The active face of retirement
ACROSS the country they are becoming things of the past. A recent BBC investigation found that 343 public libraries in Britain have closed over the past six years, and a further 111 closures are planned this year. Add this to the fact that many pubs are also shutting their doors, and it is clear that the number of places where older people can socialise is dwindling.
However, retirement home developers are attempting to tackle that problem. They are increasingly adding clubhouses, gyms, bars, coffee shops and libraries to their developments, so that residents can exercise both their body and mind.
‘Our aim is to create environments that meet the needs and demands of the older generation,’ says William Parry, head of development at Renaissance Villages, which has properties in West Sussex, Devon, Warwickshire and Hampshire.
‘Facilities such as the library, the activities room and the snooker table help foster a sense of community in the village – something we deem extremely important.’
One Renaissance Village resident who makes particular use of the facilities is Sheila Lock. She moved to Durrants Village, near Horsham, West Sussex, with her husband Mike last year after the couple decided to downsize from their large house nearby. A former primary school teacher, Sheila now runs the library at Durrants.
‘We have a whole range of books, which I have organised into fictional and non-fictional sections, with everything listed alphabetically,’ she says. ‘It is a very simple system, but the casual nature of it encourages people to read, which is what I believe is most important.’
Research in the Journal Of Neurology in 2013 showed that keeping mentally active by reading books, doing crosswords or writing letters helps protect the brain in old age, and has been linked to the delay in the onset of illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Active living is also encouraged at McCarthy & Stone developments. Its Azaleas complex in Poole, Dorset, is set in the extensive landscaped gardens of Compton Acres, and close to the blue-flag beach Canford Cliffs Chine.
Meanwhile, a group of eight retirees at the company’s Ryebeck Court development in Pickering, North Yorkshire, get on so well that they have gone on holiday together and are planning another break soon.
The holidaymakers were brought together at Ryebeck Court’s homeowners’ lounge, something that has particularly pleased Liz Green, regional sales and marketing director for McCarthy and Stone, North East.
‘Such is the environment at Ryebeck Court that people naturally build relationships with one another, so it’s great to see our homeowners taking this a step further and even organising group holidays,’ she says.
Until the end of the month, McCarthy & Stone is offering to pay the stamp duty on all new reservations in the majority of its developments as part of its ‘Move For Free’ scheme.
Another developer responding to increased demand for ‘social spaces’ is Churchill, which has installed new coffee bars at some of its developments, and even a roof terrace at its new Stokes Lodge complex in Camberley, Surrey. Churchill, which has properties from Cornwall to Yorkshire, also has gyms and fitness studios at a number of locations, offering classes in everything from zumba to tai chi.
Throughout this month and next, Churchill is making the most of summer by holding garden parties at 24 of its developments, so those interested can look around them while enjoying an ice cream, a glass of Pimm’s and live music.
Homes at Beechcroft Developments are generously proportioned – many properties feature two double bedrooms. The complexes are often located in historic buildings in sought-after towns, such as Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire and Marlborough in Wiltshire. They also have manicured communal gardens.
An example of Beechcroft’s striking locations is Durrants House in Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, which has 19 houses and apartments in a converted Grade II listed manor house.