Retirement Village Living

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Information About Retirement Villages

• It’s Your Life - Retirement Village Information
• NSW Department of Fair Trading Retirement Village Living
• Consumers Guide to Retirement Villages in the ACT and Queanbeyan produced by COTA (ACT).

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Over a financial barrel

It can seem when choosing a retirement living village that there are hidden fees at every turn, as About Seniors’ subscribers, Mary and Ted, have recently found.

Q. Mary and Ted
We are having financial difficulties at the moment, and don’t qualify for the latest hand out, although did receive the one before Christmas which paid some bills.  We are considering selling up our home, which is in need of refurbishment, which we can’t afford to do.  And needing to release money to live on at the same time.
So we need to look at a cheaper priced property.

Investigations have proven that we need to downsize considerably, and lifestyle will also be affected (we live near a suburban beach!).
On checking retirement villages which might be an option, we have discovered some shocking news!  I am nearly 64 years of age, and my husband nearly 72. 

The independent units which are near us are very nice.  We might be able to afford one if we sold for the highest price which two agents mentioned.  BUT tonight my husband and I went through the cost of selling the independent unit (of course we might not be alive, or only one of us might be alive) - they really do get you or your children!

If we bought today for $355,000 and sold in 10 years time, say for $455,000 - the price we have to give the retirement village is around HALF.  With all their fees and refurbishment and other “miscellaneous” costs.  I think this is shocking.

It would seem from looking at other retirement villages, and listening to friends whose parents had been in them before going into nursing homes, that this is very common.

I wonder what can be done?  Is there another way?

If I remain in good health, and want to move somewhere else in 10 years time, I would not have the funds to be able to do this, if the retirement village did what they say in their brochure.

A. We have sent your question on to the Retirement Village Association for their comment and feedback.

In the interim, we suggest that you contact the Retirement Village Residents Association (RVRA) who have offices in each state and will be able to apss on details of villages who have a fair fee structure and investigate any village that may be breeching retirement village laws.  You can find your state office by visiting the RVRA website.

Making any financial decision that involves selling your house needs to be considered carefully.  We would suggest contacting an independent financial advisor. You can find a local advisor by visiting the Financial Planning Association website.

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Choosing the right retirement accommodation

Evolving lifestyles over the past few decades have – in many ways - made the retirement process less stressful than it once was. Growing old gracefully is no longer fashionable and an enormous range of exciting lifestyle alternatives exist for today’s ‘senior’.

Selecting your accommodation is important in this phase of your life and should be treated as seriously as at any other stage of the real estate lifecycle.

What are the elements you should consider when evaluating your potential lifestyle alternatives?
Modern retirement villages are moving to the models of:
· Independent living arrangements
· Assisted care living arrangements
· Care centres

Independent living arrangements
Independent living arrangements generally refer to the provision of townhouses or apartments where residents are fully self-contained and reliant in all their requirements.

The advantages of the independent living include:
· Companionship with other residents
· A secure complex
· Numerous recreational facilities
· Comprehensive back-up care, if required
The townhouses and apartments are generally designed for low maintenance and often come with assistance for gardening and general household chores.
Modern retirement villages often have their own restaurants and are usually located close to large and convenient services and shopping centres.

Assisted-care living arrangements
For residents who require some help with daily living, the assisted-care living arrangement is ideal. The independent home style of living is maintained but it is complemented with a range of services tailored to individual resident’s specific needs.
The serviced apartments are often located nearer to the centre of a retirement village complex where residents have access to the services such as restaurants and lounges.

Assisted-care apartments should provide kitchenettes and lounges as well as ensuite bathrooms.
Advantages of assisted-care living arrangements include:
· Continuing high levels of independence
· The security associated with living in a recognised establishment
· High levels of care, as well as access to any potential care you may require
· Continuing companionship with other residents

Care centres
Central to the idea of care in quality retirement accommodation is the notion that there is regular and immediate access to services such as medical practitioners, physiotherapists, nursing staff and the like.
A critical aspect of the care centre will be the hospital, which should be much more than a stereotypical geriatric facility.
Start your retirement accommodation search now at realestate.com.au’s extensive Retire section.

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Ready for retirement

When you finally make the decision to retire, it can seem like the end of an era but where you spend your retirement is the next important decision to make.

1) Are seniors becoming more particular or choosy about retirement living?
More and more the reality of ‘retirement’ in modern Australia is changing. With a seemingly endless choice in the types of lifestyle on offer – from apartments to retirement villages and resorts – communities such as PrimeLife’s Coastal Waters in the NSW south coast area of St Georges Basin are helping to redefine what it now means to be retired.

