We also chose self-funding. We moved almost 4 years ago to a well-run 50 year old nonprofit CRC with a very large endowment. It was begun early on and designed to cover anyone who - through no fault of their own - might run out of money. I read the contract statements carefully before signing. I think of the entry fee we paid as a form of annuity. We’ll always have a roof over our heads and food to eat. I assume all CCRCs require financial statements - at first to accept a candidate for the waitlist, and then updated before move-in. We love the place and feel fortunate to be here.
We are in Sarasota, Florida. We lived about two miles away from the CCRC we ultimately chose - it’s in a well-established neighborhood about 8 miles south of downtown Sarasota. Interestingly, our immediate area seems to have become “hot” … with good restaurants with no parking hassles, and about to get a Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.
Very good plan. People who move into CCRCs or assisted living while they are still fairly healthy and in control of their choices fare a lot better than those who wait until they aren't mobile and able to manage their move, thus dumping their problems on relatives to solve. I've observed that people who are still active and interested in volunteering are the ones who are making new friends and enjoying all the available activities in retirement communities. Life is what you make it.
I've been thinking about the final comment: "So now I’m feeling the entire retirement community thing might just be a very successful real estate development / marketing scheme targeting the anxieties of seniors." Development and marketing schemes in every aspect of life are targeting someone, and vulnerable seniors are no exception. But I think "entire" is too broad a characterization for retirement communities. People who someday expect to need a retirement community should do a fair amount of research and not wait until they or their family members are in an emergency situation. With Baby Boomers entering their 80s, the best communities have a long waitlist. It's a good idea to pay a modest deposit and get on the list, creating a relationship with your target place, rather than expect an apartment or cottage to magically appear and accommodate your needs during a crisis. We "interviewed" about five CCRCs in our area one summer, three years before were ready to move. One of the ones we rejected gave us negative vibes, and was owned by a corporation. It has changed ownership twice since then. Another one, expensive and sprawling, has undergone even more of an expansion, turning it into a huge campus. We still get flyers from these and other corporate-owned places - they apparently have plenty of vacancies.
We moved to a non-profit Continuing Care Retirement Community almost 4 years ago, and observe to one another daily that we made a great decision. It was created more than 50 years ago by a pastor who saw a need and today has a long waiting list and a large endowment. It’s not a “facility,” it’s very much our Home. I’d characterize it as a “village with a safety net.” Volunteerism, caring about and helping one another, friendships - all abound. But we have an excellent paid staff running things, and a team in place responsible to handle things friendly neighbors cannot do. If we run out of money, we still have a home. Expensive, yes, but the peace of mind is priceless.
We started out that way, as did many of our friends, but found we spent a lot on hotels and restaurants, and we both had grown up in frugal households. After buying the van, which doubled as our second household vehicle, we kept detailed records and realized we could travel that way for around $100 a day inclusive, which suited our budget. Of course, that was in 2011!
A 22-foot, used camper-van greatly improved our lives in our early-mid retirement years. We set off on numerous trips across the US and Canada typically for a couple of months. The little van had a diesel engine and we averaged about 23 miles per gallon (versus the 10 mpg a bus-size RV gets.) Though other people embrace the RV approach to "go wherever the road takes you," I preferred researching, planning, and reserving destinations and campgrounds to maximize our time.
We visited dozens of national parks and historic sites, and had too many adventures to detail. As examples, we followed Lewis & Clark's route and the California Mission Trail. We found each lighthouse along the coast of Maine, and slept beside Ancestral Puebloan ruins at Chaco Canyon. We stayed in peaceful campsides by the water in the Florida Keys, booked a campsite by the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta's launch field , and had dinner with a view of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (in the lodge that sadly burned to the ground last year). Often I wrote magazine articles about our trips, which provided a little extra retirement income. My husband supplied some of the photos, a fun collaboration. In between the van travels, we visited with family members and made trips to places you can't drive to. After 8 wonderful years, we sold our "magic carpet" just before the Pandemic hit. I spent those shutdown months making photo books of our travels, and we still look at them constantly. I'm gladly we didn't end up with a long "someday" list. Our travels are now limited by my spouse's health, which makes that investment priceless.
Comments
We also chose self-funding. We moved almost 4 years ago to a well-run 50 year old nonprofit CRC with a very large endowment. It was begun early on and designed to cover anyone who - through no fault of their own - might run out of money. I read the contract statements carefully before signing. I think of the entry fee we paid as a form of annuity. We’ll always have a roof over our heads and food to eat. I assume all CCRCs require financial statements - at first to accept a candidate for the waitlist, and then updated before move-in. We love the place and feel fortunate to be here.
