What makes a great retirement village?

Here is a question we all want answered – what makes a great retirement village?

Of course, different people want different things from a retirement village, but there are a couple of key themes that I will discuss in this article to assist you in researching and assessing various retirement villages.

In my opinion, a great retirement village is one that is well-presented and maintained, and has a great staff that treats you with respect and is genuinely engaged and interested in your well-being.

First impressions count!

Your first contact with the village will likely be with the staff, typically when you call to arrange a time to inspect. Trust your instincts – are they pleasant, helpful and courteous? Have they properly answered your questions? Did they call you back promptly if you left a message?

Retirement village upkeep and maintenance

When you first visit the village, what does it look like?

New retirement villages are easy to keep looking good. Older villages not so much! If you are considering purchasing in an older retirement village make sure you have a good look around – check out the rooves, gutters and eaves, as these are areas that are typically neglected in older villages. What condition are the roads in? Rooves and roads are high expense items (except for lifts!!) and if they are looking a bit unloved the village residents (depending on the cost responsibility) could be up for some major expenditure in the near future.

Older villages will usually have less density than new villages, with a lot more grass and garden areas. When combined with the (typically) larger-sized units, older village are a popular choice for many retirees. Older villages typically attract an older crowd with a passionate gardening culture. As a result, older villages will usually feature stunning gardens. New villages are most likely to feature the bland, low-upkeep, water-efficient gardens beloved by developers.

Financial management

When doing your research, it is quite reasonable to request the audited village accounts from the past few years. Check to see if there have been cost overruns – why did these occur? Were they reasonable? What does the forward maintenance plan look like? How much have fees increased over the past few years?

Resident feedback surveys

Most retirement villages conduct annual satisfaction surveys, where residents are asked a series of questions about their experiences within the village. I would also suggest you ask for the last couple of survey results – in particular, check the written comments as opposed to the summary results.

Accreditation

Check if the village is accredited. You can find out more about retirement village accreditation HERE. I don’t think it is that big a deal, but you may wish to have the comfort of an accreditation.

Retirement village staff

There is no question that the retirement village staff, and in particular the village manager, are critical in running a great retirement village. The manager sets the tone and example to staff. A warm and caring manager will attract warm and caring staff.

Try and meet as many staff as you can during your tour and inspection of the village. Does the staff look like they enjoy coming to work? Do they engge and speak with residents?

It is always upsetting to residents when staff leave retirement villages, but you should expect them to move every few years. It is common for workers today to have various roles throughout their career and move jobs regularly. In particular, retirement village managers can burn out after years of juggling resident and corporate demands.

This may be your home, but it is their workplace! I suggest not getting too familiar with staff and don’t try to form friendships with them. Many retirement village operators have strict policies about informal interaction with residents.