The average age of new retirement village residents has remained steady at 75 for many years.
However, as the latest 2022 PwC Property Council Retirement Census shows, much is changing.
The average stay in a retirement community is now nine years and 26% of existing villages have co-located aged care services.
In the past, residential aged care was often kept separate to retirement living.
But the retirement village model is evolving – and the new wave of residents stands to benefit.
With more co-located services available, residents have the peace of mind of knowing that care and support is available if they need it.
This is particularly the case with couples where one person may need to transition into an aged care home; being in a co-located village means that both partners are close by.
Many villages are also now delivering home care services into the village, either through the resident’s chosen provider or a central ‘hub’ where residents can access support.
There is also an increasing focus on health and wellbeing.
Village operator Keyton, which has 75 villages across Australia, is rolling out allied health professionals across some of its communities to provide health and wellbeing programs tailored to the residents.
The result? Retirement villages are re-branding themselves as the new care option – providing support and services while enabling you to keep living independently at home.