Why Every Assisted Living Should Feel Like Going to Camp

When I think about camp, I don’t think about cabins or bug spray. I think about care.

I think about the way we show up for each other in places that matter—where meals are shared, stories are passed down, and people feel safe just being themselves. Camp, for me, was never just a place. It was a rhythm of care. And that’s exactly what I believe every assisted living community should strive to become.

Too often, assisted living is viewed as a medical solution—or a necessary step—rather than a meaningful home. But what if we designed it more like camp?

What if people looked forward to it?

At camp, you’re not a diagnosis. You’re part of the group.

You get invited to dinner. You get asked to play. You have somewhere to go and someone who notices when you don’t show up.

Assisted living can have that same energy. In the best places, it does. You’ll see it in the way the staff laugh with residents, in the cozy furniture, in the way the calendar isn’t just full—but interesting. Residents feel seen. Not managed. Not warehoused. Seen.

Camp isn’t perfect. Neither is aging.

There are rainy days. There are bunkmates who snore. But when it works, it works because someone cared enough to make it feel special. Someone set the tone. That’s what I look for when I tour assisted living communities. Not just the amenities—but the vibe. The leadership. The intentionality.

If you're helping a loved one choose a new place to live, here's a little litmus test:

Does it feel like a place where people show up with heart?
Does it feel like camp?

If it doesn’t, keep looking.

Or better yet—reach out. I’ll help you find the kind of place where care is more than a checkbox.

Because everyone deserves to grow older in a place that feels like camp.