Taking the next step into retirement is the beginning of a new journey and way of living. For many, it can be difficult to say goodbye to the homes they have lived in for their entire lives, and for others, retirement represents a new phase and the beginning of the golden years.
If you’re thinking of transitioning from your home to a retirement community or aged care facility, it’s important to understand all your options and the differences between the two, so you can find the right place for the next phase of your life.
With a wealth of experience in seniors’ living communities offering a 24/7 care component, we have some expert advice for you to consider before choosing the right home for you.
What is the difference between aged care and retirement villages?
Before we begin, it’s important to understand the difference between facilities that offer aged care and retirement villages. Often confused and lumped into the same category, retirement villages and aged care facilities offer vastly different services and offering support for different levels of care.
Aimed at allowing you to continue living life the way you did in your home with the added benefit of a tight-knit community and conveniently accessible services, retirement villages are places where people of a similar age and lifestyle can live together. Retirement villages are a great solution for those looking to retain the independence that is afforded with homeownership without the nuisances of maintenance. With community activities, grocery stores, cinemas, restaurants and cafes, community life forms a big part of living in a retirement village.
Aged care facilities, on the other hand, provide a greater level of day-to-day care, extra assistance and supervision to seniors with high care needs. With round-the-clock availability of medical services and support care, catered meals, cleaning, laundry and gardening services as well as specially designed rooms for providing dementia care, palliative care, stoma care and rehabilitation, aged care facilities service a different group of seniors to those interested in retirement villages.
However, combining the two types of homes has resulted in a more modern, convenient option that has become increasingly popular — one example of this is aged care retirement villages. An alternative to an aged care facility, within a vibrant community . LDK has two such villages: aged care retirement village NSW and aged care retirement village ACT.
What are the benefits of combining retirement villages with aged care facilities?
In the past, retirement and aged care have been completely separate industries in Australia, however, it is becoming more popular to see a combination of the two given it provides the best all-round service and quality of life for seniors, and ensures that couples can stay together. A major reason we are seeing this transition is historically it has not been uncommon to see couples separated when one partners’ care requirements exceed what can be provided at home or by their retirement village operator.
No matter their age or care requirements, we’ve found that seniors desire the same lifestyle outcomes, so we’ve combined the best parts of retirement and aged care living — resulting in a unique concept, a true alternative to aged care. Our ‘One Move Promise’ guarantees that once residents settle into an LDK village, they will never have to experience the trouble of moving again.
In addition to the convenience of not having to relocate for extra care services, there are many other benefits to choosing a retirement village with aged care facilities — here are 5 reasons why you should choose an LDK village, a true alternative to aged care – an aged care retirement village.
1. Customisable care plans
Every individual journey is unique, which is why it’s important to cater to each senior’s needs, wishes and preferences. From those with no care needs to those with low, medium and high care needs, aged care retirement villages cater for each resident’s unique levels of care. At LDK we work together with our residents and their loved ones to develop a tailored care plan as well as work to secure any funding necessary. Similarly, with our private respite care program we work to create a tailored respite care plan.
Life is always changing and this shouldn’t mean you have to go out of your way to get the care you need – choosing a retirement village with flexible, sliding scale residential aged care facilities means you don’t have to.
2. Cutting-edge technology
With the importance of technology and the impact it can have on health and safety, aged care retirement homes that have invested in technology can provide residents with advanced treatment and care.
Designed with simplicity in mind and focusing on allowing residents their privacy, this for example an aged care retirement village would use technology to improve our seniors’ quality of life. Whether monitoring those with high-care needs or keeping residents safe with motion activity monitors and emergency response systems this technology provides our seniors with high-tech care while respecting their independence.
In our Aspire Aged Care apartments, we work with residents and our families to provide appropriate technology solutions to support our residents.
3. Live the way you wish
Unlike many aged care facilities, a balanced combination of aged care and retirement villages means seniors can live the way they want without having any say in their bedrooms, apartments or preferred apartment block in the village. From studios, one-bedroom apartments, two-bedroom apartments even three-bedroom apartments, seniors at LDK are able to live the way that suits them best, for life. Whether with a partner, pet or friend, our seniors’ living villages are all about allowing our residents the freedom to enjoy their life.
4. Stay social
While certain aged care facilities discourage mingling and, besides regular visits from carers, are rather antisocial in nature, the aim of retirement villages with aged care facilities is to understand that being social is an important part of life (in any phase) and of staying positive. With social activities like games, village events and outings, residents can enjoy the best of both worlds — having specialised medical care on hand if or when needed as well as a healthy social life.
5. Structured enjoyable activities
Whether you feel like having a drink with friends, watching a movie, completing an exercise class, creating art or even going on a planned outing, retirement villages with aged care facilities have everything you need to keep social and enjoy every day. Who said retirement needs to be boring? By combining retirement and aged care living, residents can get creative and have fun each day with the assurance that, whatever happens, support is not far away.
Enjoy a balanced life right into your senior years
With two LDK Seniors’ Living villages to choose from, we offer a unique take on the concept of retirement villages with aged care facilities. At LDK, our communities offer the vibrancy of a retirement village while also offering onsite 24/7 care if or when you need it, providing a genuine alternative to a nursing home or aged care facility. Our communities offer a range of apartment living options , along with ample opportunities to socialise and take part in activities. Our LDK Greenway Views Seniors’ Living Village offers an ideal lifestyle for seniors at all stages of their ageing journey.