an adverse health event, they couldn’t get into the community they wanted to live in.
- You don’t want to add stress to your kids’ lives. No parent wants to be a burden on their adult children. Caregiving can be rewarding but also emotionally, mentally, physically and financially difficult.
- You already know there’s one Life Plan Community that’s perfect for you. Sometimes you just know. Like when you met your spouse and knew you were going to get married: You just knew. And when you just know something, it can make your decision easier and less scary. It can also help you feel ready.
Schedule a Tour at Edgewood Summit
Edgewood Summit is a Life Plan Community in Charleston, WV., that might be right for you. After all, Edgewood Summit is Kanawha Valley’s only locally owned, not-for-profit CCRC (continuing care retirement community). Residents enjoy their vibrant lifestyles on our scenic mountaintop campus knowing they have the security of on-site health services, if they ever need them. Residents love the lifestyle the services and amenities, like the culinary program, and they deeply appreciate our long-tenured staff and high staff-to-resident ratios.
People love Edgewood Summit so much they can’t stop talking about it. And you know it’s a good sign when people can’t stop raving. It means we’re doing something right.