What’s life like in a retirement village?

Bar, restaurant, hair and beauty salon, fitness studio, on-site massage, swimming pool, sauna, spa, steam room, library, games room, cinema…

While you’d be mistaken for imagining a luxury hotel or cruise ship, these are, in fact, just some of the facilities on offer at many retirement villages across the UK, designed for today’s discerning retirees.

What is a retirement village – and who’s it for?

Still a relatively new concept within the UK, retirement villages are exclusive communities of independent properties for buyers aged 55+ (some cater for over 60s or 65s only). Their existence has revolutionised retirement living, offering independent, secure accommodation, packed with shared facilities and a welcoming community.

Life in a retirement village allows forward-thinking retirees to swap the stresses of home and garden upkeep for an easy-to-maintain self-contained property, so they can focus on enjoying a rich and varied lifestyle in a secure and vibrant community. From a round of golf or bridge tournament, a yoga class, cookery course, lecture, theatre trip or a relaxed barbecue with friends, retirement will feel anything but dull or isolating!

Of course, not every retirement village is the same, with on-site facilities varying from site to site; some are urban, some rural and some developments are larger or more luxurious than others. No matter the size, type or setting of the property, retirees choosing life in a retirement village benefit from safe, stylish accommodation, where they can live privately and independently while socialising with people of a similar age and outlook.

Flexible, independent accommodation

Many properties are purpose-built or thoughtfully converted, designed to be easily accessible and ergonomic. Newlands of Stow’s Cotswold stone character cottages, near Cheltenham, for instance, sympathetically reflect the graceful proportions and architectural style of the estate’s original country house.

Villages offer a variety of accommodation types to choose from – houses, bungalows, or apartments, with one, two or three bedrooms. Residents typically purchase their own home, although some schemes are also offered under part buy, part rent or shared ownership.

As with any either type of home ownership or rental, you will bring your own furniture and decorate your property as you wish. You may wish to keep your car too and even bring your pet; some properties offer subsidised guest suites so friends and family can stay overnight and enjoy the many on-site amenities with you - no need to make up the spare bed yourself!

Thanks to the wide range of facilities and activities, retirement villages offer a tailor-made way to enjoy later life, with the opportunity to socialise with like-minded people and build new friendships. Residents can opt in – or out as they wish, so for those wanting a quieter pace of life, there’s no pressure to ‘join in’.

What does a retirement village offer?

Whether you’re after a rural community, such as Wildernesse House set in 24 acres of Kentish countryside - or a development like Audley St George's Place with the buzz of the thriving city of Birmingham surrounding it, many properties offer state-of-the-art leisure facilities – including restaurants, bars and cafés, libraries and cinemas, beauty salons and hairdressers, gyms and pools.

With a 24-hour concierge on hand at many properties, to help organise theatre tickets, restaurant bookings or transport to the station or airport and a jam-packed social calendar, it’s easy to maintain an active, exciting lifestyle - while communal areas, seated patio areas, landscaped gardens and allotments offer ideal wellbeing spaces.

Care & support in a retirement village

While retirement villages are vibrant hubs for fit, healthy and active adults to continue living life to the full, they are also designed with 'ageing in place' in mind. A variety of features are included to help residents remain fully independent for as long as possible.

Providing a safe and secure environment, most retirement villages offer professional and discreet care and support, when needed. Varying from village to village, there is often expert help on hand for a flexible range of domestic, companionship, personal care and general housekeeping tasks, so residents can maintain a fulfilling and independent lifestyle for as long as possible. However, should your needs alter over time, the option for additional residential care is also available at many properties.

Ready to kickstart your retirement?

Leave any preconceptions you may have of ‘retirement living’ at the door. Think university campus meets luxury hotel for retirees – and, with a multitude of retirement villages up and down the UK, there will be one to suit every type of lifestyle, personality, location preference and budget.

If you’re ready to consider life in a retirement village, start by exploring Autumna’s directory of Retirement Living options or alternatively, let us do the research on your behalf, and get a free personalised shortlist of retirement community properties sent directly to your inbox.