Built specifically for older adults, typically of retirement age and older, retirement villages with care services often come with a range of luxury facilities for residents to enjoy. These include gyms, hairdressers, gardens, group activities, restaurants, and more.
What makes these communities extra special is they also come with on-site care support, so you always receive the care you need.
The concept of retirement villages is fairly new in the UK. But thanks to compelling research and evidence on the health and wellbeing benefits they bring, they are becoming an increasingly popular choice for older people to enjoy in their later years.
Let’s look at why this is, and how retirement housing with care can help you enjoy your later years independently, in bespoke, beautiful surroundings, with support always on hand.
What is retirement housing with care?
Typically, there are three main living options for older adults who no longer live in their own homes. These are:
- Retirement housing – also known as sheltered housing or retirement flats or communities. These offer self-contained homes for sale, shared ownership or rent, and come with a part-time warden and emergency call systems. The typical features include communal lounges, laundry facilities, gardens, and a guest room.
- Care homes – also known as nursing or residential homes. Care homes provide 24-hour care and support, and offer communal residential living with residents occupying single rooms. Nursing homes typically feature communal lounges, laundry facilities, gardens, and guest rooms.
- Integrated retirement communities – also known as retirement villages with care services, independent living, assisted living, etc. These offer self-contained homes for sale, shared ownership or rent, have 24-hour staff onsite, a range of communal facilities and amenities, gardens, social events, restaurants and bars, and wellbeing areas.
With social care reform being high on the government’s agenda, especially in the post-pandemic world, retirement communities are proving to be increasingly beneficial in keeping older people healthier and more independent – thereby reducing the levels of health care and support they need.
According to a report by The King’s Fund*, commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care This in turn is helping take pressure off the NHS by providing significant systemic benefits including:
- Reduced visits to GPs
- Reductions in the use of community nursing services
- Reduction in length of hospital stays
- Reductions in hospital admissions
- Reduced ambulance and emergency call outs
- Reductions in care and care equipment costs
- Reduced likelihood of entering a care home or other long-term care
A place to thrive
Retirement villages such as Santhem provide not just a luxurious way to enjoy retirement living, but total reassurance and peace of mind. This is due to the on-site support if you ever need it.
Retirement housing with care is growing more and more popular and is becoming an increasingly attractive option for older adults who have or may have in the future, some care needs.
According to a report published by ARCO** in November 2020, they found that 70% of people would be interested in moving to somewhere with support available as an alternative to a care home.
In the report, the flexible model offered by retirement villages is in greater demand than ever. We live in an ageing society in which many older people require some care, while still wanting to remain independent and live the life they enjoy.
These older adults don’t require the high-level support provided by a care home, so integrated retirement communities provide the perfect amount of care, support, and independence.
Benefits of retirement villages with care services
Retirement villages with care services don’t just provide a beautiful new home to live in, but a wealth of excellent facilities and amenities to make later life enriched and fulfilling.
Care services allow residents to live with the peace of mind that someone is always on hand if they ever need it, allowing them to live the life they choose with support available 24/7. Individual needs are met, and thanks to the range of facilities available, residents are able to stay fit, active, sociable, and thriving, surrounded by friends and peers.
Studies by the ExtraCare Charitable Trust*** in partnership with Aston and Lancaster Universities demonstrate that the high-quality care provided by retirement communities not only reduces levels of health and care support, but helps bring a plethora of wellbeing and health benefits.
The research provided by The King’s Fund found that residents in retirement villages cost the NHS 38% less per annum. Plus, exercise by residents increased by 75%, anxiety symptoms decreased by 23% while memory improved by 24%, and 85.5% of residents never, or hardly ever, felt lonely.
Some other health benefits enjoyed by residents in retirement communities include:
- An increased life expectancy, particularly in female residents, when compared to the wider population.
- Improved fitness and exercise thanks to the range of fitness facilities and exercise classes.
- Improved independence as you can live in a property of your own.
- Lower levels of loneliness, isolation, depression, and anxiety.
- Improvements in memory and mental function.
- A thriving social life as there are endless opportunities to socialise with other residents of a similar age.
- Peace of mind thanks to care and support on-hand 24/7 if needed.
Enjoy peace of mind with retirement housing with care
Integrated retirement villages allow you to live your life independently, your way. And always with the reassurance that support and care are available, should you ever need it.
From enjoying regular exercise classes to getting involved with numerous activities and events, life at Santhem allows you to lead an active, independent life. Helping to keep you healthy, well, and independent for longer.
To find out more about life at Santhem Residences, give our friendly team a call.
*The King’s Fund Report on the Benefits of Housing with Care – November 2020
**ARCO Putting the ‘Care’ in Housing with Care
***The ExtraCare Charitable Trust Research Report – March 2019