Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) offer persons 60 years of age or older a long term continuing care contract that provides for independent living units, residential care/assisted living services, and skilled nursing care, usually in one location, and usually for a resident’s lifetime. Most CCRCs require a substantial entrance fee (e.g., from a low of $100,000 to over a million) to be paid by the applicant upon admission along with monthly fees.

Continuing Care Retirement Communities: Is One Right for You? (2009) is a 14- page consumer’s guide that provides essential information to make an informed decision regarding whether a Continuing Care Retirement Community is right for you. It includes a 4-page personal questionnaire insert, Points to Consider for CCRC Consumers, to aid in your decision-making. Click here for a free copy of the Guide and the insert, Points to Consider for CCRC Consumers.

 

The decision to move into a Continuing Care Retirement Community or not represents one of the most important decisions a person can make in their lifetime. The relationship between a CCRC and a resident is expensive, lengthy, highly personal, and complex. In the following exchange, we explore some of the more important considerations in the fact sheet:

Should I really move into a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC)? (PDF)

Profile of CCRCs in California (PDF) provides a snapshot of the number and types of CCRCs; lists providers planning to expand capacity; identifies applications for new CCRCs or conversions of existing long term care facilities to become CCRC providers; and lists multi-facility for-profit and non-profit providers.

 

The California Department of Social Services, Continuing Care Contracts Branch, regulates CCRCs, and maintains a website with general information on CCRCs (http://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/Community-Care/Continuing-Care):

• Listing of all CCRCs in California by name(pdf) includes information on applications pending for new communities, plans for expansion and remodeling, for-profit providers, and life care contracts.
• Listing of all CCRCs in California by county pdf).
• Listing of non-profit providers (pdf).
• Listing of for-profit providers (pdf).

CCRC providers are required to submit annual financial reports to the Continuing Care Contracts Branch.

 

Before reviewing these reports, download a copy of the Guide to CCRC Financial Reports. (pdf) The reports are scanned, listed alphabetically by provider name, and cover the past three years: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/community-care/continuing-care/annual-reports

Non-Profit CCRCs must also file IRS Form 990 with the State Attorney General.  

 

Before reviewing the 990s, download a copy of the Guide to IRS Form 990. (pdf)

 

View copies of your provider’s Form 990 for the last three years here:

Registry Search: http://rct.doj.ca.gov/MyLicenseVerification/Search.aspx?facility=Y

 

Guide Star also provides free 990s on non profits whether registered in CA or elsewhere. For a fee, they offer more sophisticated searches: http://www.guidestar.org

The law governing CCRCs is contained in the California Health and Safety Code, Chapter 10 of Division 2, Sections 1770 and following. Click here for a copy of the most recent statute.

• CCRC Residents' Rights: Outlines the most critical rights for CCRC residents and cites the pertinent sections of the California statute.

• Level of Care Transfer Rights (pdf): Describes the reasons for transfers and the assessment process, and clarifies the major stages of the transfer process and the rights of residents at each stage.

• Exercising Your Rights & Resolving Problems in CCRCs: Explores self-advocacy options from working with administration to forming independent resident associations and family councils.

• Filing a Complaint Against CCRCs: Explains where to file complaints depending upon the nature of the problem and at what level of care the problem occurred.

• CCRC Legislation from 2006 to present.

• Legal Resources: Presents relevant cases, IRS rulings, and other key resources.

• Major Reports

• Relevant Articles and Books concerning CCRCs.

• California Continuing Care Residents Association (CALCRA) is the only independent voice for over 20,000 residents in California's Continuing Care Retirement Communities.

• National Continuing Care Residents’ Association http://www.naccra.com: Promotes CCRC model and minimal federal regulations with oversight at the state level. Associated with LeadingAge, the national provider association. NaCCRA hosts a website including a bi-monthly newsletter, model statutes on a wide variety of key issues, and a Learning Center http://www.naccrau.com/default.html with webcasts on key issues for providers and residents.

• CCRC Corner – Compilation of articles on CCRCs from a consumer perspective written by Professor Lillian L. Hyatt, MSW, and CCRC resident, that have appeared in the CANHR newsletter, The Advocate. Articles are grouped by the following categories: About CCRCs; Resident Rights; and Oversight & Enforcement.