Retirement village popularity on the rise

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, older Australians continue to choose retirement communities as the place to be.

Brookland Retirement Village, Reside Communities’ south Brisbane community, has settled three new sales in the past week and a half with several more in the pipeline over the coming weeks.

Buyers have clearly not lost their appetite for village living, even as day-to-day life in the village continues to change while the situation develops.

Across Australia, retirement village community centres and facilities like swimming pools, gyms and libraries are subject to the same restrictions as businesses in the broader community, and social activities and events have been suspended in line with public gathering limits.

Those aged over 70 have also now been directed by the government to stay in their homes where possible in a measure to limit exposure to the virus.

Even with the broader lifestyle benefits of village living currently unavailable, the prospect of joining a secure community with an established support network remains a strong drawcard – now more than ever.

Ted Wright, the newest resident at Brookland Retirement Village, moved into the village from his family home in Runcorn just days ago and couldn’t be happier with his decision.

“I’ve settled in nicely and I’m so glad that I came in when I did,” he said.

“My daughters are very happy that I’m living the life I am at the moment.

“I can isolate, but I’ve still got people around and help if I need it.”

Retirement villages are rolling out new services and initiatives to help residents feel supported and connected to the broader village community.

At Brookland, this includes twice-weekly wellness calls, meal delivery, in-home trivia and activities, and even a community pantry to ensure residents have access to essential supplies.

According to Reside Communities CEO Glen Brown, village staff have seen an incredible response.

“It’s been wonderful to see how residents have embraced the new initiatives we’re putting in place across our villages, and we’ve received very positive feedback,” Glen said.

“Our villages offer independent living, so our residents are generally very self-sufficient, but for both the residents themselves and their family members, knowing there’s that extra support available really helps in a time like this.

“This is a challenging situation for all of us, but especially for the older people in our community who are at greater risk from this illness.

“We’re doing everything in our power to keep our residents safe and well, as well as continuing to provide the level of service and support they receive year-round.”

Brookland’s sales team continues to promote these benefits while adapting to the new climate.

“People are following the government’s guidance and staying at home, but we’re seeing continued digital enquiry and our team is exploring new tools like virtual village tours and property walk-throughs to facilitate the research process and give clients a chance to experience the village without having to leave their homes,” Glen said.

“We’re also offering extended timeframes from deposit to settlement so that clients can secure a home in the village with a refundable deposit and then progress to settlement at their own pace, particularly if they need to sell their home.”

This flexibility brings greater peace of mind for clients who might otherwise wait to secure although in Ted’s case, it wasn’t needed.

“I’ve got four daughters and they came and had a look at a few different homes I had been looking at. When we walked into this one, they just said, ‘This is the one for you Dad’.

“I sat down with the sales staff, who said that I could put down a deposit to secure the villa and then take my time.

“I put my house on the market and I had a contract within 10 days, which was just phenomenal.”

Now, happily settled in his chosen home, Ted is looking forward to getting the full experience of village life when things go back to normal.

“I’m looking forward to the lifestyle, getting to chat to people – just village life, really.”