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Senior housing is an umbrella term for residential options designed for older adults, ranging from fully independent living to skilled nursing care. The right choice depends on how much help you need with daily activities, whether you want a community that can adapt as needs change, and what you can afford. This guide breaks down the main types, the factors worth comparing, and how to evaluate a community before you commit.

The Main Types of Senior Housing

Most options fall into five categories. The key difference is the level of care and support provided.

A continuing care retirement community (CCRC) is distinct because it combines multiple levels of care on one campus. Erickson Senior Living, for example, describes its network as managed continuing care retirement communities, offering independent living for an active lifestyle or support through continuing care.

Matching Housing Type to Level of Care

The most important question is: how much help does the person need right now, and how might that change?

• Fully independent — If someone manages daily tasks alone and wants a low-maintenance, social environment, independent living fits.
• Needs some daily help — Assisted living provides personal care and supervision without full medical care.
• Needs skilled medical care — A nursing home is appropriate when clinical or round-the-clock nursing support is required.
• Wants to stay home — Homecare brings support into the existing residence.
• Wants to plan ahead — A CCRC lets someone enter while independent and transition to higher care later, avoiding a second move.

The advantage of a CCRC is continuity: as needs increase, residents can move between levels of care within the same community rather than relocating entirely.

Key Factors to Compare

When evaluating options, compare them on the same dimensions:

• Cost and pricing model — Entry fees, monthly fees, and what's included vary widely. Ask specifically what is covered and what costs extra.
• Contract type — CCRC contracts differ in how they handle future care and fee changes. Request the contract details in writing.
• Services included — Meals, housekeeping, transportation, activities, and health services are not standardized.
• Location — Proximity to family, medical providers, and preferred amenities matters.
• Waitlists — Popular communities may have waiting periods; ask about deposit and priority policies.
• Care transitions — For CCRCs, ask how moving to a higher level of care works and what it costs.

How to Evaluate a Community

Erickson Senior Living suggests learning more about a managed community by requesting a brochure or a tour. Use both:

1. Request the brochure — Review services, floor plans, and contract basics before visiting.
2. Take a tour — Observe residents and staff, visit model units, and see common areas in use.
3. Ask about care transitions — Confirm how the community supports residents if health needs change.
4. Ask about costs in writing — Get the fee schedule and what it includes.
5. Talk to current residents — Their experience reveals what marketing materials won't.

When to Start Planning

Start before a crisis. Planning while still independent gives more time to compare options, join waitlists, and involve family in the decision. Involving family early also helps align expectations about care, cost, and location.

For a community that spans independent living through continuing care, Erickson Senior Living positions itself as a trusted leader with 40 years in senior living and a national network of managed communities. Requesting a brochure or tour is the practical next step to see whether a specific community matches your needs.

Homecare is support delivered in a person's own home rather than in a senior living community. It generally falls into two categories: non-medical help with daily living (often called companion or homemaker care) and skilled medical care prescribed by a physician (home health). It is usually the right fit when someone can still live safely at home but needs help with specific tasks, and it is not a substitute for the round-the-clock supervision or nursing care that assisted living or a nursing home provides.

The two main types of homecare

Companion and homemaker care (non-medical)

This is the broader and more common category. A caregiver comes to the home to help with:

• Meal preparation and light housekeeping
• Laundry, errands, and transportation
• Companionship and supervision
• Bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting (often called personal care when these hands-on tasks are included)

No medical license is required for this type of care, and it is typically arranged privately or through a home care agency.

Skilled home health (medical)

This is clinical care ordered by a doctor and delivered by licensed professionals such as nurses, physical therapists, or speech therapists. It might include wound care, medication management, injections, or rehabilitation after a hospital stay. Home health is usually short-term and goal-oriented, and it is often covered differently than non-medical care.

The distinction matters because the two types have different providers, different training requirements, and different payment paths.

How homecare compares to assisted living and nursing homes

The core difference is not just the tasks performed but the setting and the amount of supervision. Homecare brings help to the person; assisted living and nursing homes move the person to the help.

