by Cree McCree
WHAT’S HAPPENING
- Hitting the road in an RV has long been a popular option for adventurous retirees. But what happens when a frequent need for medical care becomes an anchor? Matures reluctant to sell their rigs can pull into Escapees Care in Livingston, TX, the country’s first RV park with assisted living (NYTimes.com, 29 August 2011).
- For $824 a month, or $1,236 a couple, residents get access to the Care Center, where registered nurses are on call to help with routine care and schedule doctors’ appointments. Meals, laundry, transportation and activities are also included in the fee.
- Located next to the national headquarters of the Escapees Club, America’s largest RV enthusiasts group, the site contains 31 lots and is expected to grow as the membership ages.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS
- RVs aren’t just transportation, they’re homes on wheels and powerful icons of freedom. Finding a permanent parking place for consumers’ rigs puts a whole new spin on the concept of aging in place.
- Escapees Care may be the first but it certainly won’t be the last. As age takes its toll on the burgeoning ranks of retired RVers, assisted-living parks are poised to proliferate.
RESOURCES
