Retirement Communities

The official name – Continuing Care Retirement Communities – is hardly a marketing slogan. Nevertheless, the idea of spending retirement among people of similar age and outlook is beginning to tempt people here in the UK.

Retirement is now looked upon as an active and rewarding part of life and retirement housing not equated with a need for care.

And retirement communities are often the preferred option for ex-pats returning to Britain to retire, many of whom will have spent their time abroad living in separate communities – for social life and possibly for security.

For all they offer an end to worries about property maintenance or tending the garden and a lifestyle that offers companionship and security and support.

The few currently in operation are run by a variety of organisations and typically take one of two layouts: 

• Core and cluster, where the core building contains most of the communal facilities and sometimes a care home and residents live in the surrounding buildings or
• Dispersed facilities in which facilities for smaller numbers of people are scattered throughout the development.

Some communities are purpose-built from scratch – usually having between 100 and 250 flats or bungalows in the development to allow economies of scale and provide amenities such as cafes, fitness suites and craft rooms. These are often run by charitable trusts and occupation options can include renting, buying or a combination of both.

In the private sector, retirement communities are typically based around an existing historic building with landscaped grounds. The units are usually fewer in number but larger, include five-star standard facilities and are sited in or close to areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Because the idea of retirement communities is fairly new in the UK there has been little research done on their popularity, effect and potential but a recent study by the University of York is very positive.

People who live in retirement communities have a high level of satisfaction with the schemes. They like the idea of ‘your own front door’ within schemes that have facilities tailored to their needs and on-site security and support.

There is evidence that people in retirement communities stay healthier because of the supportive and stimulating environment and it reduces the concern of relatives.

Click on the links on this page to see what’s on offer: