Retirement homes

Retirement homes are very popular in Australia. A retirement village is a village of common minded people sharing common spaces. Most retirement villages have individual homes for its residences and they then share common spaces such as pools, tennis courts and social facilities. Retirement villages come in varying sizes and are managed in different ways.

Nursing homes

Nursing homes are where an elderly person, or a person with a severe disability, lives or stays because they need constant nursing care. Many retirement homes or assisted living facilities also have nursing homes as part of their structure and location.

In a nursing home a resident has access to 24 hours nursing and care. In most states in Australia a person needs to be assessed as to their eligibility to enter a nursing home if they wish to access funding.

Things to expect in a retirement village

• A recommended age for residents – most retirement villages will only accept people over a certain age.
• Your own home -retirement villages are usually made up of individual homes. Some will be fully detached and some may be medium density houses such as units.
• Facilities – more retirement villages now have facilities to complement a retirement lifestyle such as a pool and tennis court.
• Health – some retirement villages have a GP office on site and other will have a visiting GP. This is to assist residents who may not drive and shouldn’t be mistaken for dedicated medical care.
• Hair and Beauty – many retirement villages have a hair and beauty retail premises on site to cater for its residents.
• Golf – increasing in popularity, golf courses are often located near retirement villages with some of the more upmarket retirement village being built around golf courses.
• Maintenance – many retirement villages have body corporates who take care of the day to day maintenance such as mowing and common area upkeep.

Things to expect in a nursing home

• Nurses – nursing homes should have nursing staff on site 24 hours a day.
• Residents will require a certain amount of care. Some nursing homes are attached to retirement homes where residents live relatively independent lives.
• Security – as residents have a lower level of health, security should be present in the form of cameras and door codes to keep unauthorised people out and some residents in.
• Rooms – Nursing homes have rooms rather than individual homes. Most have private rooms but in older homes, many residents share larger rooms.
• Meals – meals are provided in nursing homes as residents have rooms but generally not kitchens. Nursing homes will have common eating areas.
• Living Spaces – nursing homes will have common living areas with televisions and armchairs for residents to socialise and meet with their visitors.

There are now different accommodation options for people in retirement, including retirement villages and nursing homes. These include retirement homes, assisted living homes and aged care villages. These all have individual benefits so make sure you do your homework before making a commitment.