✨ Residence and Care Agreements

I live in an Entry Fee Community where Health Care is pretty much discounted and used for residents who move through the continuum of care ( policy when we signed our Agreement 6 years ago). Non discounted rates are used for those ineligible who were granted a health care medical waiver to move into the community with eligible spouses.

For many reasons, Contract holders are resistant to moving to the next level of care and the Management is not "pushing it" by using an Interdisciplinary Team approach to the decision of transfers/transitions as needed--a complicated issue in these communities , not without irony.

Now, because of financial necessity and over capacity, a decision has been made to "open up" Health Care facilities to "all Veterans" on a direct entry non discounted fee basis. Our eligibility for independent living has been essentially retired military officers/spouses/widows of such with the sponsor having 20 years of service as the "cut point".

Some folks now feel what has been their "home"--the Community to include Health Care facilities--will now be invaded by "strangers" who are not their "neighbors". Plus the Board/Management did not adequately prepare Resident contract holders through advance communication for a major change, especially after having developed a certain culture based on the previous policy in existence for over 30 years. We found out from a Marketing Brochure sent out to the public.

Yes, the Board has a legal "right" to change the Policy of eligibility, but is their approach of not communicating this change to residents the "right thing" to do?

Anyone else had a similar experience? Comments based on their experience?

I believe most residents would understand if "sold" on the change as necessary to the financial health of the community. But as the character in a Paul Newman movie once said "What we have here is a failure to communicate". Unfortunately, that is what happens in many of these Life Plan communities. Hence the reason for an organization like NaCCRA. Or a good lawyer?