Tag: Life Plan Communities

The desire to age in place is changing how older adults engage with senior living—and challenging communities to rethink when and how they connect with future residents. As a result, models like continuing care at home (CCaH) are gaining attention as a way to extend care beyond the campus while building earlier relationships.

On Varsity’s weekly Roundtable, Dr. Amanda Young, CEO of M.A. Longey Consulting, shared insights from her experience launching and operating these programs, including how they’re evolving and where they fit within the broader continuum. Below are a few Fresh Perspectives from her discussion.

EARLIER ENTRY POINT, STRONGER FUTURE PIPELINE

CCaH doesn’t cannibalize independent living demand, it captures prospects earlier. By engaging individuals years before they’re ready to move, communities can build relationships, strengthen waitlists, and ultimately convert more residents over time.

EDUCATION IS THE GROWTH BOTTLENECK

Interest in the model is growing, but adoption lags due to confusion. Consumers don’t know what it is, leaders don’t fully trust it, and the lack of a physical product makes it harder to explain, turning education into the biggest growth constraint.

THIS IS A NEW BUSINESS, NOT A SIDE HUSTLE

Programs that struggle are often under-resourced. Success requires dedicated staff, marketing investment, and leadership alignment because this isn’t an add-on, it’s an entirely new line of business with its own operational and financial model.

THE MODEL EXPANDS YOUR REACH—WITHOUT BUILDING

With demand for senior living far exceeding supply, continuing care at home offers a scalable way to serve more older adults without major capital investment. It extends your mission beyond your campus and into the broader community.

FLEXIBILITY IS THE FUTURE OF THE MODEL

The traditional life care structure isn’t reaching the middle market, but innovation is underway. Hybrid models, care coordination-only options, and waitlist-based programs are reshaping the offering to be more accessible and financially realistic.

RETHINKING THE CONTINUUM AS A CONNECTED JOURNEY

The most effective organizations don’t treat at-home and community living as separate choices. They position them as connected steps, allowing individuals to enter earlier, stay longer, and move seamlessly when the time is right. 

Varsity’s Roundtable is a weekly virtual gathering of senior living marketers and leaders from across the nation. For updates about future weekly Roundtable gatherings, submit your name and email address here. 

This week’s Sales and Marketing Roundtable marked a milestone—our 275th session—and we were joined by Jennifer Smith from Mather Institute for an inspiring deep dive into the Age Well Study.

 This groundbreaking, five-year research project explored how living in a Life Plan Community influences health, happiness, and overall wellness compared to older adults living independently. With participation from more than 8,000 residents across 122 communities, the study offers one of the most comprehensive looks yet at the benefits of community living. Below are a few Fresh Perspectives from her discussion. 

SOCIAL AND INTELLECTUAL ENGAGEMENT 

Residents in Life Plan Communities experienced increased social interactions and higher engagement in intellectual activities, unlike the broader community. This reflects the rich program offerings and resources available, fostering deeper relationships and continuous learning.

EMOTIONAL WELLNESS 

Despite a slight tendency for residents’ emotional wellness scores to decline, they generally remained higher or similar to those of the broader community. Enhancing emotional wellness programs to address life challenges and transitions could further build on this advantage.

PERCEPTION OF BENEFITS 

When asked to reflect on how moving into a Life Plan Community affected their wellness, over two-thirds of respondents indicated their social wellness improved and more than one-half experienced benefits to their physical and intellectual wellness.. This highlights the communities’ strength in supporting resident well-being.

TAILORED WELLNESS PROGRAMS 

The Person-Centric Wellness Model, emphasizing choice, growth, and community support, suggests that personalized wellness offerings can effectively enhance residents’ motivation and engagement in healthy behaviors.

COMMUNITY COMPARISONS 

Efforts were made to make the resident and community-at-large groups comparable on age, gender, income, and race/ethnicity, yet there still may be pre-existing differences between groups that may influence wellness outcomes.

AGE PERCEPTION AND TRAINING 

Promoting positive views of aging is important to the wellness of older adults.  Employee training to reduce subtle forms of “everyday ageism” in language and actions may increase awareness and change behaviors. 

Varsity’s Roundtable is a weekly virtual gathering of senior living marketers and leaders from across the nation. For updates about future weekly Roundtable gatherings, submit your name and email address here.