So it’s time for your freedom years – you’ve done the hard yards at work, saved your money, raised (and paid for) the kids, and now you’re looking for a way to enjoy a long stretch of ‘me’ time, all the time. Well, that’s exactly what retirement villages are for.
Across Australia over 200,000 people choose to call a retirement village home. They’re spaces where residents can access a community, enjoy the company of like-minded people and take advantage of a range of beautiful amenities, without worrying about maintenance.
What can you expect from a retirement village?
Most villages have active social committees running events and activities, which you are free to participate in as much or as little as you like, and give the perfect base for you to live whatever lifestyle you please – whether you’re a ‘lock and leave’ jet-setter, or a stay-indoors bookworm.
To clear up any confusion up front, a retirement village is very different from an aged care home or assisted living facility. Retirement villages can only be accessed by people fully capable of living independently, whereas aged care is a separate industry that helps support elderly people with high care needs. While all St Ives villages offer safety and security, including 24 hour emergency assistance, they are not designed for people who need constant care.
Don’t just take our word for it…
Here are a couple of great resources you can use to find out more about Retirement Living:
The Book of Wise Moves
“The Book of Wise Moves” was developed by the Retirement Living Council of Australia to answer all your questions about how the industry works.
The 2022 PwC/Property Council Retirement Census
This contains statistical information on the Retirement Living population of Australia and represents findings from 68,000 Retirement Living units across Australia.
The research is in – retirement living is better for your health, happiness and wallet.
A recent report (October 2017) from the University of Technology, Sydney shows that when you add the financial costs with the intangible benefits, like social connection, security and peace of mind, retirement villages are a more appropriate option than general residential living.
You’ll be surrounded by your own
Living with like-minded and similar aged people means no need to worry about who might move in next door.
You’ll be more socially connected
Having easy access to social events and activities can reduce social isolation and negative emotions.
You’ll have peace of mind
From being in a safe and secure environment surrounded by neighbours you know.
You’ll spend less time on chores
Choose what chores you do, and what you never need to do again – so say goodbye to the weeding for good!
How do I know if it’s right for me?
The reality is that retirement villages simply aren’t right for everyone – and that’s completely fine, we want all our residents to be happy so would never recommend moving into one of our villages unless it is a great fit. For some information on what to expect, read this article.
If you’re interested to find out more, there are a few things you can do:
- Have a chat with one of our team about which village might best suit your lifestyle.
- Book a tour through the village to see if it could be what you’re after. You can bring your family or friends with you and visit as many times as you like.
- Attend a village event, where you can spend some time with our residents. Depending on the village we can help organise a few nights stay on premises to really get a feel for village life, or just a coffee and cake catch-up with some of your potential neighbours.
You can get the ball rolling on any of the above by calling us on 1300 20 20 01 or book a tour today.
But how much does it cost?
Each St Ives village offers a range of different price options. For information on the costs of a particular village, please call us on 1300 20 20 01 – for more information on costs, read this article.