I can hear it now, “fun” and “retirement village” don’t work in a sentence together. Why? Because retirement villages are full of old people, right? I believe “old” is a state of mind as much as it is a state of being and throughout the years of working in this industry it never ceases to amaze me when one of our residents tells me they’re almost 90 or in their 90’s and here I was thinking they were 75! Invariably the ones that manage to fool me with their youthful looks are physically and mentally active and take care of their emotional well-being. I can count on many hands the seniors I personally know who compete in various sports, are world-renown for their crafty skills and actively contribute to the community in more ways than your average middle-aged citizen.
Retirement Villages have morphed over the last decade or so into modern resort-style communities with all the mod cons. With many sporting an impressive list of activities and services available to residents. It varies from village to village and often also depends on the age of a village but the types of activities you can expect to find are lawn bowls, croquet, tennis, aquarobics, dancing, craft, billiards, cards, tai chi, mah jong, walking groups, lunching groups, cycling groups, bird watching enthusiasts, painting, cooking, movie nights, bus trips and the list goes on.
Activities in retirement villages are typically run by the residents themselves and therefore are a reflection of the village community and its interests. It’s not un-common for larger villages to have over 55 activities on offer each week. Participate in as many or as few as you’d like but if you’re looking for something to do or to have a little fun there will be something you can try your hand at.
Many residents comment that they have become so busy that they don’t know how they ever worked full time and their families need to schedule visits in advance. Many family members ask what the entry age of retirement villages are and often want to move in to enjoy the fun.
Of course this all depends on what you want out of your retirement years and if you ask me, that’s where retirement villages show their true colours. Whether you want an active and worry-free lifestyle where you can join in on activities and travel for long periods without having to think about your house. Or you want a supported environment with access to care services and a community spirit that provides a sense of inclusion – retirement villages can give you both and adapt to the changes you may face.