Old models of supported living are being set aside by retirement village operators such as Tall Tress and Seasons in south east Queensland.
They believe that folding aged care services into a retirement village is vastly superior to separating the two, where physical distance between home and care places unnecessary strain on residents.
The benefits are obvious, and substantial.
While maintaining your independence and privacy in a retirement village, you will also have access to low or high care, 24/7, in your own home. What you get depends on your needs, and you only pay for the services you require.
It means that couples with different types of care can remain living together, even as those needs change.
And should one person find themselves left behind, support networks are already in place to ensure their ongoing emotional and physical wellbeing.
Some residents have even reported an increase in their standard of health due, in part, to the peace of mind the model affords them.
At present, there are only forty or so such villages around the country that provide this level of aged care service, but it’s a number that’s growing as this enviable new lifestyle finds favour.