Health and Social Outcomes of Moving to a Continuing Care Retirement Community

Abstract

This study investigates the experience of moving into a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) for those moving locally (intra-county) and from more of a distance (outside the county). Specifically, we compare the social contacts and health of long distance and local movers before and after their moves. A sample of older adults were interviewed a few months before they moved into a Northeast, United States CCRC and a year and a half after they had moved. As predicted, long distance movers were more apt to experience physical health declines in terms of percentage of health conditions experienced, as well as perceived health status. No such health declines were found for local movers. Contrary to expectations, the greater health declines of long distance movers were independent of their social network contacts, regardless of whether these relationships were with family or friends. Moreover, our evidence suggests that moving to a CCRC does not affect social integration or perceived social support with distance movers actually more likely than local movers to make new friends within the CCRC.