What is WACCRA?
Washington State Continuing Care Residents Association (WACCRA)
Washington State Continuing Care Residents Association (WACCRA)
Washington State Continuing Care Residents Association (WACCRA)
In addition to advocacy by our members, a professional lobbyist supports our legislative efforts in Olympia.
WACCRA’s key 2017 legislation requires that communities wanting to call themselves a CCRC must register with the State DSHS. The legislation also requires some protections for prospective and current residents. These are listed in section 070 of RCW 18.390: The CCRC Law.
Currently, 23 CCRCs are registered in the State.
In addition to seeking legislation, WACCRA has worked very closely with LeadingAge WA (the organization of senior living management professionals) to develop the Commitment to CCRC Practices. The Commitment lays out best practices for ensuring cooperation, transparency, and trust between the CCRC Executive Director and the CCRC residents around issues of financial disclosure, entrance fee refunds, and resident involvement in decision-making. This landmark agreement went into effect on January 1, 2021 at each of the 23 registered CCRCs in the State.
WACCRA is an active member of Senior Lobby, a consortium of organizations focused on senior issues.
We also work with the WA State Long Term Care Ombuds Office and other state agencies that oversee issues of concern to seniors. WACCRA is an affiliate of the National Continuing Care Residents Association NaCCRA
A strong and robust WACCRA membership is essential
to our success. If you aren’t a member, please consider joining now.
— SAVE THE DATE — WACCRA's Annual Meeting October 21st
Washington State Continuing Care Residents Association (WACCRA)
Washington State Continuing Care Residents Association (WACCRA)
Our 2023 Annual Meeting Guest Speaker, Professor Katherine Pearson, has an interesting "Hot Topic" on her Research Agenda:
Examination of legal and financial implications of
“senior living” options, including “Continuing Care Retirement Communities,” also known as “CCRCs” or “Life Plan Communities”.
On her website she says that “because of the fees associated with these attractive models for long-term care, many states have adopted regulations that mandate certain disclosures or protections for residents. Professor Pearson’s research in this area focuses on regulatory models and how to protect the interests of current and future residents”.
We invite you to join us
on October 21st to hear how
Professor Pearson’s research can inform
WACCRA’s Legislative work
Consumer Guide to CCRC's in Washington State
Consumer Guide to Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC's) in Washington State
Our Consumer Guide provides critical information for seniors considering investing in, and moving into, a CCRC. You will find sections on the types of contracts available (A, B, C, D), independent living options, levels of healthcare (Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, Memory Care), financial considerations, and ownership and governance characteristics. A helpful checklist of amenities makes decision-making easier. The Consumer Guide includes contact information for each of the 23 CCRCs registered in Washington State.
The community living experience in a CCRC can offer you congenial new friends, rich social and cultural experiences, excellent health care, life-enhancing fitness/wellness opportunities, genuine security and peace of mind.
Your move will eliminate the stress of maintaining a home and relieve your children’s worries about their parents living alone. In this way, you will avoid becoming a burden to them or to others.
What is a CCRC, Actually?
A Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) is an organization that provides a secure and comfortable place for senior citizens to live, with an agreement that assures a continuum of care as their needs change over time through the rest of their lives. CCRCs generally include independent living residences which are rented on a monthly basis; memory care facilities; assisted living; and skilled nursing. Some contracts require a substantial up-front deposit (a percentage of which is refundable) in addition to the monthly rent.
