While there is no right or wrong answer to this question, many would argue that the best time to move to a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) is as early as possible.
In an article published in the November 2022 edition of US News and World Report, the typical age for a resident of a CCRC ranges from 65 to 95. Many of these communities report that the average age of their residents is between 80 and 85.
Moving to a CCRC when you are younger definitely has its advantages. One of the biggest advantages of moving to a CCRC is the ability to build relationships with others within the community and maintain those relationships as you transition through the various levels of care.
At John Knox Village, we recognize seven dimensions of wellness and encourage all our residents to remain active as long as possible by working on the seven dimensions of wellness – physical, intellectual, emotional, social, financial, spiritual and community.
Some of the programs offered to CCRC residents to encourage physical, social, and emotional wellness include fitness and wellness programs such as low impact aerobics, yoga and tai-chi.
Many communities such as John Knox Village of Central Florida also offer state-of-the-art fitness centers with pneumatic resistance systems designed provide a safer, easier and more efficient way to improve core stability and gain over all muscle performance.
Another advantage of moving to a CCRC is to become involved in community service whether it is volunteering within the CCRC community or finding a volunteer opportunity as part of a partnership with other organizations such as a local school, hospital or other non-profit organization. Many of the partnerships are specifically designed to benefit from the wealth of knowledge that retirees can provide to the community.
While age may be just a number, residents of CCRCs must be able to live independently at the time that they move in. With that in mind, It may be best to fully take advantage of all of the amenities a CCRC has to offer while you can enjoy them.