The earliest model of retirement living was retirement villages. This model was designed to provide secure and supportive housing for people who were still independent – meaning they could look after themselves entirely within their own home.
It is heavily encouraged that a person entering a village must be ‘independent’.
However things are changing with consumers demanding that care support will also be available in their home. Some providers offer additional services such as home care, meal services and higher level aged care services.
Retirement living homes are designed to support independent living much later into life, with wider corridors, no steps and other age friendly design features.
This substantially reduces the fear of being alone as we age and increasingly delays or avoids moving into an aged care home (nursing home). Community living is particularly valued by village residents.
