What's the advantage of a continuing care campus over a standalone facility?

The main advantage is avoiding a move to a new building and new staff if a resident's care needs increase. Everything happens on the same campus, which can ease the transition for both the resident and the family.

Do all continuing care communities require an entrance fee?

Most do, though the size and refund structure of the fee vary by community. Some offer month-to-month rental options without an entrance fee, so ask specifically if that's what you're looking for.

Can a resident skip levels, for example moving straight from independent living to skilled nursing?

Yes, the move is based on assessed need rather than a required sequence. A resident who has a sudden medical event can move directly to the skilled nursing unit if a bed is available.

What happens if the memory care or skilled nursing unit is full when we need it?

This is one of the most important questions to ask before signing an entrance agreement. Ask each community directly how they've handled capacity issues in the past and whether current residents get priority access over new admissions.

Continuing care communities: assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing on one campus

Some campuses in Greater Hartford combine independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing on one property, so a resident can move between levels of care as their needs change without leaving the community. Families searching for this setup usually want to avoid a second stressful move down the road if a spouse or parent's needs increase.

These continuing care arrangements are typically found among the higher-end campuses in the region, often with an entrance fee structure alongside the monthly service fee. Before touring, ask each campus to lay out exactly which levels of care are physically on site versus contracted out to a partner facility elsewhere, since not every community that advertises a continuum actually has every level in the same building or campus.

Ask what triggers a move from one level of care to another, and who makes that determination, the resident's family, the facility's clinical staff, or both.
Find out whether a couple can stay together on campus if one spouse needs memory care while the other remains in independent or assisted living.
Ask about the entrance fee refund policy if a resident leaves or passes away, since these vary widely between communities.
Request the current waitlist situation for the memory care and skilled nursing units specifically, since those tend to fill faster than independent living apartments.

What it costs

Communities offering multiple levels of care on one campus commonly use an entrance fee model on top of a recurring monthly fee, with the monthly amount rising as a resident moves into a higher level of care such as memory care or skilled nursing. Entrance fee structures and refund terms differ significantly from one community to the next, so get the fee schedule and contract terms in writing and have a family member or advisor review them before signing.

Top 3 by our score

Ranked from our published scoring of public Google reviews for luxury / premium communities.

1. Arden Courts (Farmington)
4.7★ · 48 reviews

81
2. Southington Care Center
4.8★ · 62 reviews

80
3. Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center
4.6★ · 480 reviews

84

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FAQ

What's the advantage of a continuing care campus over a standalone facility?: The main advantage is avoiding a move to a new building and new staff if a resident's care needs increase. Everything happens on the same campus, which can ease the transition for both the resident and the family.
Do all continuing care communities require an entrance fee?: Most do, though the size and refund structure of the fee vary by community. Some offer month-to-month rental options without an entrance fee, so ask specifically if that's what you're looking for.
Can a resident skip levels, for example moving straight from independent living to skilled nursing?: Yes, the move is based on assessed need rather than a required sequence. A resident who has a sudden medical event can move directly to the skilled nursing unit if a bed is available.
What happens if the memory care or skilled nursing unit is full when we need it?: This is one of the most important questions to ask before signing an entrance agreement. Ask each community directly how they've handled capacity issues in the past and whether current residents get priority access over new admissions.