What does your dream retirement home look like?

There’s a lot to think about when you start the search for your dream retirement home.

This article will give you tips to help you navigate your search for the retirement property that best fits your needs with information about:

• The types of retirement homes available
• The 5 key aspects to look for in your dream retirement property
• Where to find your dream retirement home

When you’ve lived in your home for a number of years, it can be hard to think about moving out of the place where you feel happy and secure. Life can, however, suddenly change the situation you’re in or alter the way you feel about where you live.

The Centre for Ageing Better reported that 1 in 5 people in their 60s would like to move to a retirement home that is future proofed to support them as they grow older.

Moving house doesn’t necessarily mean relocating far away from loved ones. In fact, it could mean the opposite - you could maximise the advantage of a move to a retirement community so you can be closer to friends and family.

When you’re considering a big move in the middle or later years of life, then it’s vital to make a list of key priorities. Working out exactly what you want in your new retirement home can help support a more informed decision-making process to secure the best possible location for the long term.

What types of retirement homes are there?

There are plenty of options when it comes to retirement living. Possibly your main concern will be finding the right place to suit your health, interests and lifestyle. It might also be appropriate to think about how your needs may change over time. You may need more support or care as time goes by, so factoring this in to the equation can be helpful.

Here are some retirement living ideas that could hold the answer in terms of finding your next home.

Sheltered housing

In many sheltered housing facilities, people have their own self-contained apartment within a complex where there is usually a warden or scheme manager who oversees building management.

This option is good for those who really value their independence and don’t need any care or support packages for the foreseeable future. Plus, DIY and maintenance are taken care of, so there’s less stress involved.

Retirement villages

In truth, every retirement village will be slightly different and offer a variety of packages and lifestyle opportunities. Many have leisure facilities, such as gyms, cafes or restaurants on site and often provide social activities for residents to enjoy.

It’s likely that accommodation would be a 1-2 bedroom apartment and there potentially will be a variety of ways to secure this, through full or part ownership to tenancy alternatives. 

Bishopstoke Park in Hampshire, operated by Anchor Retirement Living, is a modern retirement village which gives an idea of what facilities can be enjoyed by residents.

Integrated Retirement Communities

Integrated Retirement Community is a relatively new term used to describe retirement developments that have close ties to local groups, provide care and support packages for residents when required and offer plenty of leisure and social activities.

Integrated retirement living generally has the same rental or purchase options that more traditional retirement villages offer, with ownership or rental options.

Hughenden Gardens in High Wycome, part of ExtraCare Charitable Trust is a good example of an integrated retirement community. Hughenden Gardens is a member of ARCO (Associated Retirement Community Operators) which aims to set a level of best practice for integrated retirement communities. If a retirement community offering care facilities is important to you, then filter your Autumna search to find those with the ARCO badge displayed.

5 key aspects to look for in your dream retirement property

It’s true to say that everyone will have a different top 5 list when it comes to what they’re looking for in their ideal retirement home. If you’re beginning to put together your list, then it might be a good idea to consider the following to help you.

1. Comfort

Of course, this depends on what you want your home to look and feel like. As some people get older, they feel more secure in single story living that gives them space without having to deal with stairs. On Autumna, it's very easy under the 'housing' button to filter for retirement developments with bungalow acommodation.

In addition, many people like to downsize so they can keep the special furniture that they love and feel comfortable with, but don’t have to deal with all the paraphernalia that comes with decades of living in the same house.

Many modern retirement communities offer open plan living, so that you can entertain friends and family in your living areas while preparing food in the kitchen. Plus, there’s often the opportunity for more natural light in modern communities, therefore connecting older people more closely to nature.

Botanical Place, a Retirement Villages development in Surrey is a great example of modern retirement living designed specifically for seniors.

2. Affordability

These days, being able to budget wisely and secure your future long term home is becoming ever more important for over 60s. Due to external factors, such as the cost of living crisis, energy bills and difficulties within the housing market, it makes sense to plan and budget for present and future expenses.

Some seniors are discouraged from moving due to the cost and effort involved. It can feel a little overwhelming, particularly if there are no trusted loved ones who can offer good advice.

There are some experienced and respected companies that are dedicated to supporting the over 55s and over 65s in better decision-making around choosing their forever home. These organisations may provide good value for money and cost efficiencies for seniors.

With Spring, an Autumna partner, there’s a thorough and comprehensive guaranteed sale service empowering a quick, stress-free move. In a timeframe of your choosing. The sale of your home can be agreed and guaranteed without risk or uncertainty.

Nearly everyone who moves house, at any age, can feel stress at the thought of packing up and physically moving. It’s a big job, even more so as we get older. Autumna works with home moving companies like The Senior Move Partnership who are dedicated to helping seniors through this process.

3. Independence

Being independent as we age can mean more to some than others. However, plenty of recent research suggests that older people really value their freedom and independence. And why wouldn't they? Freedom and independence can become trickier though as time moves on, with potential health or mobility issues becoming more prominent.

Finding your dream retirement home, not only for now but in the coming years is a valuable route to preserving independence for as long as possible. Selecting a retirement community that might have care or support packages available for the future can give you the power to age in place and stay in your chosen home for as long as you want.

Conversely, it might be your choice to live somewhere a little more adventurous now and think about future support as and when you feel it’s time. You may have a preference for retirement living somewhere wild and rural to enjoy nature or completely urban to be immersed in vibrant culture.

This is where finding the best retirement home for your lifestyle comes into focus. In this video, Debbie Harris, founder of Autumna, discusses how people can navigate retirement community options.

4. Security

This is an issue that’s often in many older people’s minds. An integral part of any person’s happiness and ability to thrive is living in a safe and secure home environment.

With retirement communities there should always be a secure door entry system and hopefully a reception installed as well. This should give residents peace of mind that people can’t just walk in from the street and gain access to their home. Each retirement community should be able to provide residents and their families with security and safety information so they are in full knowledge of how well looked after their home is.

If you’re still living at home, talking home security through with trusted friends or family can enable you to take practical steps to support your feelings around safety. Having proper window and door locks can increase and improve safety to encourage you to feel protected.

5. Community

Age UK has estimated that around 1.4 million older people in the UK often feel lonely. Being isolated at home, especially after the pandemic, seems to have strengthened these feelings.

For many, moving into a retirement community can reduce feelings of loneliness. There’s the opportunity to meet peers and like-minded people of the same age, to take part in social and leisure activities or to interact with communities that have similar interests.

Plenty of retirement living complexes have gyms, cafes and restaurants alongside communal areas and weekly activity timetables. The benefit of this kind of community is that you can dip in and out of activities or pursuits without any pressure, so you have the freedom to do exactly as you please.

What is the best way to find my dream retirement home?

Growing numbers of people are using the Autumna directory of UK retirement living operators, to find their dream retirement home.

If you need some hands on help though, why not start by completing this short form and let our team of retirement living experts know exactly what your dream retirement home needs to have? They’ll then send you a shortlist filtered for those providers, in your search area, that might just fit the bill.

Alternatively, if you'd prefer to speak to a very nice human, call the Autumna retirement living advice line on 01892 335 330. We answer the phone seven days a week. (8:30am - 5:30pm Mon-Fri, 10am - 5pm Sat, 10am - 4pm Sun).