If you are heading towards retirement, you are probably pondering this very question.
A retirement village offers independent living so you can be as sociable or as private as you like, while enjoying the benefits of communal facilities in a village environment with people of similar age.
But let’s also dispel one myth right now – you don’t have to be fully ‘retired’ to enjoy the benefits of retirement village living! In fact, many residents in villages still work, or are equally engaged in activities, projects or volunteering in the community.
Ask any resident of a thriving retirement village and often you’ll get a refreshing answer as to how they feel about their decision. For many it’s about making the move before it’s too late. Because retirement village living can open up a whole new world of opportunities.
Some villages are a community of relatively active people engaged in their lives, social and friendly. There is a youthful ambience around the place.
Choosing which retirement village is the best fit for you may be about considering the average age and mobility of those already there.
Retirement village life can provide a community that builds around you, before life slows you down. A home with lifelong friends, companionship, security, comfort and, above all, independence to come and go as you want.
So, when is the right time to move?
In short, when you are ready. When it’s time to let someone else worry about the gutters, the roof, the gardens and mowing the lawns. When you want the freedom to feel safe and secure in your home knowing, should something go wrong, the support is there.
Importantly, do it before you ‘need’ to. This way you’ll get to make the most of everything the village has to offer.
Retirement village life is about making new friends, going on outings, popping in to your neighbours, socialising and feeling empowered yet supported in your independence.
Having time to just enjoy life in secure and comfortable surroundings, with a range of services both in and outside the village, allows you to continue to do the things you love, and that’s the way retirement village living should be.
This article has been written by Matua Village, a retirement village nestled in the heart of Matua, Tauranga. www.matuavillage.co.nz