Retirement Apartments for the over 55s

[The Tinker]

As a Manager for a private domiciliary homecare company - homecare is available for everyone if they are unable to manage their own personal care and daily living activities. We have lots of service users over 90 who do not need a lot of care and still live in their own homes. I think if you can have a stair lift fitted to the property you are currently in then moving/downsizing is not necessary. If, however, this is not appropriate then a bungalow or ground floor property would be better for you. I always find it a shame when visiting someone who lives downstairs in a huge property and cannot access the upstairs anymore.

Personally I would never move into a retirement complex - they are as previously reported not manned properly by a warden or even 24 hour emergency cover. We get numerous calls asking us if we are visiting these places as someone has pressed their emergency cord and could we pop in? I always reply 'no' and suggest they call an ambulance if they cannot get a reply over the voice speaker!
They can also be very cliquey - have been in some where certain residents were banned from the Resident's Meetings as they caused chaos!

I guess the moral for all you 'oldies' is enjoy your good health and make wise decisions now.

PS I have just downsized to a bungalow and we are in our early 50s. Don't leave it too late.

[Andrea S]

MOB, I haven't heard of those companies in this area.
The local retirement village is run / owned by Extracare which is Charitable Trust.

It wasn't for us but I do know quite a few people that bought there and love it.

Apart from the buying/selling part we decided we were not ready to be part of any close knit groups. I think that can be a very quick way to 'age' someone.

[Frank Manning]

Our next door neighbour is 83 and downstairs talking to Sue, She works at Oxfam all day putting books for sale on the internet once a week, goes everywhere on the bus, has only one half decent eye, and is very witty. Over the road we have a lovely couple 87 years old, and they go to France every summer, Cyprus every winter, and he drives anywhere. I do think it is to some extent an attitude of mind.

Sue and I often joke that our next move is to get a Stannah fitted. Sue's Mum went into a sheltered housing complex and was quite happy, but the fees were very high, and management kept being sold on. My own Mum was in a BUPA home for 10 years following a fractured collar bone, it was a rip off, and she was treated quite badly. Staff would regularly come into the room knowing she couldn't see properly, and help themselves to her clothes etc for other residents. I would have loved to have her down here, but my brother wouldn't hear of it.

I am sure there are good happy places out there, and for some it is ideal, but not for me.

[Manoverboard]

Close knit groups ... I think that can be a very quick way to 'age' someone.

Andrea ... hmm, yes, funny you should mention that because that is presently our major concern. The ' Waiting for God ' aspect is certainly NOT what we are seeking.

[Wobgoescruising]

We are both 50 and moved to a bungalow (not our intention at the time !) three years ago. It was fine but we ended up extending it a great deal and to be honest it's far bigger than we need !. The garden is probably four times larger than our last one and we currently have a team in the middle of a complete garden design process - its like something out of 'Love Your Garden' but sadly without David Domoney !. However, while its easy now that we are young(ish) there is no way we'd want the bother of all the maintenance when we are much older. Also, sad to think, but it will end up than one of us will be alone. With no children our future will be the two of us and then the possibility of living a lonely life. That's why I'm pretty certain we'll move to a complex when the time is right so that whoever is left will have others around. I'm not talking a care home (but who knows), but somewhere that company is available but you can close your door on it when you want space. Hopefully something like I said before, a place we can leave for months at a time while we travel and return to during the summer.

[Not so ancient mariner]

We have a collection of 'retirement bungalows' nearby, which has the highly (in)appropriate address of 'St Peter's Close'.

I kid you not!!

[howard18]

Have read the previous comments with great interest.
A couple of years ago I started to think about a smaller property. The twinges had started and the odd lapse of thinking it was O.K. to wear socks with sandals.
I am in the very fortunate position of having a spare bit land that suited a development of my choice. So I went for a bungalow. Although I have total mobility I could see the time coming when a stair lift might be required. So I am in the process of building the bungalow with two downstairs bedrooms both with en suite showers. One of which is a wet room (perhaps to take a wheel chair). The thought of a chair makes me shudder.
A very small garden which will be mostly paved. The loft area is a self contained annexe. The latest building regs insist on a very low heat loss value and triple glazing is specified. Solar panels have also been allowed for in the design. The water costs are absolutely horrendous so there is a water recovery system. Heating costs can only rise so everything that can be done to minimise costs has been planned.

Anything else that you think the ideal retirement home should incorporate I would be interested to hear.

Howard

[Dark Knight]

howard
odd as it sounds, wide doors and easy access in and out of the property

[howard18]

Thanks for that DK. I'm assured that internal doors are wide enough for a wheel chair. The front entrance is normal width plus a third. Makes you think though.

Howard

[Silver_Shiney]

Thanks for that DK. I'm assured that internal doors are wide enough for a wheel chair. The front entrance is normal width plus a third. Makes you think though.

