February 17, 2023
Moving into a Life Plan community is a little different from moving across town. There are additional steps and stages, and we hope this article makes the process easier to understand.
First of all, you need to be at least 65 years old to move into Kendal at Longwood or Crosslands- that’s important to mention up front!
Joining The Priority List Is Where To Start
Step 1:
After you decide that Kendal-Crosslands Communities is for you, the first step is to Join the Priority List. The Priority list, which we sometimes refer to as the Wait List, involves filling out an application form, giving us an idea of what size cottage or apartment you are most interested in, and the timeframe you want to move. In addition, you will put down a priority deposit of $1,000 and registration fee of $200 for single person, $250 for couples. That’s it, but here’s the most important part:
The date you get on the Priority List is the date that follows you throughout the process, and will ensure your place in line when cottages and apartments come available.
Download a Priority List Application- just click here!
Step 2:
The next step is to get on the Ready List, if you are planning on moving to the community in the next year, into available inventory. This process involves completing a financial application, health care form, and personal history forms. Your primary care physician will also send us a medical evaluation and other required test results. After these forms are completed and returned, you’ll be scheduled for an admissions interview with various staff members.
The Admissions Interview is a series of appointments at Kendal at Longwood or Crosslands with various staff members including our nurse practitioner, social services and insurance specialists. Once a month, we meet to review all the applicants who have applied for admissions. At this meeting, most people are accepted into the community and then placed on the Ready List.
Kind of reminds you of the college admission process, right?
Your name will be placed on the Ready List, in order, using the date you joined the Priority List. Once on the Ready List, cottages and apartments will be offered in the order that you joined the Priority List. That’s why joining the Priority list is so important – it’s like getting “call-ahead” reservations at a restaurant. When you move to the ready list, the date you joined the Priority list determines where you are in line, and can allow you to “leap-frog” over folks who joined the priority list after you, even if they opted to join the Ready list before you.
Step 3: 
When you get a call offering you a new cottage or apartment, you will have seven days to accept or decline the cottage or apartment. If you accept the offer, we will then need a $5,000 unit commitment fee, and a contract date will be set, usually about 12 weeks later. On your contract date, you will become a resident of the community, start paying your monthly fees, and your entrance fee will be due.
We understand that many people will rely on the sale of their current home to help defray the cost of the entry fee, and there will be times where the twelve week period will not be sufficient. If this is the case, please contact your sales counselor, and they will be able to give you additional guidance on possible deferment of the entrance fee due date for a limited period of time.
A Word About Wait Times
Because wait times are growing, especially for larger cottages and apartments, we are requiring people to be on the Priority List for three years before they can start the process to get on the Ready List for any cottage or apartment over 1,000 sq. ft. We are also seeing wait times grow for our medium-sized accommodations and are requiring people to be on the priority list for one year before they can begin the Ready List process. That’s why we encourage everyone to join the Priority List as soon as possible, to ensure a “low” number and a higher position in queue for the apartment or cottage of your choice, when you are finally ready to move into the community.
We recognize that people’s plans and circumstances change. If you have had a change in plans and want to be removed from the Priority list, just write us requesting a refund and we will refund the Priority List deposit portion of the fee. However, if you decide to rejoin the list later on for some reason, you will get a new Priority list number. If you decide you’d like to move in sooner rather than later, and would like to explore the value a smaller home, such as a one bedroom cottage or apartment might offer, please let us know right away.
We hope this helps explain the Priority List/Ready List process. If you still have any questions, just give us a call and we’ll be happy to answer any questions for you!