Living in a retirement village: what to expect

Retirement villages aren’t widely understood throughout the UK in comparison to other countries such as New Zealand and USA, where they are a lot more ‘the norm’ shall we say. Many people still think of any retirement housing as a care home, which simply isn’t the case. But if it’s not a care home, what is it?

Lifestyle in retirement villages
Investing into a retirement village is not just about the property, (even though this is an exciting element!) It is about investing into the lifestyle of retirement villages.

At ExtraCare, we push to promote healthy independent living, as we believe that an exciting range of leisure facilities alongside a large community of like-minded people enables our residents to live enriching lifestyles.

Whether you would like to learn new skills, become a volunteer, or simply relax in the company of friends, the lifestyle that retirement villages offer provides a vast range of opportunities and a whole new lease of life. All whilst having complete freedom to live the life you choose and remain completely independent.

Cost of retirement village living
Retirement properties are built to a very good standard, with a high quality finish and all maintenance carried out by professional teams at each location, making it unlikely you will need to do anything to your home to modernise it or to make it suitable for your needs. They cover all bases!

However, you do need to consider the cost of your apartment, and also the service charge that is required. At ExtraCare we intend to always offer affordable retirement properties within our villages and housing schemes with a variety of purchase and rental options to suit your financial situation. We’ll even help you uncover any welfare allowances that can improve the affordability further.

ExtraCare is a charity, and our principal aim is to ensure that we can offer our residents a truly rewarding lifestyle at a cost that is affordable and fair for all.

Retirement villages with care facilities
We do all like to live in the moment, but future proofing, especially in retirement is an important thing to consider. That’s why all ExtraCare locations always have a dedicated care team on hand. We take pride in providing exceptional care services for those who need it, from helping to walk your dog, right through to wellbeing support and dementia care.

Although, it is important to remember that a retirement village is not a care home, so the level of care required will have to be assessed by our care staff.

Building healthy communities
Since July 2019, ExtraCare have been running the Engaged Lives project that works to build greater community and connection amongst the UK’s older population.

Supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, the project has built the confidence and capacity of our residents (and the wider community) to lead “Engaged Lives” – lives of immersive and purposeful activity, within a community that people feel they belong to.