When it comes to the future, it’s never too early to start planning. Whether you are part of the ‘sandwich generation’ dealing with the demands of parenting as well as caring for ageing parents, or are just keen to make the most of your own retirement, it’s all about knowing the options.

To help, Cityscape has canvassed what empty nesters need to think about before downsizing to a city pad, and what those considering independent living in a gated community or lifestyle village need to know.

Downsizing

For those rattling around in the suburban family home with beds still made up for offspring who have long since sprung, downsizing to a smaller address closer to all those central-city attractions like great cafés and restaurants, art galleries, parks and other urban delights is a logical next step. In fact, research shows that living in medium-density developments in the city is healthier than living in the suburbs. Being able to easily walk everywhere is what makes the biggest difference, and social interaction and physical activity thrive best in compact communities, helping to ward off loneliness.

But while that cute inner-city worker’s cottage or similar may tug at your heart strings, there are some much more practical things to consider if your new home is going to serve you well as you age, such as how warm is it? Is it low maintenance? Is there flat access to the main entrance? Are the walkways and doorways wide enough for mobility scooters to easily pass through? Do toilets and bathrooms have grab rails, or can they easily be fitted?

These and similar questions need to be answered if a new home is to get a Homestar or Lifemark rating. Homestar is a comprehensive, independent national rating tool run by the Green Building Council. It measures the health, warmth and efficiency of New Zealand houses. A home is rated on a scale from 6 to 10.

A Homestar 6 rating or higher provides assurance that a house will be better quality – warmer, drier, healthier and cost less to run – than a typical new house built to building code. Homestar assesses a house, apartment or multi-unit development against several categories including energy, health and comfort, water, waste and materials.

Lifemark ratings cover the main areas in a home and ensure it is designed and built to be adaptable, accessible, usable, safe and offer lifetime value. A rating of either 3, 4 or 5 stars can be awarded depending on how many of the Lifemark standards the home meets.

Lifemark started out as a lobby group launched by CSS Disability Action, asking government to make these housing modifications mandatory. It has since morphed into a voluntary scheme and educational organisation.

If you are looking to downsize, then, it is important to future-proof your decision by checking whether your potential new home meets these standards. For example, in Fletcher Living’s One Central residential development in the central city, all homes have been designed and built to meet the Homestar 6 standards and many also have a Lifemark 3 or 4 rating.

For those wanting an extra level of security, gated communities are an option, and not just for the rich and famous. Controls over who can gain access to the community and its shared facilities provide residents with considerable peace of mind and a sense of belonging but without the limitations that can come with buying into a retirement village.

One example of this is Hagley Mews, a community of timeless townhouses being built on the site of the demolished Heatherlea apartments, on the corner of Deans Avenue and Ayr Street. Access to the internal courtyard that in turn gives access to most of the townhouses is controlled by an electronically locked gate linked to a videophone in each dwelling.

Retirement villages

Today’s retirement villages are a long way from the rest homes of old, where residents were likely to be in need of a high level of care and face limits on their independence as a result. Retirement villages are all about supporting residents to live as independently as possible, able to come and go as they please, and able to opt in or out of village activities as well. Villages enable residents to kick back, relax and enjoy their retirement by providing a low-maintenance home and lots of opportunity to enjoy activities and socialising.

The other important thing villages provide is some certainty around care for the future. Many villages offer a range of accommodation and care options and enable residents to move when they need to from independent living in villas and apartments to supported living in serviced apartments or studios, all the way through to hospital and dementia care, without facing the disruption of another big shift.

Not all retirement villages are the same though, with important differences in ownership structures and such things as the level of weekly or monthly fees and what they cover, whether beloved furry friends are allowed, whether you can have your buddies or relatives stay, and whether any extra assistance such as nurse visits can come from community-based providers or must be contracted from the village operator.

Here are some key questions you should ask when checking out retirement villages, drawn from a very comprehensive checklist compiled by Eldernet (eldernet.co.nz):

• Is the village a registered retirement village? You can check this on retirementvillages.govt.nz. Some village-type units do not have to be registered, so you should clarify this with the village management.
• Does the village belong to the Retirement Villages Association, a providers’ organisation for villages? Check this on retirementvillages.org.nz.
• Is the village completely finished? Are there plans for expansion? If so, where is it expanding to and how long until completion? How disruptive would construction be?
• Is there a care facility onsite? Can residents receive high-level care in their home, or would they need to move to the care facility? What happens if a resident needs to move to the care facility and there are no vacancies?

It is also important to ensure the location suits you and those who will visit you, and that the village is friendly and welcoming. Legal advice is all part of the process of buying into a retirement village, to make sure you know what is and isn’t included in the contract.

Villages vary in the number of units they have, whether they are all the same or a mix of sizes and styles, and what community facilities are available – some offer a glam resort lifestyle with swimming pools, cinemas, bowling greens and cafés, while others may have more basic amenities. One village operator, Arvida, is even giving residents access to a fleet of zippy electric vehicles, meaning they can save money on car ownership and running costs and the village gets to turn space for car parks into space for more community facilities.

Where to turn

Cityscape found some great advice online that will help anyone thinking about downsizing or moving into a village. Eldernet (eldernet.co.nz) is an excellent place to start, with information on home help services that can allow somebody to keep living in their own home and also on what to look for when weighing up a village choice. Age Concern (ageconcern.org.nz) is another good resource, with lots of information as well as links to relevant government and industry organisations.

Read More

Cityscape talked with one of Arvida Group's residents, Natalie Gallagher, about her Living Well apartment and she drives home the benefits that come with it.

We also caught up with Bill McDonald, CEO of Arvida Group, about the key to enjoying retirement and how his company can help.