My husband and I looked into a CCRC near Lebanon, Ohio. I was gung-ho about moving there at first, but then I started worrying that moving him now is only going to make things worse. Usually people with dementia do get worse when their routine and familiar environment is changed.

We currently live on private land inside a national forest, surrounded by beauty and amazing air, so that doesn't help make the decision to move. We have neighbors—none of whom are right next door, but all of us are friends. We help one another, and most are older, although we're the oldest. Living in the woods ten miles from a county road with dementia sounds dangerous, but actually it's the opposite. I think if we were in an urban environment, even in a CCRC, I'd have to watch my husband twice as much as I do now. I'd probably be afraid to even get in the shower!

If we had moved before it became evident, that would probably have worked, but we never wanted to move from here so we didn't. If we had already lived in a town, we'd have moved immediately to the one we looked at, but leaving this place is just so hard to do.

I’m glad you shared this. Does your spouse have dementia and are they able to enjoy the independent living? My husband and I are moving into a new Independent Living apartment in Aug 2026. This is a new part of the same kind of CCRC with all levels of care including rehab. He has Moderate cognitive impairment but by then I’m afraid it will have progressed to full on Alzheimer’s. I’m just hoping he can move in with me and enjoy the apartment. We are doing this because we need support and he may need Memory Care. I want to be on the same campus to be with him as much as possible without having to maintain a bigger home.
Two of our children live nearby and one out of town. They are all working and busy with their lives and are glad we are making the move but they are going to have to help with Dad via visits, days out, etc until we get there.
Right now I’m his 24/7 guide for all things and we do need to hire help to give me a break. I’m doing my best but am learning to ASK for help.

I don't want to be a "Debbie Downer," but for those of you considering CCRCs with a Lifetime Guarantee or whatever name it might have, recommend you understand very clearly what the medical coverage entails, especially if/when you or your LO needs to move into Assisted Living or Nursing Care.
My parents made the CCRC decision a number of years ago as well, though my father passed away before they actually moved. After 4.5 years in Independent Living, my mother recently had to move to an Assisted Living apartment. Dementia was a factor. The "Peace of Mind" regarding not needing family's help has proven to be unfounded, in both IL and AL, even though she lives in the top-ranked CCRC in the state. Even residents say you "MUST" have an advocate once one has to move from Independent Living (and sometimes before) - someone to track medical conditions and care, schedule appointments, coordinate transportation (especially for those in AL who can't do it themselves), attend appointments either in person or virtually, research alternative treatments or obtain second opinions if needed, provide companionship if their condition precludes their participating in group events, etc, etc, etc.
The perception that they wouldn't need family help has been a fantasy. A couple years ago, my husband and I moved from about 12 hours away so that I could be that person for my mother. Even though she lives in an "excellent" CCRC, I've had to cancel vacations and miss work-related travel. Luckily, I'm for the most part retired, though would still be working full time if I hadn't had to move, and my husband can work remotely.
In my mother's case, in hindsight, it would have been better (and probably more cost-efficient in the long run) to figure out how turn my parents' den into a ground floor bedroom with a full bath, move in with my mother, and obtain in-home care if/as needed.

On the other hand, yes, day-to-day care is okay, holidays are all celebrated with gusto, there are lots of activities for those so inclined and the environment is quite nice.