Integrated retirement communities are a wonderful way to maintain your independence, make new friends, and enjoy an exciting and social new chapter in your life. From making new friends to enjoying a beautiful new home full of community spirit, here are some main reasons seniors love retirement village life.
What is a retirement community?
While both care homes and nursing homes are wonderful options when you need around the clock care as you get older, integrated retirement communities are somewhat different. Retirement villages are about embracing this time of your life with a home and a range of facilities to spark your interests. All with the added benefit of being surrounded by friends and having access to a wide range of services for your needs.
Retirement communities are specially designed for older adults who are generally able to take care of themselves, but they want the comfort of knowing there are care and services in place, if they need them in the future. Just because you’re retiring from an active working life, it doesn’t mean that you have to stop living an active life. And retirement villages are a wonderful way to embrace this new chapter, where you can maintain your independence, wellbeing, and the little things that you love, in a safe, beautiful, and thriving community.
All while enjoying peace of mind about your future.
The benefits of integrated retirement communities
Community, friendships, housing, hospitality, care, and wellbeing are the core of what makes senior living in retirement communities so special. Extra care housing is unique as it combines high-quality housing options with support services tailored specifically for you and your needs. You can buy your property, giving you the benefit of maintaining your independence and privacy in your very own home. There may also be rental options available.
The main difference? You’ll also have the benefits of 24-hour on-site staff, communal facilities to enjoy a range of hobbies, and optional care and support if you need it.
There are also many benefits of senior living in a community village for your health, including:
- Being less at risk of falls or accidents compared to those living in mainstream housing.
- Experiencing stability in your health needs rather than a decline over time.
Many residents also love that they’re free of worrying about the maintenance of their property. Research from the International Longevity Centre UK (published February 2021) shows that downsizing and the prospect of lower maintenance are an important factor in older households, which is a service often provided by retirement communities, such as Santhem.
Then there are the social aspects. With the wealth of facilities available, such as stunning grounds and landscaped gardens, stylish properties that feel like you, a wellness suite to enjoy a spot of yoga or a gentle workout, catching up with friends over a drink in the bar, or indulging in a delicious meal at the restaurant, there is always something to enjoy to give you the high-quality of life you deserve.
These benefits help reduce the loneliness that can sometimes come with senior living, giving you a higher sense of control in your life while maintaining the lifestyle you’ve always loved.
Create a new and supportive social life
Unlike care homes, who look after the needs of elderly people that require various levels of care, integrated retirement communities are specifically for people of retirement age who choose to not only live independently in their own home but want to benefit from socialising while enjoying a flourishing range of services and facilities. All while feeling a sense of belonging in a wonderful community of like-minded people.
Community villages are brilliant places to discover a thriving social life. With your own beautiful home to relax in when you want some peace and quiet, you also have a village filled with new friends waiting to meet you. With the added benefit of not having the hassle of concerns about maintenance or care, as everything is on-hand to support you and your needs.
Whether you are looking for a fresh new start to create lasting friendships and relationships, or a new chapter with your partner in an inclusive and social environment, a retirement village could be the perfect answer for you.
When is the right time to explore retirement village life?
Recent surveys tell us a lot about the nature of retirement villages and senior living, especially when it comes to when is the right time to start exploring retirement village life.
While the official retirement age is 65, many people choose to continue to work beyond that age. According to the ILC, this is why we’re seeing the demographic of residents of retirement villages in a post-retirement age, typically around 75 years and older.
This is an ideal age as many residents feel moving before 75 would have been a little too early for them while those who moved in aged 90 and over felt they had left it a bit too late to reap the full benefits of integrated retirement living.
So, when could be the right time for you? It’s a good idea to look at your life as a whole and ask yourself these questions:
- Have you recently retired?
- Do you like the idea of downsizing?
- Are you keen to pick up new hobbies and make new friends?
- Do you like the idea of living in a community with people in the same stage as you?
- Would you like to maintain your independence and freedom?
- Does the idea of living within the safety and security of a community make you feel more at ease?
- Do you like the idea of having care and support on hand if you need it?
If you answered yes to some or all of these questions, then we’d love to chat with you and tell you more about the amazing benefits of integrated retirement communities.
Feel at home with Santhem
There are so many life-changing benefits that come with living within a retirement village. From friendships to independent living, exciting new hobbies to a stunning new home, you’ll feel a true sense of belonging in this exciting new chapter in your life.
To find out more, give our friendly team a ring. We can’t wait to hear from you.