The Associated Retirement Community Operators (ARCO) is the main body representing the Integrated Retirement Community sector in the UK.
ARCO was formed in September 2012 by its founder members.
Its members include both private and not-for-profit members, comprising about half of the Integrated Retirement Community sector.
Including its members there are over 100 organisations associated with ARCO, including ARCO Affiliates, Partners, Strategic Partners and members of the ARCO Accelerator Programme.
Setting standards for Integrated Retirement Communities
ExtraCare’s mission is creating sustainable communities that provide homes older people want, lifestyles they can enjoy, and care if it’s needed.
We are proud to be a member of ARCO, the main body supporting Integrated Retirement Communities across the UK, setting standards for the sector and representing the interests of consumers and providers at national level. Working with ARCO, we champion the interests of all those who live or work in Integrated Retirement Communities (IRC’s).
What is an Integrated Retirement Community?
Following years of research and engagement with older people, ARCO has launched a new term to describe the sector it represents – ‘Integrated Retirement Community’. For too long, consumers, policymakers, investors and the wider public have been confused by the sheer number of different terms used to describe what our Members do.
That is now changing. We’ve listened carefully to the views of older people about the difficulties they currently face in navigating the complex web of retirement living language, and the term they would prefer to use to describe our sector. Integrated Retirement Community has come out as the winner.
So, exactly why is there a need for a universal term? Why has Integrated Retirement Communities come out on top? And what are the defining features of an Integrated Retirement Community? In this video we explain all.
ARCO Consumer Code
As Approved Operators, all of our Integrated Retirement Communities seek to adhere to the principles laid out in the ARCO Consumer Code.
The ARCO Consumer Code sets out the standards expected by its member organisations. It provides a benchmark for good practice within the housing-with-care sector. This code therefore states what ExtraCare residents can expect of the charity. The Consumer Code will be displayed in every ExtraCare location and available from local staff teams on request.
You can also read the code and find out more about their work by visiting ARCO’s website.
Read the ARCO Code
For further information, please contact the ARCO team:
info@arcouk.org
020 3697 1204
Website