Residents want and deserve the freedom to choose a lifestyle that fits their needs and preferences, and people are increasingly more discerning about what’s involved. 

“We’re finding our residents are getting younger and have significantly higher expectations when it comes to the choice of recreational and leisure activities on offer,” said Eddie Boyle, a Retirement Lifestyle Consultant at Coastal Waters Retirement Resort.

“The retirement age used to be around 65 but, more and more, people in their fifties are choosing to enjoy their life, their money and their freedom while they still can.

2) How have retirement villages changed retirement?
With an increasingly discerning demographic seeking the freedom to choose a lifestyle that fits their needs and preferences, retirement living options have changed dramatically in recent years.

Facilities like indoor heated pools, spas, fully equipped gyms and business centres are now a standard requirement for many retirees, who are seeking retirement communities which enable them to be as active and involved as they choose. 

“There has certainly been a shift in the perception of what retirement means to people – it’s now seen as a time to do more of the things you always wanted to do, but never had time for,” Eddie said.

“Resort living is becoming an increasingly popular choice with retirees and a retirement resort offers much more than just a comfortable place to live, it offers a whole range of lifestyle opportunities.

3) What are the advantages of retiring in a luxury retirement village?
The retirees of today are mostly fit, active people who have a genuine zest for life and a demand for fun and enjoyment. As Eddie knows, they are unwilling to compromise on the quality of their choice of retirement accommodation and service delivery.

A retirement resort like Coastal Waters will provide so much more than just a place to live. In addition to the leisure and recreational facilities on offer, and the community of like-minded people, security and peace of mind are also two major benefits of resort living.

“The big advantage for our residents is that they’re able to enjoy all the benefits of being in a private and secure environment with a home that’s easily maintained, as well as having access to a huge range of resort-style facilities and services,” Eddie said.

4) What does PrimeLife offer?
PrimeLife offers a diverse choice of retirement living options in New South Wales, with facilities and amenities to suit every lifestyle.

With eight PrimeLife facilities throughout the state, there are a range of affordable accommodation options in a variety of locations.

Look us up when you are ready. www.primelife.com.au

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Association of Residents of Queensland Retirement Villages

Association of Residents of Queensland Retirement Villages (ARQRV), the only consumer protection agency for retirement village residents in Queensland was formed in 1992 to try and bring a degree of balance into the industry and to represent the interests of Village residents in negotiations with the industry and all levels of Government.

To seek help or find out more about ARQRV, click here

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Retirement village legalities

In Looking through the legal haze and finding the village of your choice, Lawyers, Matthew Mallos and Arthur Koumoukelis have highlighted some of the legal issues which must be considered when planning a move to a retirement village. It is now a fact of life that by the time you reach retirement you may not have managed to pay off the mortgage on your home.

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Retirement village luxury

Australians are living longer and keeping fitter than generations before them and as such, expect more to keep them active when choosing a retirement village.

A state-of-the-art community centre at one of Mt Martha’s leading retirement resorts is now open for residents.

The third stage of development of the Community Centre at Martha’s Point has been completed and the facility will be officially opened on Friday, October 31.

The Community Centre provides a range of services and leisure activities for the resort’s residents, including a billiard room, bowling green, tennis court, swimming pool, and spa. The facility also includes a library, lounge bar and café, consulting room and pampering room.

Just minutes from the beach and surrounded by more than 170 vineyards and wineries and 13 challenging golf courses, Martha’s Point – one of Primelife’s premier retirement resorts – boasts the benefits of luxurious facilities in a world-class location.

Martha’s Point will be throwing open its doors for the public to view the Community Centre before the official opening.  The local community is invited to attend an RVA event at the Centre on Saturday, October 11.

Please call (03) 5977 0389 to register your interest to attend this event or for more information on Martha’s Point please visit www.primelife.com.au

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Surviving the aged care maze

This downloadable PDF features finance guru, Louise Biti’s, article Surviving the aged care maze, which considers the main issues associated with moving to an aged care facility, including entry costs, bonds, periodic payments and income tests. Louise’s plain English explanations make complex requirements much simpler to understand. We hope you will enjoy this “how to” and send it to any friends who may be dealing with the same issues.

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Fun doesn’t stop

There are many factors which drive a move from home to a retirement village and at those managed by PrimeLife, having fun is one of them.

It’s been a big few weeks for local resident Edna Bartlett, who has not only moved house but is also busy directing the comedy production Over the River and Through the Woods.

