{"id":3536,"date":"2024-09-12T07:58:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-12T07:58:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.villages.com.au\/?p=3536"},"modified":"2024-09-12T07:59:29","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T07:59:29","slug":"five-things-to-look-for-when-joining-a-retirement-village-or-seniors-housing-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.villages.com.au\/home\/five-things-to-look-for-when-joining-a-retirement-village-or-seniors-housing-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Five things to look for when joining a retirement village or seniors housing community"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3536\" class=\"elementor elementor-3536\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2518167 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2518167\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-239ef36\" data-id=\"239ef36\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3baf857 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3baf857\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.15.0 - 20-08-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>Across Australia, almost 200,000 older Australians call a retirement village home and another 130,000 live in land lease communities.<\/p><p>It is a major decision and Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) CEO Tom Symondson has listed five key factors to consider to ensure you choose the best retirement village.<\/p><ul><li><strong>Amenities \/ facilities<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><p>\u201cConsider what amenities and facilities are important to you in a retirement village. Many villages offer recreational options such as swimming pools, gyms and bowling greens. On-site services such as hair salons, libraries and cafes can add convenience and enhance the community atmosphere. Identify which amenities are most important to you and ensure the village you choose meets those needs. Many new developments and service models have emerged and grown in popularity, such as Land Lease Communities. These communities are known for their access to premium amenities,\u201d Tom said.<\/p><p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2) <strong>Health and Support Services <\/strong>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u201cHealthcare and support services may be essential to you as you age. Investigate the care services provided within the village. With the increasing popularity of home care in retirement village settings, it is worth exploring whether the village operates its own home care services or partners with reputable third-party providers to deliver these services. Some villages have co-located facilities with residential aged care. This can ensure a seamless transition if you care needs change over time. This integrated approach can ensure peace of mind and allows you to age in place.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4e51592 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4e51592\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bdb642f\" data-id=\"bdb642f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-413c680 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"413c680\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.15.0 - 20-08-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"624\" height=\"425\" src=\"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Picture4.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3539\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Picture4.jpg 624w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Picture4-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Picture4-600x409.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Picture4-585x398.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e8cd5f4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e8cd5f4\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a788e25\" data-id=\"a788e25\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8c5a97b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8c5a97b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Tom Symondson (right) with South Australian Health Minister Chris Picton<\/p><p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 3) <strong>Financial Considerations<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u201cA big hurdle for downsizers is the confusion around exit fees, which are standard in retirement villages. The exit fee is simply the \u2018lease payment\u2019 for the period of time you spend at the village. Most states in Australia now provide village comparison documents to help prospective residents make informed decisions and compare different villages based on standardised criteria, making it easier to understand the financial obligations and benefits each village offers . For those considering other options such as land lease communities, Commonwealth Rental Assistance may be available to help offset rental fees. It is essential to do thorough research and figure out what is best for you, considering both the financial implications and the lifestyle benefits each option provides.\u201d<\/p><p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 4) <strong>Sense of Community\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p><p>\u201cThe sense of community and overall culture of the village can significantly impact your quality of life. Spend time visiting the village, talking to current residents and getting a feel for the spirit and atmosphere. Research increasingly shows that retirement living is associated with a positive quality of life, bringing significant benefits such as a sense of safety, companionship and access to support. This supportive community environment can enhance emotional well-being and provide a network of friends and neighbours who share similar interests and experiences, making your retirement years more fulfilling and enjoyable.\u201d<\/p><p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 5) <strong>Accreditation<\/strong><\/p><p>The Property Council&#8217;s division Retirement Living Council has the Code of Conduct, which is a commitment to high standards and ensuring that residents have the experience they deserve.<\/p><p>ACCPA has the Australian Retirement Village Accreditation Scheme (ARVAS), an accreditation program that assesses various aspects of village operations, including governance, communication, corporate systems and service delivery.<\/p><p>&#8220;Choosing the right retirement village or seniors housing option involves careful consideration of various factors to ensure it aligns with your lifestyle, health needs, financial situation, accommodation preferences and social desires. Everyone is different, so there is no wrong or right answer &#8211; what works for one person may not work for another,\u201d Tom said. \u00a0<br \/><br \/><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Across Australia, almost 200,000 older Australians call a retirement village home and another 130,000 live in land lease communities. It is a major decision and Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) CEO Tom Symondson has listed five key factors to consider to ensure you&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3537,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[69,70],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home","category-retirement"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3536","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3536"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3536\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3542,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3536\/revisions\/3542"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3537"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3536"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3536"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3536"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}