66 WD

Compiled

by

Chanel

Gellin.

Life

M

orethan200,000

Australiansnow

calla retirement

villagehome,where

they’retakingadvantageof

groupsocialactivities,sports,

gardensandrestaurants,not

tomentionindoorheated

poolsandgymsinsomeofthe

moreluxuriousvillages.

Butdon’tconfuse

“retirementvillage”with

“agedcare”.Residentswill

tellyouthatfarfromneeding

full-timecarers,they’re

completelyindependentand

havingasmuchfunasthey

didasteenagers!Here’s what

youneedtoknow.

MAKINGTHEMOVE

Whetheryou’rea social

butterflyorpreferyourown

space,retirementvillagescan

catertoyou.“Asyougetolder,

ourhomecareservicescan

providea littleora lotofhelp

sothatyoucancontinueto

liveindependently,”reveals

Uniting’sJacquiEadie.

TIMINGITRIGHT

InAustralia,theaverageage

ofresidentsis 75 butmost

retirementvillagesareopento

over55s.It’sworththinking

aheadwhenchoosinga village

toensureit willsuityouas

your needs change over the

in style

Downsizingtoa

retirementvillage

couldbeyour

best move yet

comingdecades.“Some

villagesarewhatwecall

co-locatedwhichmeanswe

havea residentialagedcare

homeonsite,”explainsJacqui.

“Thisisespeciallyimportant

forcoupleswhereonepartner

mayneedtomoveintogreater

care,beingco-locatedthey’re

abletoremaininthesame

community,closetoone

anotherwhilereceivingthe

caretheyneed.”

Studieshaveshownthat

peoplewhomoveintoa

retirementvillagemaintain

theirindependencelonger,

thankstothefactthatmost

unitsandapartmentsare

designedspecificallytosuit

seniors’needs.“Allofournew

developmentsaredesigned

withageinginmind– nostairs

ortriphazardsinthehome,

widerdoorsandwalkwaysfor

mobility,withtheoptionto

havegrabrailsinstalledata

laterdateif andwhenyou

needthem,”saysJacqui.

FINDINGYOUR

NEWHOME

Retirementvillagesvary

greatly,sodosomeresearch

tofindoutwhatfacilitiesyou

wantandwhat’savailablein

thelocationyouwanttolive.

“Youcanchoosehowand

whenyousocialise– join

regulargroupoutingsor

gardeningclubs,orjustsimple

get-togethersaroundthe

barbecue,”saysJacqui.“We

also have our ambassador