For Edna and her husband Gordon, the recent move to one of Knoxfield’s premier retirement resorts was part of a decision to relax and do something for themselves.

But the active couple is showing no signs of slowing down yet.

“It has certainly been a busy time for us,” Edna said. “We moved into Waterford Park two weeks ago and I have had just six weeks to put together my latest theatre production, which is a comedy about life, love and lasagne!”

For many years Edna has been involved in all aspects of theatre, including directing, set design, stage management and costume co-ordination as well as performing on stage.

This commitment has led to her providing the Edna (Jones) Bartlett Perpetual Trophy for the Best Director of a Comedy at The Victorian Drama League Awards held annually.

And with Gordon also still actively involved in his engineering work the couple decided to downsize from their family home to allow more time for their commitments and hobbies.

“When we decided we wanted to move to a low maintenance home we looked at a lot of different places but in the end the decision to move to Primelife’s Waterford Park was an obvious one,” Edna said.

“Gordon and I have renovated houses a few times in the past but this time I fell in love with the fact that this house was all brand new and we didn’t have to do a thing.

“Initially we weren’t sure if we wanted to go into a retirement resort but we love the security and the many services and amenities on offer at Waterford Park.”

Read more about what Primelife has to offer you.

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Village life

There’s never been a better time to consider moving to a retirement village, according to a recent survey, village life is tops!

According to a recent survey by Australia’s most popular real estate website - realestate.com.au, retirement villages are the top choice for baby boomers when it comes to the type of home that will best suit their ‘golden years’.

Reflecting the younger spirit and better health of today’s retirees, for 52.6% of the survey respondents, retirement villages offer a vibrant, stylish community delivering social interaction and freedom from the traditional family home.

Lifestyle resorts with golf estates also proved popular with just over a quarter of the those aged 55-65 years.

realestate.com.au’s General Manager, Shaun Di Gregorio says, “For baby boomers, significant new market opportunities for housing and lifestyle have been created across Australia’s metropolitan cities, in towns along rapidly growing coastal areas attracting sun-belt migration, and in some of the larger inland service centres.

“And with any major life decision, choosing a retirement abode should only be made after thorough research and assessment of the pros and cons.

“Take the time to discover the best option for you and once you have decided, become completely familiar with all the ins and outs before committing yourself,” he says.

With 150 retirement living options all around the country, realestate.com.au’s Retire Section is one of the best places to begin investigating.

To see the range of options and locations available visit www.realestate.com.au/retire.

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All that glitters…

Making the decision to enter a retirement village is tough enough without then having to worry about choosing the correct one?  James had a very distressing experience with his choice, so read more and be aware.

I was interested to read the article on VILLAGE LIVING. I am sure that there are villages that meet the picture painted in that sponsored article.

Unfortunately, “all that glitters is not gold”.

March last year (2007) saw my circumstances change and I moved into a village close to my friends as I need assisted living. There was just the place, $206,000 buy-in and $1,056/month with; lifts, three home cooked meals a day, morning and afternoon tea, “famous” afternoon tea parties, linen and laundry, house-keeping, security calling in rooms and “on-person” devices, live-in staff, fire emergency alarms and drills and, a “Maintenance Fund”, ALL INCLUDED.

• There is a lift.
• Three home cooked meals/day. NO.
o 07:30 am - Cereal, tin fruit, fruit juice, toast, jam, peanut butter, tea/coffee.
o 10;00 am - Tea/coffee
o 12:30 pm - Same hot meal per day for a month. “It’s meatballs it must be Tuesday”
o Afternoon - Nothing
o 4:30/5pm - Sandwich (two rounds of bread) or a cup of soup, piece of fruit and cake.
• Linen and laundry - Linen once per week - two sheets, one pillow slip, two towels and bath mat. No laundry unless you pay the staff $10 a bag and $10 for ironing and using our electricity water and laundry detergents. THERE ARE NO LAUNDRY FACILITIES FOR RESIDENTS.
• House keeping - bathroom floor moped, sink wiped once per week, floor vacuumed once per fortnight. 
• There are two emergency call systems. Both systems fail regularly. The “on-person” device does NOT work outside of the building; and, in the building, it only records what room you are from, not where you are. Further, there is no indication that the alarm has been received. One 80+ lady lay on the floor for 6 hours.
• There is a live-in staff of two “caretakers” (husband/wife). There is no delineation between day and night duty 24/7. Because of their “work load” they are away given “days off” for weekends worked and take two lots of annual leave. THEN THERE IS NO LIVE IN STAFF. There are contact persons from another village that need to be contacted in an emergency. 
• There has been no emergency drills, there are people in the building that do not even know what the fire-alarm signals are. When the Caretakers are away and the staff from the other village are on call, then there is no way that the elderly people on the upper floors could get down the fire escapes. Further, the exit signs on the second floor direct residents over a balcony and NOT down the fire stairs.
• All contracts state that there is a Maintenance Fund, the audited statement states that the village doesn’t have one. Further, the air-conditioning has been turned “OFF” in the assisted living building as a retrospective electricity bill for the building was $200,000.00. The administrative staff told the residents that if they turned it on then they would NOT be able to afford to stay here. The intimidation was horrific for some.
So that’s my experience with untruths and it is going to cost me $11,000 to get out. As a TPI it is not what one expects at this time of life, nor reward for service. So, the warnings are:
• Don’t believe all you read
• Live in the place, if you can, before you buy
• DON’T LISTEN TO THE RESIDENTS THAT THE MANAGEMENT ASK QUESTIONS OF IN FRONT OF YOU - IT’S REHEARSED.

