Just because you’re no longer young doesn’t mean you can‘t develop new friendships and for many residents of retirement villages this can add years to their lives!

One of the major reasons for moving into a village can be loneliness and I’ve watched a few of my friend’s parents move into a village community and have their lives transformed. New friendships develop, with one gentleman I know re marrying at 80 years of age and couldn’t be happier. They even held the wedding in the village’s community centre.

With many villages these days having a resort-style vibe there is definitely a feeling that life is to be enjoyed no matter what your age. Cafes, restaurants, bars, swimming pools, gymnasiums, bowling greens … you name it. Not to mention regular outings and events which all contribute to making today’s villages a social hub and it appears that many of the residents are making the most of these opportunities.

By creating recreational spaces to encourage the generations to get together reflects stronger community and social focus of many of the newer village developments.

Research has shown that retirement village residents gain more years of independence compared to people who stay in their own homes and were on average two years older before they received in-home aged care services.