Vi at Highlands Ranch Earns a 2026 U.S. News 'High Performing' Skilled Nursing Rating — Here's What That Means for Denver Families Planning a Senior Transition

Most families I work with don't start planning early enough — and that gap is expensive. When a health event happens, the pressure to find the right community quickly is real. Discharge planners and social workers are working fast, and families are often making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives in 48 to 72 hours. That's why I think ratings like these matter — not just for care decisions, but for real estate timing. Here's what the most recent data shows for the Denver metro: 📌 Vi at Highlands Ranch earned a 2026 U.S. News 'Best Nursing Home — High Performing' designation for short-term rehabilitation — placing it among the exclusive 19% of skilled nursing facilities in the country to reach that level. It's also Colorado's only Type A CCRC, meaning monthly fees stay consistent even if a resident transitions from independent living to skilled nursing. 📌 U.S. News reviewed 13 CCRCs in the Denver area and rated Vi at Highlands Ranch as the only one to earn the Best CCRC designation based on resident and family satisfaction across safety, caregiving, value, and food. 📌 Clermont Park in the University Hills neighborhood is a well-regarded Life Plan community offering both rental and entrance fee options — and is noted for strong community culture and affordability, with average monthly costs around $4,420 compared to Denver's area average of roughly $4,700. 📌 Balfour at Riverfront Park offers an urban luxury option — a full continuum including independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing — positioned directly in downtown Denver. 📌 Assisted living in Denver currently runs about $6,400/month — above both Colorado's state median of $5,877 and the national average of $5,900. Buy-in CCRCs like Vi at Highlands Ranch require entrance fees that can range from $175,000 to over $1 million — most of which can often be used to fund the transition through a home sale. What this means for families in Southmoor Park, Cherry Hills, Centennial, and Greenwood Village: The equity sitting in a longtime family home is often the exact financial resource that makes a top-rated community accessible. But that only works if the timing is right. Selling a home reactively — after a health event, under time pressure — rarely yields the outcome families deserve. Selling with intention, while there's still room to plan, protects both the estate and the options. I spent years in healthcare administration before returning to real estate. I've seen what happens when the housing decision is made too late. I've also seen what it looks like when it's made thoughtfully — and the difference for families is significant. If you're thinking ahead for a parent, a spouse, or yourself — the right conversation isn't about whether to sell. It's about when, and what comes next. 📍 Sources: U.S. News Best Nursing Homes 2026 — https://health.usnews.com/best-nursing-homes/area/co/vi-at-highlands-ranch-skilled-nursing-065398 Vi at Highlands Ranch Skilled Nursing — https://www.viliving.com/locations/co/denver-highlands-ranch/well-being/care/skilled-nursing U.S. News Best CCRCs Denver — https://health.usnews.com/best-senior-living/ccrc/colorado/denver Denver Living Homes 2026 Retirement Guide — https://denverlivinghomes.com/retirement-communities-in-denver/ Caring.com Denver Assisted Living Costs — https://www.caring.com/senior-living/assisted-living/colorado/denver CMS Five-Star Quality Rating System — https://www.cms.gov/medicare/health-safety-standards/certification-compliance/five-star-quality-rating-system Seniorly Denver CCRCs — https://www.seniorly.com/continuing-care-retirement-community/colorado/denver If you or someone you know owns a home in Southmoor Park, Cherry Hills, or Greenwood Village and is quietly beginning this conversation — what's the one question you haven't asked out loud yet? — Kevin Lundy | The HomeBridge Group at eXp Realty