Residents Living the Life They Choose

from AgedPlus Village Business Magazine | July-August 2022

Dining With Dignity

The Sterling is a five-star retirement community in Kaiapoi that is challenging the retirement village status quo.

urrently under construction, The Sterling has been designed in collaboration with awardwinning architects Marchese Partners, a firm renowned for its innovative approach to senior living. Marchese's unique design philosophy places the resident at the heart of the village community – an imperative which aligns perfectly with The Sterling’s resident-centric approach.

At The Sterling, elegant interiors and carefully considered layouts provide functional, easy-tomaintain surroundings without compromising style. Villa and apartment residents have the option of two colour palettes – cream and coffee – which keeps the look of the residential interiors clean, light and fresh. Exterior detailing and material selection reflect the unique local community and rural North Canterbury surroundings.

A wealth of research indicates that abundant natural light during the day provides positive psychological and general well-being benefits to older people. This is especially true for people with dementia, as higher light levels help them make sense of their environment and reduce anxiety. Both The Sterling’s villas and the village’s Memory Care facilities have been designed with this in mind. Sunny open plan living and views of the surrounding landscape provide aesthetic connection to the environment without sacrificing the thermal performance of the units.

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When complete, The Sterling will have three specialist dementia units endorsed by the University of Stirling in Scotland, a world-leading dementia care research university. In these units, dementia residents will be supported to maintain as much of their independence as possible...

Behind The Sterling's welcoming and comfortable surroundings lies a sophisticated technological heart. The wall-mounted emergency call system incorporated into the build means emergency assistance from staff is always just the push of a button away. Advanced sensor technology sends alerts if there has been no movement in a villa for an extended time, and a smart door locking system provides robust security and effortless access via thumbprint, pin code, smartphone, or fob key.

Similarly, the My Sterling App provides an additional emergency alert system if needed, and lets residents forward maintenance requests, book social events, get notified of village news, control lighting and interact with staff, all from a tablet or smartwatch.

When complete, The Sterling will have three specialist dementia units endorsed by the University of Stirling in Scotland, a world-leading dementia care research university. In these units, dementia residents will be supported to maintain as much of their independence as possible, with best-practice design features ensuring resident comfort and wellbeing, and providing a safe and secure environment.

The sustainability of the village is also a priority. Natural light and ventilation have been utilised as much as possible, and insulation and double-glazing helps reduce the village's energy consumption. Residents are encouraged to reduce their travel distances, to carpool and use the community van for transport, and there will be a community garden that lets residents grow their own fresh vegetables and utilise organic waste for composting. The village encourages recycling and only partners with organisations that have the same ethical and environmental practices that they do.

Regarding Covid-19, The Sterling takes the safety of its residents very seriously. The village currently has management guidelines in place that include sanitisation protocols, mask-wearing, and safety procedures for using community areas and amenities. All visitors and contractors have a check-in and check-out system through

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All of the programmes at The Sterling ascribe to the 'Eight Dimensions of Wellness' philosophy – a framework which focuses on the emotional, financial, social, spiritual, occupational, physical, intellectual, and environmental well-being of residents. A 'Pick 'n Mix' approach to support underpins this, with residents selecting just the services they require – and nothing they don’t. The Sterling calls this 'supported independence', with the resident always central to the decisionmaking process.

The Sterling’s resident-centric approach is particularly suited to the ‘Baby Boomer generation’, a peer group characterised by its desire for independence and self-determination. As ‘Boomers’ approach retirement age, they are demanding more choice in how they live, more independence, and better connection to friends, loved ones, and the wider community. They reject the segregated feel of old school retirement villages and want to live in inclusive, connected, multigenerational environments. As an open, borderless village integrated into the wider Silverstream development in Kaiapoi, The Sterling has been designed to provide this connection. Facilities such as the onsite cafe are open to the public and help encourage this all-important intergenerational connection.

Focused on choice, privacy, and independence, The Sterling, Kaiapoi is resident-led village of the future, where residents are encouraged and supported to live the life they choose.