Too Soon to Talk Continuum of Care
Typically in a news release or other marketing pieces, CCRCs are very quick to list all their types of residences together to demonstrate that the community has something to offer every senior. In describing what a CCRC is, there is generally some version of language that says, “At Community X, we have 100 residential apartments, with access to a full continuum of care that includes 30 assisted living apartments and 25 skilled nursing suites.”
While I understand the value of this language in some situations, I favor an approach that describes independent living, for a lack of a better term, independently from other levels of care available in the community. In this approach, a news release or marketing piece discusses independent living apartment homes, then immediately launches into details of the lifestyle and amenities that surround those residences. In an entirely different section of the copy, generally much further down the page, the available continuum of care is described almost as if it’s an entirely separate entity on the same campus.
I’ll give you a couple of reasons why I take this “compartmental approach” in my writing. First, the vast majority of our audience thinks this way. It’s a major obstacle to get many seniors to ask for any type of assistance, because they see that as a slippery slope toward losing independence. So once you’ve grouped your independent living with your health care suites, it plays right into many people’s misconceptions that moving to a senior living community will slowly strip away that cherished independence.
The second reason for the “compartmental approach” is something we’ve all heard many times — “I don’t want to live with all those old people.” By describing independent living in the same sentence or paragraph as skilled nursing care, we unconsciously reinforce one of the reader’s biggest objections, instead of dispelling it.
The “compartmental approach” is designed to allow the reader to fully envision themselves in an independent living residence that offers the lifestyle they seek. We can describe maintenance-free living in a private two-bedroom retreat, complemented by a selection of great food, engaging friends, wellness-focused classes, and entertaining and informative social events.
Once someone can picture themselves living the independent CCRC lifestyle today, they are then more receptive to hearing about the security of a continuum care to meet future needs. However, we do a disservice to our community when we blur together what most seniors see as two very distinct lines – independent living and needing some level of assistance or care.
Bill – I really disagree with your article about separating the health care out of the discussion of ILU. What I find when talking to our residents is that the security of the continuum is what brings them to our Village. I agree they don’t like to discuss it but it doesn’t drive them away. I strongly disagree with your statement of almost treating the health piece as a separate corporation. Doesn’t that defeat the continnum? Your article really disappoints me in that you would promote that type of advertising for the continnum.
I think we probably agree more than we disagree. We certainly know that the most significant number of residents of CCRCs move to a community for the continuum of care, and we talk about the security and peace of mind of having a continuum of care all within one community in nearly everything we do. I fully advocate talking about the value of a full continuum of care in all marketing materials.
I am simply recommending communities be careful in how they describe the physical layout of the community, so that independent living and health care don’t sound literally side-by-side within the community (especially since they often aren’t designed that way).