If you’re retired or starting to think about retirement, you may (wisely) be considering a move to a senior retirement community in order to save yourself the stress of moving later, when you’ll likely be less equipped to do so. If this is the case, you may be debating whether to join a 55+ community or a continuing care retirement community (CCRC). Here’s what each of these retirement community types offer their senior residents.

What 55+ Communities Offer

55+ communities cater exclusively to active seniors who don’t require personal or medical care. They do have some beneficial features, including:

• On-site activities. Most 55+ communities offer on-site activities such as classes, hobby workshops, and fitness programs.

• Convenient location. Many of these senior living campuses are located near amenities like shopping, dining, medical centers, and entertainment. This makes it easier for seniors to run errands, eat out, attend appointments and events, and live full lives without the need for a long drive.

• Peace and quiet. 55+ organizations offer quiet, tranquil neighborhoods free of loud music, skateboarding teenagers, and other noise pollution.

• Inclusive maintenance packages. Age-restricted communities typically provide maintenance services like landscaping, security, and exterior home maintenance, all for one simple monthly fee.

What CCRCs Offer

CCRCs are designed for active seniors as well, but additionally those with increasing needs for personal or medical support. They offer one-stop shopping for all your current and future retirement needs, including the following:

• Everything 55+ communities offer. Because CCRCs cater to independent seniors as well as those who need daily care, you’ll find all the same amenities at a CCRC that you would in an age-restricted community—and more. This includes activities, a vibrant social life, easy access to local destinations, fitness centers, eateries, salons, peace and quiet, security, outdoor maintenance, and more.

• On-campus amenities. Unlike 55+ communities, CCRCs have many of the amenities you need for an active and activity-packed lifestyle right on the same campus. This means you can walk rather than drive to the fitness center or café and skip stressors like traffic, roadwork, and accidents.

• Transportation. If you own a car and are comfortable driving, you are always free to take your own transportation at a CCRC. However, for those who want to skip the hassle and expense of car ownership (or even for those who simply prefer not to drive in bad weather), many CCRCs offer chauffeured transport to residents. You can simply call the front desk to arrange it (sometimes for a fee), and easily get anywhere in the surrounding community.

• Customized personal assistance. Although CCRCs encourage independent living to the extent possible, most also offer personal assistance services or in-home care tailored to the needs and wishes of each resident. Whether you’d simply prefer that someone else cook or do laundry, or you need consistent medical or personal care support, CCRCs can give you just the right amount of help.

• On-site medical care. One of the greatest advantages of CCRC life is that medical care is right on campus when you need it. Healthcare facilities and staff offer a wide range of essential medical services, such as nurse calls to your home, various forms of therapy, nutritional counseling, and more.

• One home for all your current and future needs. CCRCs offer customized living options for all stages of your senior life: independent living, personal care or assisted living, and skilled care. A major downside of 55+ communities is that they only cater to seniors in the first category, necessitating another move when you need a higher level of service and care. At a CCRC, you can seamlessly increase your care right where you are—without the stress, hassle, and expense of finding and moving to a new senior community.

Meet All Your Senior Community Needs in One Place With Chapel Pointe

Chapel Pointe is a faith-based CCRC which serves and enhances the quality of life for people aged 62+ in Central Pennsylvania. We’re honored that our greater community sees the servant-heart of our nonprofit organization and consistently selects Chapel Pointe as “The Best of Cumberland County.”

Nestled in eight beautifully landscaped acres in Carlisle, PA, our welcoming campus is filled with interesting places to explore and amenities that make life easy and enjoyable. Bird-watch from the gazebo, take a quiet moment in the chapel, curl up with a book in the library, join a friend for coffee in the sunroom, take the shuttle to town, or just pull up a comfortable chair for a chat.

Since the beginning, our team's mission has been to ensure that every resident is treated with love and the utmost respect. Experiencing our core values—trust, integrity, faith, service, and innovation—lived out every day at Chapel Pointe reassures seniors that they are making the right decision by welcoming us into their lives. Contact us to learn more about our community or support our mission by making a donation today!