Howard

If you are going down that route (and let's hope it never comes to that), you'd need a ramp up to the external doors. Should you decided to go for an electric scooter (they're great fun to "drive"!), think about a parking space in the hall next to a power socket for recharging.

Here's hoping all your sensible plans turn out to be a "waste" of money!

[Andrea S]

Howard, You are fortunate that you can plan for the future without having the 'need' right now.

One thing that is extremely useful is having all electric light switches and sockets at waist height. Someone with arthritis or mobility problems can struggle to reach these.

[howard18]

I hadn't thought of that SS.
It just goes to show the extras involved in planning for old age.

[Kendhni]

Anything else that you think the ideal retirement home should incorporate I would be interested to hear.

Howard

Hiward, have a look at current building regulations (for both commercial and domestic properties) ... I know all new-builds in our area have to be accessible for wheelchair users. I would also suggest that if you get in touch with 'Help the Aged' then they would have a pamphlet or someone that could provide suitable broad spectrum information.

[Dancing Queen]

Thanks for that DK. I'm assured that internal doors are wide enough for a wheel chair. The front entrance is normal width plus a third. Makes you think though.

Howard

If you are going down that route (and let's hope it never comes to that), you'd need a ramp up to the external doors. Should you decided to go for an electric scooter (they're great fun to "drive"!), think about a parking space in the hall next to a power socket for recharging.

Here's hoping all your sensible plans turn out to be a "waste" of money!

Just picking up on the ramp, my advice would be ... if it was practical to have one at the rear of the property, when my husband was wheelchair bound 18 months ago for several weeks a builder friend made us a temporary ramp which served it's purpose but with hindsight it also advertised to any would be burglars that someone probably wasn't as able bodied as they might be, it was something that quite concerned me at the time and if ever there was a need for one to be a permanent feature it would most certainly be at the rear

[howard18]

Hiward, have a look at current building regulations (for both commercial and domestic properties) ... I know all new-builds in our area have to be accessible for wheelchair users. I would also suggest that if you get in touch with 'Help the Aged' then they would have a pamphlet or someone that could provide suitable broad spectrum information.

Ken, building regs. What a nightmare. After many months of talking with the council (no latitude at all) I had to have a ground survey undertaken, insurances undertaken and a multitude of petty rules to abide by. Let me give you a couple of for instances:

If you have a bath installed it must have a valve in the run so that the water temperature is at no more than 55 degrees c. If you have showers then the regulations state that there is a maximum flow rate which precludes power showers. I think that it about 9 litres per minute although I'm not quite sure of that figure. And so it goes on. I like an open log burning fire - no chance! It has be sealed so that air doesn't circulate and is lost up a chimney. As soon as the certificates are granted I shall immediately remove the offending checks. How can you have a wet room that only dispenses 9 litres a minute!

Howard

[Silver_Shiney]

Just picking up on the ramp, my advice would be ... if it was practical to have one at the rear of the property, when my husband was wheelchair bound 18 months ago for several weeks a builder friend made us a temporary ramp which served it's purpose but with hindsight it also advertised to any would be burglars that someone probably wasn't as able bodied as they might be, it was something that quite concerned me at the time and if ever there was a need for one to be a permanent feature it would most certainly be at the rear

That is a very valid point.

Would you be having a garage built? Could that be integral to the house? A remote door mechanism would allow you to open it on your approach and hide the ramp into the house if you were unable to manage a step.

[howard18]

Very interesting advice from Andrea, SS and DQ. However much you try and plan there is always something that you wish you had thought of.
As the property is in the course of construction I can't do anything about an integral garage but the scooter would work. Light switches I'm not so sure of.
Ramp to the rear entrance could be a major benefit in due course.

Howard

[Silver_Shiney]

I hope it turns out to be everything you want it to be, and that none of the measures taken will be needed.

[arcadialover]

Because of our age this is something we have never even thought of, but it has made me think. Would rather try and live independently than move to a retirement complex, or god forbid an old peoples home. Would much prefer to be like that lady who lived on the QE2

[Silver_Shiney]

Would much prefer to be like that lady who lived on the QE2

That, for rme, would be the ideal way to go. Just chuck me overboard at the dead of night when the time comes

[david63]

Just chuck me overboard at the dead of night when the time comes

Just be careful who you allow to make that decision

[Andrea S]

At £500 upwards a week in a Residential home it is almost feasible to spend the end of your time at sea.

If you could pre plan that time to coincide with a world cruise it called be classed as going out in style.

SS has the very end wrapped up perfectly.

[Andrea S]

After David's comment it may pay to be wary if it is the family insisting you 'need' a world cruise.

[Silver_Shiney]

Just chuck me overboard at the dead of night when the time comes

Just be careful who you allow to make that decision

Yes, I'm sure there are a couple of forumeers who would be happy to oblige ahead time!

[david63]

Only a couple?