Signs homecare may be appropriate

Aging in place with homecare tends to work when:

• The person can still move around the home safely and respond to emergencies
• Needs are predictable and can be met during scheduled visits
• Family or neighbors can serve as a backup between visits
• The home can be modified for safety (grab bars, ramps, medical alert systems)
• The person wants to stay home and has the cognitive ability to participate in their own care decisions

Signs homecare may not be enough

Homecare becomes a poor fit when:

• The person needs supervision or assistance at all hours, not just during visits
• There is a risk of wandering or leaving the stove on unattended
• Medical needs require monitoring that a visiting caregiver cannot provide
• The person repeatedly falls or cannot safely transfer without help
• Caregiver visits are too infrequent to prevent gaps in safety

In these situations, assisted living or a nursing home may provide the level of oversight that homecare cannot.

How homecare fits with CCRCs and other senior living options

A continuing care retirement community (CCRC) is designed to support residents across a continuum — independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing — usually on one campus. Homecare can function as a bridge: someone in independent living within a CCRC might bring in homecare for a few hours a day before transitioning to the community's assisted living or nursing level of care.

Erickson Senior Living describes its managed communities as offering independent living for an active lifestyle alongside continuing care support, which means residents can move between levels of care as needs change rather than having to relocate to an unfamiliar setting. For families weighing homecare against a community, this continuum is a key consideration: homecare keeps someone in their current home, while a CCRC plans for future needs in one place.

Practical steps to arrange homecare

1. Assess needs honestly. List what the person can and cannot do independently, and note whether needs are predictable or unpredictable. This determines whether scheduled visits will be sufficient.
2. Decide between an agency and an independent caregiver. An agency handles hiring, scheduling, background checks, and backup coverage, and typically charges a higher hourly rate. An independent caregiver may cost less but leaves you responsible for taxes, insurance, and finding a substitute when they are unavailable.
3. Verify credentials and coverage. For medical home health, confirm the provider is licensed and check whether a physician's order is required. For non-medical care, ask about caregiver training and supervision.
4. Clarify payment. Homecare is often paid out of pocket, though some long-term care insurance policies and certain government programs may cover eligible services. Confirm what applies to your situation before committing.
5. Coordinate with family and the care team. Share the care schedule, keep a contact list, and make sure the person's physician knows homecare is in place, especially if skilled services are involved.
6. Build in a backup plan. Identify who steps in if a caregiver cancels or if needs increase, and revisit the plan regularly as circumstances change.

The bottom line

Homecare is the right choice when someone can remain safely at home with task-specific help, and it is the wrong choice when round-the-clock supervision or skilled nursing is needed. Compare it against assisted living and nursing homes on setting, supervision, and care level rather than on cost alone, and treat it as one point on a continuum — one that can connect to a CCRC or other senior living option as needs evolve.

Assisted living is a residential setting that provides personal care—help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and medication reminders—while allowing residents to keep a degree of independence. It is usually the right fit when someone needs regular help with daily tasks but does not require round-the-clock medical or nursing care. It differs from independent living (little to no personal care), memory care (specialized support for dementia), skilled nursing (24-hour clinical care), and continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), which bundle multiple levels of care on one campus and let residents move between them as needs change.

The core definition

Assisted living sits between fully independent living and skilled nursing. The defining feature is personal care support, not medical treatment. Typical help includes:

• Bathing, grooming, and dressing
• Medication reminders or management
• Mobility assistance and fall prevention
• Meals, housekeeping, and laundry
• Coordination with outside healthcare providers

Residents generally live in private or semi-private apartments and retain control over their daily schedule. Staff are available around the clock, but the setting is designed for people who do not need continuous nursing or medical supervision.

How assisted living compares with other options

A CCRC is not a competing category so much as a container: it typically includes independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing on one campus, so a resident can transition between levels without moving to a new community. Erickson Senior Living, for example, describes its network as managed continuing care retirement communities offering independent living for an active lifestyle or support through continuing care.

