Choosing a village

◆ Do you want a garden or access to one or would you be happy in an apartment?

◆ Do you have any special interests like golf or tennis? Then you may want to focus your search on villages that offer those features

Support

◆ Are you looking for additional support services such as personal care, meals, laundry or domestic assistance?

◆ If your support needs increase would you like to be able to stay in the village or are you happy to move again down the track?

Location

◆ Where do you want to live? Do you want to be closer to family or stay in or near the community you’re already in. Or you may have always dreamed of living by the sea or in the country

Retirement villages host a variety of lifestyles, whether that be 'resort'-like communities, where you feel like you are on holiday everyday, or neighbourhood environments that feel like you haven’t left your local community.

It is important to be clear about where you wish to live, and what community services you would like to be near. Also consider your current and future health and financial requirements.

Plan and consider

Do your homework and carefully plan and research all of the options available to you, such as the type of accommodation which will best reflect your lifestyle and the legally binding documents that come with entering a village.

To help you with the decision making process, here are some points to consider:

Financial

◆ Know your budget, what you can afford and what other ongoing costs are required.

◆ Consider getting expert advice about how your decision will impact on your financial situation

◆ Make sure you fully understand all the financial and legal implications before you sign anything or hand any money over

Lifestyle

◆ Think about how you spend your time now and how you want to spend your time in the future.

◆ Is the village located near transport, shops or health facilities?

Amenities

◆ Villages now offer a massive range of amenities so decide what features are important to you. Would you like to be able to access a library, restaurant, community rooms, barbeque area or men's shed?

◆ Is an all-weather indoor heated swimming pool or caravan and boat parking important to your needs?

Feel comfortable

When you have a short-list of villages that you are interested in, go visit the village to make sure it has everything you're looking for and it's a place that makes you feel comfortable.