Post: How do you prepare for the long term care cost as retiree?
Link to comment from June 22, 2026
We are in Sarasota, Florida. We lived about two miles away from the CCRC we ultimately chose - it’s in a well-established neighborhood about 8 miles south of downtown Sarasota. Interestingly, our immediate area seems to have become “hot” … with good restaurants with no parking hassles, and about to get a Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.
Post: Percentage that “age in place”
Link to comment from May 27, 2026
And not all of us have children.
Post: Percentage that “age in place”
Link to comment from May 27, 2026
Very good plan. People who move into CCRCs or assisted living while they are still fairly healthy and in control of their choices fare a lot better than those who wait until they aren't mobile and able to manage their move, thus dumping their problems on relatives to solve. I've observed that people who are still active and interested in volunteering are the ones who are making new friends and enjoying all the available activities in retirement communities. Life is what you make it.
Post: Percentage that “age in place”
Link to comment from May 25, 2026
I've been thinking about the final comment: "So now I’m feeling the entire retirement community thing might just be a very successful real estate development / marketing scheme targeting the anxieties of seniors." Development and marketing schemes in every aspect of life are targeting someone, and vulnerable seniors are no exception. But I think "entire" is too broad a characterization for retirement communities. People who someday expect to need a retirement community should do a fair amount of research and not wait until they or their family members are in an emergency situation. With Baby Boomers entering their 80s, the best communities have a long waitlist. It's a good idea to pay a modest deposit and get on the list, creating a relationship with your target place, rather than expect an apartment or cottage to magically appear and accommodate your needs during a crisis. We "interviewed" about five CCRCs in our area one summer, three years before were ready to move. One of the ones we rejected gave us negative vibes, and was owned by a corporation. It has changed ownership twice since then. Another one, expensive and sprawling, has undergone even more of an expansion, turning it into a huge campus. We still get flyers from these and other corporate-owned places - they apparently have plenty of vacancies.
Post: Percentage that “age in place”
Link to comment from May 25, 2026
We moved to a non-profit Continuing Care Retirement Community almost 4 years ago, and observe to one another daily that we made a great decision. It was created more than 50 years ago by a pastor who saw a need and today has a long waiting list and a large endowment. It’s not a “facility,” it’s very much our Home. I’d characterize it as a “village with a safety net.” Volunteerism, caring about and helping one another, friendships - all abound. But we have an excellent paid staff running things, and a team in place responsible to handle things friendly neighbors cannot do. If we run out of money, we still have a home. Expensive, yes, but the peace of mind is priceless.
Post: Percentage that “age in place”
Link to comment from May 25, 2026
We started out that way, as did many of our friends, but found we spent a lot on hotels and restaurants, and we both had grown up in frugal households. After buying the van, which doubled as our second household vehicle, we kept detailed records and realized we could travel that way for around $100 a day inclusive, which suited our budget. Of course, that was in 2011!
Post: The Art of Spending Money
Link to comment from May 21, 2026
A 22-foot, used camper-van greatly improved our lives in our early-mid retirement years. We set off on numerous trips across the US and Canada typically for a couple of months. The little van had a diesel engine and we averaged about 23 miles per gallon (versus the 10 mpg a bus-size RV gets.) Though other people embrace the RV approach to "go wherever the road takes you," I preferred researching, planning, and reserving destinations and campgrounds to maximize our time. We visited dozens of national parks and historic sites, and had too many adventures to detail. As examples, we followed Lewis & Clark's route and the California Mission Trail. We found each lighthouse along the coast of Maine, and slept beside Ancestral Puebloan ruins at Chaco Canyon. We stayed in peaceful campsides by the water in the Florida Keys, booked a campsite by the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta's launch field , and had dinner with a view of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (in the lodge that sadly burned to the ground last year). Often I wrote magazine articles about our trips, which provided a little extra retirement income. My husband supplied some of the photos, a fun collaboration. In between the van travels, we visited with family members and made trips to places you can't drive to. After 8 wonderful years, we sold our "magic carpet" just before the Pandemic hit. I spent those shutdown months making photo books of our travels, and we still look at them constantly. I'm gladly we didn't end up with a long "someday" list. Our travels are now limited by my spouse's health, which makes that investment priceless.
Post: The Art of Spending Money
Link to comment from May 20, 2026
It is still available for purchase through various suppliers including the University of Illinois Press, titled Traveling with Service Animals.
Post: Writing a Book in Retirement: The Good, the Hard, and the Surprisingly Meaningful
Link to comment from May 20, 2026
Excellent article.
Post: Resilient Investing
Link to comment from May 16, 2026