Choosing the right retirement village for you

When choosing between different retirement villages you should base your decision on your personal needs.

It might be helpful to ask yourself some key questions about what matters most to you:

• Do you want to have better access to health and fitness facilities, or have bars and restaurants closer to your home?
• Do you have a partner who requires some at-home care but you both want to maintain your independence?
• Do you just want reassurance that you can have access to extra support if you ever need it, without having to leave your home?

Whatever your circumstances, the facilities offered in a retirement village can be tailored to suit your lifestyle.

Even if you don’t need any support or care immediately, it’s important to ask questions about the care staff, in case you should need support in the future. Ask the village manager about their hiring procedures, to make sure that staff have professional backgrounds and are correctly qualified. You should be clear on what levels of care are available at the village, to ensure that your needs can be met at every stage.

Speaking to people you know who already live in a retirement village is an excellent way to start. There’s no comparison for a personal recommendation and trusted insight into what life is really like in the village.

Seeing the village yourself is also very important. Most retirement villages arrange special open days for this exact reason, and these days are great ways to meet potential neighbours. Anchor regularly hold events for customers at Bishopstoke Park and open days at Hampshire Lakes.

If you want to arrange a visit to a specific village on your own, simply give them a call and the village manager will be able to arrange a suitable date and time.

Choosing a retirement property is a big decision and we encourage you to seek independent advice and discuss your options with your family and your legal advisers in detail.

Most importantly, when choosing a retirement village trust your gut feelings – most people instinctively know when a place ‘feels right’ for them.