Essential Considerations for Retirement Living
1.Location
Location will be a matter of personal choice – do you want to be closer to your family? Is it important to be close to shops, post office, etc. Or do you prefer picturesque surrounds? Is a warmer climate required for your health?
2.Services & Facilities
Are there particular services and facilities that you need or would like? For example, if you don’t have a car it may be important to you that the village have a bus service. You may be an avid gardener and want your own garden or at least a communal garden?
3.Rules
It is better to know in advance the rules for living in a particular village. As these can affect the lifestyle you have envisaged. For example, can you have guests stay over? Can you have a pet? Can you make changes to your premises?
4.Entry Costs, Ongoing Fees and Exit Costs
As well as knowing what upfront payments you will be required to make on moving into a village, before you sign any documents you should also check that you will be able to afford the ongoing fees of living in the village and to know what exit costs you or your estate will be required to pay on vacating the premises.
5.Future Care
You should check what services are available in the village for possible future care needs, such as visiting medical practitioners or cleaning and catering. Some villages also have an onsite aged care facility with an option to transfer if required. You should consider what you can do if you need a higher level of care.
Before entering into any retirement village contract, it is prudent to seek independent legal advice, so you can be aware of all your costs and obligations, and also the obligations of the village operators and the services they provide.