What do you think?  Has your experience of retirement villages been positive or not?  .

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Retirement Villages

The modern retirement village industry began to emerge in the mid 1970s when the Federal Government phased out capital subsidy for the construction of self-care or independent living units operated by church, charities and other ‘benevolent’ groups. This then opened the doors for private operators and the development of what became known as ‘resident-funded’ retirement villages.

Resident funded villages are for people over 55. They may need some assistance with daily living or they may enjoy superb health.

Some villages may have ‘self-care units’, some may have ‘serviced units’ and some may additionally have residential aged care facilities. Retirement villages differ in the facilities offered but usually include on-site emergency assistance, security, recreational facilities and help with home maintenance.

The NSW Office of Fair Trading has many articles on retirement villages, including the latest booklet Retirement Village Living explains the different types of retirement villages that can be found in the industry and outlines some basic rights under the Retirement Villages Act. While specific to NSW it covers many matters with application elsewhere.

The peak industry organisation is the Retirement Village Association. Make sure you check their list of questions, those most frequently asked by first-time visitors to a retirement village.

Leaving a retirement village
A Deferred Fee, also known as Departure Fee in some States, is an exit fee which you may have to pay when you leave a retirement village. Some villages, however, do not charge departure fees. It’s certainly one of the priority questions to ask during an inspection, "Will I be charged a departure fee?"

There are different ways the departure fee may be calculated. It is quite possible that you will get less money than you paid for the unit despite it being sold for a higher price than you originally paid. For a discussion of departure fees see It’s Your Life - Retirement Village Information. 

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Abbeyfield House

Another form of independent living for older people is provided by Abbeyfield Houses, a non profit organisation run by volunteers (the local societies). Each house is for up to 10 people over 55 and capable of independent living, although residents may use Home and Community Care programs.

Each resident has a private bed sitting room (with en suite facilities) which he or she furnishes and looks after. The residents share the garden and communal parts of the house (the sitting room, dining area, kitchen, guest room and laundry). The housekeeper cooks and serves lunch and dinner in the family dining room. Residents have electric jugs and toasters in their rooms and get their own breakfasts and snacks.

For more information including contact details of local societies go to the Abbeyfield Australia site

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Rental Accommodation

Rental accommodation is available in the public sector through State and Territory housing authorities and in the private sector. Non-profit organisations, such as local councils and charitable, benevolent and religious organisations are the main providers of rental accommodation, particularly for pensioners of limited means.

Rent Assistance
If you are a pensioner renting in the private sector (that is, you are not paying rent directly to a government housing authority) you may qualify for Rent Assistance. You may be able to get Rent Assistance if you move in with family or friends. For information on how you qualify, how to claim, amount of assistance and other matters check this Centrelink page. If you receive a service pension from the Department of Veterans' Affairs read their fact sheet on Renting and Rent Assistance.

Bond Loan and Rental Grant
Some State/Territory governments may make a loan to eligible persons to pay part or all of the bond required before occuping private rental accommodation. Check with your State/Territory housing authority if you think you may be eligible. Loans eventually have to be repaid.

A Rental Grant may be available from some State/Territory housing authorities to help meet some of the costs associated with moving into private rental accommodation. You do not have to repay a grant.

Purpose-built accommodation
Some private firms have built accommodation specifically for older people to rent. Village Life is in all States and has over 30 villages, each with about 50 one bedroom villa type units; rent is drawn from 85% of the age pension plus 100% of the Australian Government Rent Assistance.