Brandon Oaks recently announced it was adopting the new designation of “Life Plan Community,” in support of a national movement of similar communities to change from being known as a “Continuing Care Retirement Community,” or “CCRC.”
“This is exciting, not just for Brandon oaks, but for all communities like us,” said Brandon Oaks’ Executive Director, Joe Hoff. “For years, the name ‘Continuing Care Retirement Community’ has given people in our market—and markets everywhere—a misleading impression of what communities like Brandon Oaks are. They have looked at CCRCs and thought they were all about ‘care,’ whereas the people that actually move to communities like us know we’re all about getting the most out of life.”
The term Continuing Care Retirement Community was coined nearly 35 years ago to describe the growing number of communities that provide a continuum of living and care options for older adults, starting with apartments and homes in which residents could live independently, then providing assisted living and skilled nursing residences that residents could move into if and when their health needs ever changed.
“Today’s Life Plan Communities are nothing like those CCRCs of thirty or more years ago,” said Mr. Hoff. “While, as a not-for-profit, LifeCare community, we certainly are proud of our healthcare services, we offer so much more. We have large residential homes with full-size appliances and all the amenities found in new homes today. More importantly, we offer fitness and wellness programs, fine dining, creative enrichment programs, socializing opportunities, and much, much more. And of course, we still take care of all the home maintenance, housekeeping, yard work and snow shoveling!”
The new name, “Life Plan Community,” is the result of a multi-year effort coordinated by LeadingAge, a national association of not-for-profit aging services organizations, and Mather LifeWays, a not-for-profit organization that owns and operates two CCRCs. The new name was reached after extensive nationwide research was conducted, including feedback from more than 4,100 survey respondents and 250 focus group participants.
“I’m really excited about the new name,” said Mr. Hoff. “It really draws attention to our community being about life, not just care. And people that move to communities like ours tend to be planners, people who like to know they’ve made the decisions they need to make to ensure they have a solid plan in place for their future.”
“The most common thing we hear from new residents,” continued Mr. Hoff, “is that they say they should have moved in two years earlier. I think this new name will help more people understand just how beneficial moving to a community like Brandon Oaks is, and help them decide to move earlier, so that they can take maximum advantage of all we have to offer.”
For more information on the evolution of the name Life Plan Community, please visit LifePlanCommunity.org.
