Retirement Village Decision

By Author: Keith Slovaski
Total Articles: 1
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I spent a lot of time with my grandparents from the age of seventeen to twenty one. My parents moved back to Europe and as I wanted to stay in Australia, my grandparents' home became my own for a few years.

Through this time we became close and it was great to have them around as I moved into my own home with my wife. My grandfather became ill and soon passed away. It was a sad time and my grandmother decided she no longer wanted to keep their large home, filled with all her memories.

Being close to my grandmother, it really became up to me to decide where she should live after her house was sold. There were a few options, she could live with us, buy a new smaller house, or move to a retirement village.

We thought about it for some time and decided the retirement village option would be the best. Both my wife and I work full time and would not be able to assist her or keep her company during the day. Similarly, if she bought a new house, she would feel isolated and lonely.

So we investigated the retirement villages in our area, to see what they could offer. We didn't start out thinking we would find ...
... a fairy tale home for my grandma, with lots of friends and interesting activities for her to do all day. We just wanted a comfortable safe place for her to live, which was not far away from us.

After just a few days checking out different communities, my grandma soon made the decision herself. We had just walked into a new retirement village with different sized apartments. We looked at a one and two bedroom option and she straight away said she wanted to take the two bedroom place. She has a few friends interstate who come to visit and she wanted them to be able to stay with her when they came up to Queensland.

It turned out that the price was lower than a small independent house and it came with a lot of added benefits. Most importantly for me was fast access to help from carers if she had a problem. There are shared facilities, like barbeque areas, some organised activities and lots of gardens for her to enjoy.

At first I was feeling a little bad about helping her move into a retirement home, because of the stereotype I had created, about putting old people in homes. But her community is bright, airy, modern and friendly. I truly think it is the best place for her.

I think anyone in a similar position needs to remember a few things before taking this difficult decision. Firstly it helps to go and visit a few communities in the area you relative is going to live. Different retirement homes will suit some people more than others. Talk to your relative about what is important to them and what they expect from a retirement village. Meet some of the current guests. Be aware of how close places like supermarkets are. Read the retirement villages policies and make sure they suit your loved one.

I hope that your search for a suitable retirement how is as positive as mine was, and that you find a comfortable place for your relative to live where they can enjoy their time.

You can see the retirement village my grandma lives at by clicking the link provided. They have a variety of retirement homes for sale or rent.