Reading your comments, you have me wanting to identify and move into a CCRC early with DW.
Without meaning to reroute this thread, what do you think is the optimal age range for moving into a CCRC? And how far in advance should one be identified and arranged? And which location has CCRCs to suit you better -- northcentral Florida or downstate Illinois? Feel free to answer privately if that suits you better.
An interesting question, best answered because of the way we retired... from 1989 to 2004 (when we both turned 68), we had lived 6 months in Florida and 6 months in Woodhaven Lakes Campground in Illinois. Cost of living in both places was minimal, but we decided to buy a regular home in 2004 to protect a substantial value through medicaid if it became necessary. The Villa (separate full size 1600sf individual home) is part of the CCRC, here in Liberty Village. We were the youngsters @68. From 2004 to 2014, we were still spending 6 months in Florida.
We really like our CRC here in IL... We did look at Florida, not so much as a CCRC, but as older Over 55 Communities... We didn't find any CCRC's in Florida in our price range... (most did not have separate full size homes, but condo's or apartments) and we wanted our separate home. The Villages were a little steep for us, and we could see the time when we wouldn't want that much traffic or activity.
Over 55 communities do not as a rule have direct connections with CCRC's.
One other major factor for us, was the fact that we do not have a "buy in" endowment fee. Some CCRC's have up front (refundable) fees of $100K to $300K...
Aside... There seems to be a little misconception of CCRC, as we know it... In most cases it doesn't include separate homes. Since we DO live in a separate house, we are not in daily 24/7 contact with the full mix of ages.... ie. up to age 102.
As of now, our interaction is by choice. I don't think that at age 68, living in a condo or apartment CCRC would have been a first choice. We were still too active.
I wouldn't pretend to give advice. We did what worked for us, both socially and financially. Also... being northerners, afters spending years in Florida, we learned to appreciate the four seasons.