NaCCRA Forum: Governance of CCRC/LifePlan Communit

Congratulations on moving to ENSO. I have been following the development of that community since it was announced years ago. My advice as a 79 year old 11-year resident at Charlestown in Catonsville, MD is to start a resident association and resident council as the governing body as as soon as possible. 

The bylaws for my community can be found on the Residents’ Council website. https://ccicharlestown.org/council/.

Kendal has a good reputation so that should help. As residents you want to establish a partnership with management so that residents feel empowered and engaged. As decisions are made about the operations, residents should be consulted. The goal is not to manage the operation but to be consulted and listened to. Work toward getting residents on the board of directors with the understanding that board members will not be reporting back to residents but need to operate as full board members. I checked the website and I didn’t see much diversity in the board members or leadership team.

Here are some thoughts from a speech I gave to MaCCRA chapter when I was the state president in 2022. By the way, I was also NaCCRA President five years ago. 

Role as Residents

What do residents want?

·      We want to be heard

·      We want to be part of the team.

·      We want financial security.

·      We want to feel we are part of what’s happening.

·      We want to have a say.

What Can We Do?

·      Learn as much as you can about your community. Ask questions. Expect answers.

·      Engage respectfully.

·      Utilize all avenues of communication.

·      Use state required grievance procedure if necessary. 

The leader of the non-profit provider group gets it. Katie Smith Sloan is the President of LeadingAge. She reported on her attendance at the Global Ageing Network Summit last year. I quote:

“We need to:

·      Redefine what it means to grow old.

·      Empower older adults to live meaningful and engaged lives, and protect their rights to dignity, respect, and self-determination.

Fight the ageism that has permeated our globe.”

Enjoy all the new growth opportunities in community living that you will discover.

Ann Mackay

Thanks so much Maura. The average age of entering ENSO residents is relatively low and we are certainly not a passive group. My wife Susan and I wanted to be in this “young” active community and establish responsibilities and friendships while we are able to be active. Management is quite aware of the opportunities and challenges and is taking steps to realize the potential.

I anticipate that this resource (NaCCRC) will be consulted to provide much more wisdom and depth to our venture.

Thanks again Maura!

The fact that you asked the question means that you are off to a great start.

If you are the first, you get to set the tone. Take this very seriously and put some thought into it. Many retirees become passive after retirement and fail to speak up appropriately. This tendency is serious because it allows negative human dynamics to take hold and perpetuate.

This is not our fault. The process of retirement, downsizing, coming to terms with our stage of life, writing wills, and choosing where one will die and who will be taking care of one at that time is a massive psychological experience. Many were taught not to make waves making it easy for us to give up our power to others.

Help management and staff develop a respectful working relationship with residents as "equals." Agism is alive and well in the US making it easy for some to view elders in a less than competent, an attitude that translates into negative behavior.

Management and residents need to work together as collaborative equals in this most important growth full stage of our lives.

Maura

Hi All, We are a very healthy couple aged 77 and 78. My wife Susan and I have made a deposit to live at Enso Village in Healdsburg California. It will finish construction soon and we are scheduled to be among the first to move in on October 31, 2023. We made our fully refundable deposit nearly 3 years ago and have eagerly followed all the developments at Enso Village since then. We are eager to become part of this community. We have investigated two other CCRCs near each of our widely separated children and thier families; Mirabella in Seattle and The Vi in La Jolla. We have settled on ENSO which is far from our kids but about half way between. Any advice on being the first to move into a new facility?