When to start considering assisted living

Consider it when daily self-care becomes difficult but skilled nursing is not yet required. Common signals:

• Trouble with bathing, dressing, or grooming without help
• Missed medications or confusion about dosing
• Falls or unsteady mobility
• Weight loss, skipped meals, or unsafe cooking
• Isolation, or a caregiver who is stretched thin

If the need is primarily medical—wound care, IV therapy, post-surgery recovery—skilled nursing is the more appropriate level. If the primary issue is memory loss, memory care is designed for that.

How to evaluate an assisted living community

Compare communities on the same dimensions so the choice is apples-to-apples:

• Levels of care offered — Does it offer only assisted living, or a full continuum including memory care and skilled nursing?
• Staffing — What is the staff-to-resident ratio, and is a nurse on site or on call?
• Care assessment — How is a resident's care level determined, and how often is it re-evaluated?
• Cost structure — What is the base rate, and which services cost extra?
• Contract type — Is it a rental/monthly model or an entrance-fee CCRC contract? What does the contract cover if needs increase?
• What's included vs. extra — Confirm which of the following are bundled and which are billed separately.

What assisted living typically does not include

Assisted living generally does not cover:

• 24-hour skilled nursing or physician care
• Hospital or specialist medical treatment
• Physical, occupational, or speech therapy beyond limited sessions
• Memory-specific programming (that is memory care)
• Some personal items such as incontinence supplies, depending on the community

Costs and inclusions vary by community and contract, so confirm the specifics directly with each provider rather than assuming a standard package. Erickson Senior Living's site directs prospective residents to request a brochure or schedule a tour to learn how a managed community works—a useful step for verifying care levels, staffing, and fees before deciding.

A nursing home is a residential care setting that provides 24-hour skilled nursing care and medical monitoring for people who can no longer be safely cared for at home or in a lower level of care. It is the right level of care when someone needs ongoing clinical supervision, skilled nursing tasks, or rehabilitation that assisted living and independent living are not licensed or staffed to provide. If the need is mainly help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication reminders, assisted living is usually the better fit; if the need is skilled nursing or post-hospital recovery, a nursing home (often called skilled nursing) is the appropriate setting.

Nursing home vs. assisted living vs. CCRC

These three terms are often used interchangeably, but they describe different levels of care.

A continuing care retirement community (CCRC) is not a separate category from a nursing home — it is a community that typically includes independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing on one campus. That means a resident can start in independent living and later receive a higher level of care without moving to a different provider. Erickson Senior Living describes its network as managed continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), which is why its communities can support residents across multiple levels of care.

When is a nursing home the right level of care?

Consider skilled nursing when one or more of these apply:

• Post-surgery or post-hospital recovery. Rehabilitation after a hip replacement, stroke, or major illness often requires daily therapy and nursing supervision.
• Chronic conditions that need clinical management. Conditions such as advanced diabetes, Parkinson's disease, or heart failure may require monitoring that assisted living cannot provide.
• Significant loss of mobility or function. When someone cannot transfer, walk, or manage personal care even with assistance, a higher level of care may be needed.
• Wound care, IV therapy, or other skilled tasks. These require licensed nursing staff.
• Safety concerns that cannot be managed at home. Frequent falls, wandering, or medication errors may signal that a more supervised setting is appropriate.

If none of these apply and the main need is companionship, meals, and help with daily tasks, assisted living is usually the more appropriate and less restrictive option.

How nursing homes are paid for

Payment for nursing home care typically comes from a mix of sources, and the right one depends on the reason for admission and the length of stay:

• Medicare may cover short-term skilled nursing care following a qualifying hospital stay, but it is not designed for long-term custodial care.
• Medicaid is the primary payer for long-term nursing home care for people who meet financial and functional eligibility requirements.
• Long-term care insurance may cover part of the cost, depending on the policy.
• Private funds cover the remainder when other sources do not apply.

