It might seem hard to believe, but where you live can impact your health just as much as how you live – and having community connection makes a tangible difference to your quality of life.
We’ve put together six reasons why retirement living is good for you.
1. Social connectedness
While each of our retirement villages is unique, they all offer genuine community, social connectedness, and a sense of belonging.
This is important because humans are social creatures, even those who prefer their own company need a sense of connection to thrive.
As part of a RetireAustralia community, you’ll have ample social activities to choose from, from happy hours to lawn bowls, movie nights to craft groups. There’s something for everyone but it’s entirely up to you how much, or how little, you take part in.
Either way, you’ll be part of a diverse and supportive community. And, as the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index reports, this has a positive impact on our wellbeing[1].
“Communities offer us collective support, a sense of belonging, and play a key role in combating loneliness as we age.[2]”
2. Better physical health
Our village teams have reported countless instances of residents’ health improving after moving into a retirement community.
And now there’s research to back up this anecdotal evidence. In a survey of Australian retirement village residents, 27% reported their physical health improved after moving in[3].
This could be for countless reasons, including more social interaction, feeling safe and secure, and better nutrition*.
Research shows that loneliness can have an adverse effect on physical health, and is linked with impaired immune functioning, unhealthy behaviours, and physical inactivity[4].
On the flipside, retirement living is good for you because villages have been specifically designed to improve health and wellbeing. In other words, our communities are purpose-built to counter social isolation and foster a sense of belonging and connectedness. Our vibrant activity calendars also offer whatever it is that sparks your interest and keeps your body and mind active.
3. Improved mental wellbeing
This brings us to improved mental wellbeing. In many ways, it’s hard to separate physical and mental health because they’re so inter-linked.
It’s also important to be aware that older people are more susceptible to common triggers for anxiety and depression[5]. Beyond Blue reports that these triggers include physical illness, chronic pain, and personal loss.
The good news is that having strong community connections can not only provide people happiness, support and a sense of purpose, but it can help stave off anxiety and depression.
“Research shows that being connected to others is important for mental wellbeing and can be a protective factor against anxiety and depression.” Beyond Blue: Connections Matter
4. Safety and security
Many residents tell us that safety and security is at the top of their list, and one of the key motivators behind moving into a retirement village.
Residents feel safer in a retirement village for lots of different reasons, but we most often hear that people feel more secure because they:
- Are in a community of like-minded neighbours where everyone looks out for each other.
- Have a 24-hour emergency call system, this offers peace of mind in the event of a fall or a health incident.
- Feel supported in the midst of challenging external events such as natural disasters and COVID-19
- Can visit family and friends knowing their mail will be collected, lawns mowed, and home secure in their absence.
Retirement village living also gives extra assurance to family members who may not live close by.
Community story: When Boambee Gardens suffered a destructive hailstorm in October 2021, Village Manager Lexi Connor leapt into action to support the community. She managed all logistics, including insurance claims, building repairs, transportation, and emergency accommodation. This took a huge weight off residents’ shoulders and gave peace of mind to their families.
5. Future care needs
We’ve already touched on physical health, but it’s important to think about your future care needs, even if you’re currently fit and active. One of the main benefits of retirement living is having a safety net if your health changes down the track. You can rest easy, knowing we have you covered if you fall ill, get injured, or need extra care and support:
- Home Care: Home Care provides residents with the same trust, familiarity, and feeling of ‘home’ that they already have about their village. Our reliable and experienced team can help with household chores, meal preparation, showering, dressing and medication support, to name a few. Depending on the community you choose, you can access home care from RetireAustralia and/ or another reputable provider.
- Priority access: Alternatively, if your care needs are increasing and you need consistent day-to-day support, in most cases you also have priority access to one of our care or serviced apartments in your village or a nearby RetireAustralia village. Our trusted team will take care of housekeeping, maintenance and delicious meals every day.
6. Ditch the lawnmower
This brings us to our final point – a low-maintenance lifestyle. This is especially important if you have a large family home that’s become a burden to maintain.
In a retirement community, you don’t have to worry about maintenance or gardening. If you have a leaking tap or your light bulb blows let our village team know and we will take care of it**. This means you can kick back in the community centre overlooking lush green gardens – without having to fire up the lawnmower. Having gardening and maintenance taken care of allows you the time and space to spend more time on what you love, whether that’s playing with your grandkids, golfing or reading.
Want to see for yourself?
If you’d like to talk to residents first-hand to find out what they love most about retirement living, simply find your closest retirement community and book a tour.
Find a community to bring you wellness.
* Better nutrition applies to care and serviced apartment residents, who receive delicious and nutritious meals every day.
** Examples only. Before moving into a RetireAustralia village we provide clarity on what maintenance the village service charges cover, giving you peace of mind and financial certainty for the future.
[1] Australian Unity. “How community affects wellbeing.” (2020), online: https://www.australianunity.com.au/wellbeing/What-is-real-wellbeing/How-community-affects-wellbeing
[2] As above
[3] Retirement Living Council. “The book of wise moves.” (2020), online: https://www.awisemove.com.au/village-life/
[4] Van Orden et al. “Strategies to promote social connections among older adults during ‘social distancing’ restrictions.” (2020), online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7233208/
[5] Beyond Blue. “Risk factors for older people” (2022), online: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/who-does-it-affect/older-people/risk-factors-for-older-people
