Reasons for Relocation to a Continuing Care Retirement Community

Abstract

This study examines the reasons given for relocation to an upstate New York continuing care retirement community (CCRC) for 91 affluent adults ages 65 to 95 who subsequently moved to this CCRC. Reasons most frequently given for moving involved the anticipation of future needs, such as a desire for continued care, freedom from upkeep and maintenance of current residence, and the desire not to be dependent on or a burden to anyone. Reasons for relocating to this particular CCRC, include continued care, facility's reputation and management style, and it's location near family and friends. Logistic regressions reveal that demographic variables predicted the reasons for selecting this particular CCRC, namely, marital status and/or gender, education, income, and perceived health. The authors conclude that the movers to this CCRC sought to avoid potential problems of “aging in place,” and were also attracted by the nature and location of the particular CCRC they had selected.