Life Begins At.....
Issue link: http://ebook.aprs.com.au/i/25630
RETIREMENT LIVING Why thousands a retirement village of Australians are choosing to live in Is a retirement village a term that confuses you? Do you associate retirement villages with nursing homes and aged care? If you do, stop right there! There is nothing further from the truth, writes Shae Baxter. If you believe that retirement villages are just a nicer way to sugar-coat nursing homes, think again. A retirement village and a nursing home are polar opposites, each having distinctly separate infrastructure, facilities, services, amenities and of course lifestyle. So then, what exactly is a retirement village? A retirement village, also referred to as a retirement community, is a form of residential housing built and designed specifically to cater to the needs and lifestyle of people aged 55 and over. They are an emerging community that began appearing in the 1970s and 80s. Can you imagine coming home to a garden pruned and weeded, the roof cleaned of debris, building and property maintenance at your beckon call, and a bus driver to take you to the local shops? This and more without you lifting a finger… It’s a reality and over 160,000 residents around Australia come home to this everyday. 122 THE RETIREE AUTUMN Why? Because they choose to live in a retirement village and the aforementioned services are just some of the benefits you may enjoy being part of a retirement community. In the past, most residents entered into these villages aged in their seventies as part of a move to downsize, decrease maintenance responsibilities, experience a greater sense of safety and security, or for health and lifestyle reasons. Today younger retirees from age 55 are seeing the benefits of relocating to a retirement village. Not only has this lifestyle shift been of benefit to residents, but it has also freed up residential housing for younger families, stimulated the local economy and reduced the pressure on aged care, medical and hospital infrastructure. According to the industry’s national peak body the Retirement Village Association (RVA), one of the great successes of the industry is that it is a unique and innovative model with an emphasis on lifestyle that also reduces demand on local services for seniors. In Australia today the industry represents over 1,850 villages and communities that are supported by both the private sector and non-profit organisations. These communities house and support more than 160,000 people over the age of 55 who report very high levels of satisfaction with their experiences in a village. Why more and more Australians, particularly baby boomers, choose to live in a retirement village What is clear is that people enjoy living in retirement villages. More than 95 per cent of people who live in retirement villages indicate village life meets or exceeds their expectations. Choice is an important part of what retirement villages in Australia represent. Unlike a move into residential aged care, which is usually predicated by a sudden decline in health or escalation of a neurodegenerative disorder, it is important to note that consumers choose to live in a retirement village and generally view this choice as a way of enhancing their quality of life. Among these factors are security and support. Australians are living longer than ever before. The older the individual, the more health issues they are likely to experience. As people age and health needs increase, the great lifestyle offer, down-sizing the requirement for maintenance of property and grounds, being able to ‘lock and leave’ for travel and social interaction with likeminded and similar aged people, becomes very important.