Retirement Village Living

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Information About Retirement Villages

• It’s Your Life - Retirement Village Information
• NSW Department of Fair Trading Retirement Village Living
• Consumers Guide to Retirement Villages in the ACT and Queanbeyan produced by COTA (ACT).

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Choosing the right accommodation

There is an increasing range of options for those seeking independent living accommodation in their later years. Making the right choice is important, but which aspects should you consider when evaluating potential accommodation alternatives?

Moving to a retirement village may not be top of your list but many of the new facilities being built are luxurious and well equipped, with the following options to choose from:
· Independent living arrangements
· Assisted care living arrangements
· Care centres

But which option best suits your needs?

Independent living arrangements
Independent living arrangements generally refer to the provision of townhouses or apartments where residents are fully self-contained and reliant in all their requirements.
The advantages of independent living include:
· companionship with other residents
· a secure complex
· numerous recreational facilities
· comprehensive back-up care, if required
The townhouses and apartments are generally designed to offer a low maintenance option and often come with assistance for gardening and general household chores.
Modern retirement villages often have their own restaurants and are usually located close to large and convenient services and shopping centres.

Assisted-care living arrangements
For residents who require some help with daily living, the assisted-care living arrangement is ideal. The independent style of living is maintained but it is complemented with a range of services tailored to individual resident’s specific needs.
The serviced apartments are often located nearer to the centre of a retirement village complex where residents have easy access to restaurants, lounges etc.
The advantages of assisted-care living arrangements include:
· continuing high levels of independence
· the security associated with living in a complex, with assistance on hand
· high levels of care, as well as access to any potential care you may require
· continuing companionship with other residents

Care centres
Care centres offer immediate access to services such as medical practitioners, physiotherapists, nursing staff, while allowing the resident to remain as independent as possible. A critical aspect of the care centre will be the hospital, which should be much more than a stereotypical geriatric facility. 

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Retirement villages and the law

Before signing any contract to enter a retirement village, a lawyer should be consulted. But if you just want an overview of the legal requirements, YOURLifeChoices offers a brief summary.

In Looking through the legal haze and finding the village of your choice, lawyers, Matthew Mallos and Arthur Koumoukelis, have highlighted some of the legal issues which must be considered when planning a move to a retirement village. It is now a fact of life that by the time you reach retirement you may not have managed to pay off the mortgage on your home. So what pitfalls should you be looking out for?

Click on YOURLifeChoices simple shortcut to download Looking through the legal haze and finding the village of your choice.

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Ready for retirement

When you finally make the decision to retire, it can seem like the end of an era but where you spend your retirement is the next important decision to make.

1) Are seniors becoming more particular or choosy about retirement living?
More and more the reality of ‘retirement’ in modern Australia is changing. With a seemingly endless choice in the types of lifestyle on offer – from apartments to retirement villages and resorts – communities such as PrimeLife’s Coastal Waters in the NSW south coast area of St Georges Basin are helping to redefine what it now means to be retired.

Residents want and deserve the freedom to choose a lifestyle that fits their needs and preferences, and people are increasingly more discerning about what’s involved. 

“We’re finding our residents are getting younger and have significantly higher expectations when it comes to the choice of recreational and leisure activities on offer,” said Eddie Boyle, a Retirement Lifestyle Consultant at Coastal Waters Retirement Resort.

“The retirement age used to be around 65 but, more and more, people in their fifties are choosing to enjoy their life, their money and their freedom while they still can.

2) How have retirement villages changed retirement?
With an increasingly discerning demographic seeking the freedom to choose a lifestyle that fits their needs and preferences, retirement living options have changed dramatically in recent years.

Facilities like indoor heated pools, spas, fully equipped gyms and business centres are now a standard requirement for many retirees, who are seeking retirement communities which enable them to be as active and involved as they choose. 

“There has certainly been a shift in the perception of what retirement means to people – it’s now seen as a time to do more of the things you always wanted to do, but never had time for,” Eddie said.

“Resort living is becoming an increasingly popular choice with retirees and a retirement resort offers much more than just a comfortable place to live, it offers a whole range of lifestyle opportunities.

3) What are the advantages of retiring in a luxury retirement village?
The retirees of today are mostly fit, active people who have a genuine zest for life and a demand for fun and enjoyment. As Eddie knows, they are unwilling to compromise on the quality of their choice of retirement accommodation and service delivery.

A retirement resort like Coastal Waters will provide so much more than just a place to live. In addition to the leisure and recreational facilities on offer, and the community of like-minded people, security and peace of mind are also two major benefits of resort living.

“The big advantage for our residents is that they’re able to enjoy all the benefits of being in a private and secure environment with a home that’s easily maintained, as well as having access to a huge range of resort-style facilities and services,” Eddie said.

4) What does PrimeLife offer?
PrimeLife offers a diverse choice of retirement living options in New South Wales, with facilities and amenities to suit every lifestyle.

With eight PrimeLife facilities throughout the state, there are a range of affordable accommodation options in a variety of locations.

Look us up when you are ready. www.primelife.com.au

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Association of Residents of Queensland Retirement Villages

Association of Residents of Queensland Retirement Villages (ARQRV), the only consumer protection agency for retirement village residents in Queensland was formed in 1992 to try and bring a degree of balance into the industry and to represent the interests of Village residents in negotiations with the industry and all levels of Government.

To seek help or find out more about ARQRV, click here

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Surviving the aged care maze

This downloadable PDF features finance guru, Louise Biti’s, article Surviving the aged care maze, which considers the main issues associated with moving to an aged care facility, including entry costs, bonds, periodic payments and income tests. Louise’s plain English explanations make complex requirements much simpler to understand. We hope you will enjoy this “how to” and send it to any friends who may be dealing with the same issues.

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Rental Accommodation

Rental accommodation is available in the public sector through State and Territory housing authorities and in the private sector. Non-profit organisations, such as local councils and charitable, benevolent and religious organisations are the main providers of rental accommodation, particularly for pensioners of limited means.

Rent Assistance
If you are a pensioner renting in the private sector (that is, you are not paying rent directly to a government housing authority) you may qualify for Rent Assistance. You may be able to get Rent Assistance if you move in with family or friends. For information on how you qualify, how to claim, amount of assistance and other matters check this Centrelink page. If you receive a service pension from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs read their fact sheet on Renting and Rent Assistance.

Bond Loan and Rental Grant
Some State/Territory governments may make a loan to eligible persons to pay part or all of the bond required before occuping private rental accommodation. Check with your State/Territory housing authority if you think you may be eligible. Loans eventually have to be repaid.

A Rental Grant may be available from some State/Territory housing authorities to help meet some of the costs associated with moving into private rental accommodation. You do not have to repay a grant.