Last year, we highlighted the story of a continuing care retirement community (CCRC), also known as a life plan community, in Evanston, Illinois — Three Crowns Park — that developed a simple, effective way to encourage intergenerational interaction. Located across from a facility that runs children’s sports camps, Three Crowns Park invited campers onto its campus for daily ice cream socials with residents. The result was a delightful exchange: children and older adults shared conversation, smiles, and a sense of connection.
Other CCRCs have pursued different forms of engagement with their surrounding neighborhoods. Some communities have opened their dining facilities to the public during select hours, and others permit community members to use on-campus walking paths, or access wellness centers and pools for a modest fee. These choices reflect a trend toward making CCRC resources available beyond resident populations.
There are clear financial incentives behind such “open door” policies: additional revenue with relatively low incremental cost, plus more efficient use of underutilized spaces. But the advantages extend beyond the bottom line. Opening parts of a campus to the public fosters social interaction, strengthens ties with neighbors, and creates opportunities that benefit current residents as well as prospective residents who visit, observe, and imagine life there.
Perks of acting as epicenter to the larger community
When a CCRC welcomes community members to use select services or amenities, it effectively positions itself as a local hub — a community center in practice. That shift brings younger faces and fresh energy onto campus and serves as a live demonstration of the campus’s lifestyle for families considering future placement. Beyond that, there are many practical ways CCRCs can strengthen their role as a community focal point:
- Meeting and multipurpose rooms that are often idle during weekday hours can be offered to neighborhood groups or volunteer organizations either free of charge or as rentable space for meetings, classes, or service projects.
- Banquet and event rooms provide venues for everything from business luncheons to bridal showers and nonprofit fundraisers. Hosting public events showcases the community’s food and hospitality services while generating rental income and building goodwill.
- On-campus daycare programs or before- and after-school offerings create natural touchpoints for intergenerational programming. Regular interactions between children and residents bring emotional benefits to both groups and strengthen community cohesion.
- Libraries and reading rooms make excellent settings for after-school tutoring programs where students receive academic support while building relationships with older volunteers.
- Volunteer opportunities tailored to students and youth encourage service-minded behavior. Joint projects where children and residents collaborate on community-focused initiatives foster empathy, pride, and shared accomplishment.
- Art exhibits hosted on campus enliven common spaces and draw neighborhood visitors in to view local artists’ work, creating a cultural bridge between residents and the broader community.
- Many CCRCs sit on expansive campuses with plentiful parking and green space—ideal conditions for weekend farmers’ markets or craft fairs. Such events support local producers, improve access to fresh food for residents, and encourage neighbors to visit the campus.
A community-centric mindset
Each CCRC functions as its own small community, but it also exists within a wider neighborhood, town, and region. Rather than isolating itself, an effective CCRC recognizes the advantages of being an engaged and open neighbor. By adopting a community-centric mindset and allowing appropriate campus amenities to serve the public, CCRCs can make meaningful contributions to local life while enhancing the quality of life for their residents.
Embracing the role of a de facto community center can generate tangible returns: stronger social ties for residents, expanded visibility to prospective residents and families, new streams of modest revenue, and deeper relationships with local organizations. In short, thoughtfully opening campus doors benefits residents, bolsters community well-being, and helps CCRCs thrive as welcoming, connected neighbors.