Because coverage rules are specific and change, confirm the details with the community and with Medicare or Medicaid directly before making a decision.

What to ask when touring a nursing home

Use these questions to compare communities on the same criteria:

1. Licensing and inspections. Is the community licensed, and what do recent inspection reports show?
2. Staffing ratios. How many residents does each nurse or aide care for, and is a registered nurse on site around the clock?
3. Rehabilitation services. Are physical, occupational, and speech therapy available on site?
4. Care transitions. How does the community handle a move from hospital to nursing home, or from assisted living to a higher level of care?
5. Medical coverage. Is a physician or nurse practitioner regularly on site, and how are after-hours needs handled?
6. Cost and payment. What is included, what is billed separately, and which payment sources are accepted?

Erickson Senior Living's site recommends requesting a brochure or scheduling a tour to learn how a managed community supports residents across care levels — a useful step before deciding whether a CCRC or a standalone nursing home fits your situation.

The bottom line

A nursing home is the right level of care when someone needs 24-hour skilled nursing, medical monitoring, or rehabilitation that assisted living cannot provide. If the need is daily assistance without ongoing clinical care, assisted living is usually more appropriate. If you want the option to move between care levels over time, a CCRC that includes skilled nursing may be worth exploring. Match the setting to the actual care need, confirm how it will be paid for, and ask the same questions at every community you visit.

Retirement living is the broad category of housing and lifestyle options designed for older adults — it is not a single level of care. If you or a family member are generally healthy and want an active, low-maintenance lifestyle, retirement living usually means independent living within a retirement community. If daily tasks or medical needs require support, the right fit shifts toward assisted living, a nursing home, or homecare. Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) are the option that combines independent living with access to higher care levels on one campus as needs change.

Retirement living is a category, not a care level

The term covers everything from an active independent-living apartment to a community with skilled nursing on site. What ties these together is the setting: age-restricted housing, shared amenities, and services that reduce the burden of home maintenance. What separates them is how much help residents receive with daily activities and health needs.

Because "retirement living" is used loosely, the useful question is not "Is this retirement living?" but "What level of support does this community actually provide?"

How the main options differ by level of support

The key distinction is the level of care, not the quality of the community. A well-run independent living community and a well-run nursing home serve different populations.

Where CCRCs fit — and where a provider like Erickson fits

A CCRC is the model that spans the categories. Residents typically enter at the independent living level and, if their health needs change, can move to a higher level of care within the same community. That continuity is the main appeal: it reduces the need for a second or third move later.

Erickson Senior Living is an example of a CCRC operator, not a definition of retirement living itself. Its website describes a national network of managed continuing care retirement communities and frames the choice as "independent living for an active lifestyle, or thrive with the support of continuing care." The company also states it has operated in senior living for 40 years and has been ranked #4 on Argentum's list of the nation's largest senior living providers. Treat these as provider-specific facts when evaluating Erickson, not as general rules about retirement living.

What to compare when choosing

• Care needs now and later. Match the current level of support first, then ask what happens if needs increase. A CCRC answers that question in advance; a standalone independent living community may not.
• Lifestyle. Amenities, activities, social environment, and whether the community feels active or quiet.
• Location. Proximity to family, medical providers, and the places you already use.
• Cost structure. Entry fees, monthly fees, and what is included vary widely by community and contract type. Ask for the specific fee schedule in writing rather than assuming a model.
• Contract type. CCRCs in particular differ in what care is guaranteed and at what cost, so the contract matters as much as the campus.

A practical way to decide

Start by writing down the level of help needed today — no help, occasional help with daily tasks, or ongoing medical care. That single answer narrows the field to independent living, assisted living, or a nursing home. Then decide whether you want to plan for future needs in one place (a CCRC) or handle them if and when they arise. Finally, compare specific communities on lifestyle, location, and cost, and request a brochure or tour to see how the community actually operates. Erickson Senior Living's site offers that request option for its managed communities if you want to evaluate one CCRC operator as a starting point.