Many retired people eventually choose to move into a retirement village – somewhere they can socialise with other people of a similar age and situation. In most villages, they can take advantage of constant support from qualified members of staff, and there are plenty of activities to take part in too. However, retirement villages, like anything else, also have some disadvantages. If you’re considering moving to a retirement village or you have an elderly relative who might be moving to one soon, here are some things to consider.
You can still be independent
Living in a retirement village allows you to remain independent while having all the emotional and physical support that you need. Your family and friends can still visit you, you can still leave the premises and travel to wherever you desire and you can make all your own decisions without other people getting involved. It’s entirely up to you what you do or don’t do, and nobody will force you to take part in anything you’re not comfortable with.
There are many to choose from
In one way, this could be a positive aspect of retirement villages, since it means you have plenty of choice. You can spend time looking around different villages. However, in a lot of cases, retirement villages are being taken over by different companies, thus causing changes and sometimes improvements too. You will often see retirement villages for sale in Bribie Island, for example, since new owners are taking over as the old ones sell up. However, if you’re living in one, you probably won’t notice the sale at all and your life there won’t be disrupted.
You don’t have to worry about maintenance
Having your own property means that you have to worry about the upkeep of the house and the garden, whereas living in a retirement villages means you can wave goodbye to those problems. You will usually have a cleaner too who will come and tidy your room and other areas that you might be renting. Any shared areas will be cleaned and tidied too, and you won’t have to contribute physically at all to the upkeep of the retirement village.
You might feel like you’re stuck in one place
Unless you manage to get out yourself or you have family members and friends who can take you out for the day, you might feel like you’re trapped in one place all the time. This might make you feel like you’re stuck with people of your own age all the time too, especially since lots of older people like mixing with teenagers, children and young adults. Before you move to a retirement village, speak to your family members and try to come to some arrangement about visiting and going on trips with them.
It can be expensive
For some people, money is no object. Safety and security is paramount, and the social aspect of retirement villages is priceless to them. You should thoroughly research the cost of living in a village before you do move, and think about how you are going to pay for the property over the next few years.
