Housing and Older People – What We Really Want
Moving out of our old home was emotional and certainly not straightforward. During the first couple of weeks after we moved, I didn’t know how to feel. There’re the solicitors fees, removal fees and we had to put our things in storage.
Luckily for us, moving turned out to be the best thing we could have done. We’ve been in our new shared ownership apartment in the ExtraCare Charitable Trust’s Longbridge Retirement Village for months now, and it’s been an exciting new beginning.
The most important thing, though, was our new home is close to our family – our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, live within two miles. The icing on the cake was when Graham’s sister – who is my friend from school – and her husband decided to move in too.
I understand the government is now working on a housing green paper that will firm up its ideas. I recommend ministers come and talk to older people who have taken the leap and moved into a place like this.
Across ExtraCare’s five villages in Birmingham, the charity has freed up 750 three and four-bedroom family homes. There needs to be more developments like these, where there’s life. We can enjoy our later life without worrying, and it takes the pressure off our daughters.
Of course, there are times when I miss our old place – I miss our great grandchildren playing in the garden – but the regret only lasts a minute. We love it here and we wouldn’t go back.
For more information visit Longbridge Village
T: 0121 272 4000.
Email: longbridge@extracare.org.uk
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