Submitted by Ridgecrest Village
One of the biggest
concerns for seniors that are considering senior housing is how the
process works, and what moving into a retirement community entails.
“Moving into a retirement community can be very confusing for some
folks,” said Bob Morrison, Director of Marketing at Ridgecrest Village.
“At Ridgecrest,” Bob continues, “We make the process extremely easy and
stress-free.”
That’s the consensus of Ron and Connie Jurgs of Davenport. Below is their story about how they chose to live at Ridgecrest.
What is a Life Care Community?
Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) provide an attractive
lifestyle option that has been around for decades nationally, but since
the mid-1980s has dramatically evolved. These retirement campuses are
especially attractive to seniors making decisions for their long-term
care future. They allow seniors to convert home equity or other assets
into housing and to receive daily living services and health care in
ways that keep monthly expenditures more stable. They may experience
nearly all levels of nursing service, all within the same village.
This residential alternative for adults, usually 62 or older, provides
flexible housing options, a coordinated system of services and
amenities, and a continuum of care that addresses the varying health and
wellness needs of residents as they grow older. The CCRC model enables
residents to avoid having to move outside the community. If needed, they
may experience additional levels of nursing service, all within the
same village. Remaining within the community allows the resident to
continue their existing relationships with a spouse and friends, avoid
the stress of a move, and receive health care, if needed, in an
environment they know and trust.
Ridgecrest Village is the
oldest and most established CCRC in the Quad Cities area. Like
Ridgecrest Village, 82 percent of CCRCs are not-for-profit.
Understanding the benefits of continuing care and especially “Life Care”
has made quality living possible and affordable for many forward
looking seniors.
Some Unique Features of CCRCs Include:
- The
ability for mature adults to eat together, enjoy activities, and
socialize with spouse and friends in the same campus is desirable. This
is even more beneficial should friends become spread between independent
living, assisted living, and full nursing care. - Secure private accommodations and common area amenities in a variety of styles and with a wide range of pricing options
- A
single location offering a “continuum of services” including dining,
housekeeping, social and recreational programs, transportation,
spiritual care, and health care services, as needed - Possible income-tax deductions in the form of a medical expense deduction for certain fees paid
- The
not-for-profit CCRCs offer protection against the loss of
accommodations and services if the resident exhausts his or her funds
Payment Plans
ervices and fees for CCRCs are designed to give choices and meet
the needs of the individual senior. An estimated 65 percent of CCRCs
offer contracts that include a lump-sum initial entrance payment. A
large majority of these offer some degree of refund ability to the
resident or to their estate.
One payment plan option is used by
nearly all retirement programs. The “Fee-for-service” option is simply a
monthly rental fee, sometimes with a security deposit and/or a
community fee to cover program expenses, move-in costs, or document
fees. Charges vary depending on the amount of service provided.
The second option offered by the most stable CCRCs is called “Life
Care.” This plan gives security to an individual or couple by protecting
against higher costs of most future medical accommodations. An entrance
fee provides a room with the appropriate level of care in assisted
living, memory care, or full nursing services, should they be needed,
without raising monthly rates, except for additional meals. This is
particularly beneficial for a couple when one of them needs the extra
service but the other does not. They pay only the same low independent
monthly cost even though they live in separate areas and receive
different amounts of care.
A third plan is a Modified contract
or “Refundable Entrance Fee” option. Should your medical needs require
Assisted Living or Full Nursing Care, you receive 10 free days of higher
level care; then a large percent of your entrance fee is refunded.
After the 10 days, you pay market prices for the level of care provided.
Many prefer this plan as they have long-term care insurance and/or
would rather be in control of their finances.
No matter which
financial plan is chosen, the CCRC gives the most care options, takes
away unwanted moving hassles, and builds a level of security and peace
of mind for both the resident and their family.
When choosing a
retirement community, many factors have to be taken into consideration
before making that final choice. And everyone has different priorities
due to their individual needs. Ridgecrest Village can fulfill all
current and future needs of our residents, because we offer independent
living, while also offering the option of graduated care for our
residents, just in case their health deteriorates.
Come visit
Ridgecrest Village to see all it has to offer. Come join the Ridgecrest
Family. Ridgecrest Village is a home among friends.
Why I Chose Ridgecrest
By Ron Jurgs
Making the move to a retirement community was a very difficult
decision for my wife and me. I believe we spent more time picking a
retirement home than we spent on the decision to get married. Our main
objective was to get away from the responsibilities and expenses of a
private residence. We then would have more free time to pursue other
activities without the obligation that a private residence bestows on
the owners. After a certain age, shoveling a foot of snow on a bitter
cold winter morning loses a bit of attraction.
The options were
numerous and it was difficult to evaluate all the possibilities. We
visited five or six facilities in Eastern lowa and drove by a couple
more. Eventually all the homes that weren’t in Davenport were
eliminated. Davenport is home for us and there never has been any
inclination to move to a different city in retirement.
Ridgecrest Village is one of the few homes in lowa that has the Life
Care plan. I believe this was a major consideration for us. If there was
another home that had a much better location and much nicer apartments,
the decision would have been much more difficult, be we didn’t find
any. We ate in the dining hall several times and attended several other
events. There was always a good feeling on the drive home afterward.
Many current residents were interviewed. None of the people we talked to
were unhappy. Some had been at Ridgecrest Village for many years. The
staff members were also happy to talk and answered any questions we had.
It was our impression that the main mission of the majority of the
residents was to have a good time. I believe they were getting that job
done.
On moving day everything was well planned and setup in
advance. Our new apartment was ready on that day as promised. Any help
we needed was provided by the staff. The move couldn’t have gone any
better.
We have been here for several months now. The other
residents feel like extended family members and we have been well
assimilated into Ridgecrest Village. Our routine is very similar to what
it was before, but we don’t have to be very concerned with the everyday
chores of cooking, cleaning, shoveling snow, mowing, painting, or any
of the other routine household maintenance chores. There are frequent
activities of all sorts that we can attend if we wish. Both my wife and I
have been picking the things that we wish to do and have passed on
others. On most days, I have the satisfied feeling that we are home
among friends. There is plenty to do every week and we are always about
as busy as we want to be. The apartment we have is very comfortable and
it’s working out about as expected. I know that in the future if there
are health concerns we can get the help we need to continue to live here
as long as possible. We can do all of this and still stay at home and
will be among friends.
For more information or to take a tour of Ridgecrest Village, contact Bob or Mary at 563-391-3430.