I have a friend who is flying in from overseas to help his parents move into a wonderful retirement village. The place is decked out with all sorts of amenities, plus it has frail care and dementia support centres.
It’s so wonderful, he tells me, that he plans – when the time comes – to use it as his resting spot in his old age. In fact, he is tempted to buy a second one close by for his own retirement as he has every intention of seeing out his last years in the country of his birth.
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For him, it is value for money, with the added charm of the wonderful scenery this particular village, nestled on the coast, offers. Retirement villages certainly are attracting the younger brigade. The idea of a secure home, with lots of activities on hand, plus knowing you won’t have to go far should you ever need extra care, is appealing.
Also, for those helping their parents or grandparents transition to the next phase of their lives, there is some relief in knowing they will be well cared for, plus have friends on hand, getting rid of the worry that their loved ones will be lonely.
This kind of retirement option is such a far cry from the old-age home in my hometown I used to visit as a young girl. It was a place where people went to die. Today, retirement villages have become places where people come to live.
What a difference! We hope you get a lot out of our stories this week.
Warm regards
Vivian Warby
vivian.warby@inl.co.za