Continuing care retirement communities (CCRC) are communities that offer residents independent living, assisted living, and nursing home all within the same development.  The benefit is that the resident never has to actually leave their community as they age and require more assistance.  CCRC's are active adult communities as well offering their independent residents trips outside the community, activities, and restaurant style dining. 

It all appears wonderful for the independent senior who has made a circle of friends within the community, has enjoyed their independent lifestyle and desired quality of life.  However, a stigma has been attached to the assisted living and nursing home parts of these communities.  Those that live in the assisted living or nursing home sections are either wheelchair bound, cognitively impaired, or dependent on others for their personal care.  It's a much different lifestyle from the independent living section.  The idea of the CCRC is to remain socially connected as one ages and requires more help.  But this idea is becoming more idealistic than realistic because the stigma attached to being a resident in the assisted living or nursing home creates a gap between the independent living residents.  Once an individual moves onto the assisted living or nursing home part they tend to lose their social connectedness.  Friends come by to visit but then the visits become fewer and more far between. 

Another problem is that once someone is required to move into assisted living they are assimilated with other residents that require much more care sometimes than the new resident.  The dining room is not like a restaurant anymore when some of the diners are being fed by an aide or are unable to carry on a conversation.  Many seniors living in the independent side try to hide their health conditions in order to stay where they are.  Another solution is to hire private home care for those living in the independent living side and bring the help inside rather than moving on to the next level.  But in doing this, the resident is defeating the purpose of buying into the CCRC in the first place. 

The continuing care retirement community was a great idea ideologically but when it comes down to it, many seniors still want to remain in an independent living situation as opposed to assisted living.  There is still a stigma attached to assisted living facilities and nursing homes that many seniors do not want to be a part of.  Having in home assistance still gives many seniors the feeling of dignified independent living.