Life Plan Communities Offer Another Alternative to Aging in Place

A life plan or continuing care retirement community combines an active adult community and other types of senior housing as an alternative option to aging in place, reports the Washington Post . Most active adult communities cater to people 55 and older, while life plan communities are designed for residents at different ages such as 60 or 62, or perhaps older. Such communities typically include sections that offer independent living, skilled nursing, assisted living, and sometimes a memory care center for residents with dementia. One such community under development at Tysons Corner, Va., is the Mather, whose amenities will include dance classes, play-reading groups, seminars, an art studio, and concierge services. "Life plan communities typically appeal to people who want a lifestyle component similar to an active adult community and are also planners who want their future care secure," said Beth Mace with the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care. "They don't want to wait for a health event to occur or to have to go to a place they don't want if they need assisted living in the future."