Why Should You Consider Moving to a Retirement Village?

Pandemic lockdowns have made people realise the importance of effective communication and community building. The key to psychological wellness is one’s ability to assess what is primarily essential for one. For many, health is directly connected to socialisation, independence and self-actualisation. Especially for senior citizens, a renewed attention on fulfilling their unaccomplished dreams is significant during their post-retirement phase. And this is exactly what retirement villages enable them to do. A retirement community is a place where seniors can find and establish meaningful relationships with like-minded people. With the range of services that the retirement communities provide, the quality of life will be beyond standards, and one will always find time to discover one’s true interests.

So, apart from some of the obvious benefits such as finding new friends and learning new hobbies, there are several other advantages about moving to a retirement village. Read further to know them in detail.

Ensures Psychological Wellness

A study conducted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in 2017 revealed that 1 in 4 elder Australians faces anxiety issues and social isolation. This will gradually lead to depression and, hence, have a detrimental effect on the individual’s psychological health. Meanwhile, with distinguished retirement resorts coming to the fore in Australia, older Australian citizens can effectively counter depression, social isolation, communication breakdown etc. Studies conducted among the residents of over 5000 retirement villages revealed that 51% of them showed significant signs of improved mental health.

Retirement communities devise their calendar with specific plans to tackle boredom caused by pandemic lockdowns. They organise novel activities to keep the residents socially engaged while maintaining social distancing. Facilities such as craft room, games room, restaurant, café, salon, cinema, gym, pool, and spa are available in most retirement communities. And these are excellent facilities to keep social isolation at bay.

Enhances Longevity

Living healthier is impressive, but how good would it be to enhance your longevity? A study conducted in Sweden has revealed that being socially vibrant would add approximately five years to the average life span of a woman and six years for a man. The study has also shown that a better social circle, participation in leisurely activities and a healthy diet would also increase the life expectancy of an individual. Fortunately, living in a retirement community offers all the aforementioned facilities and hence increases the older citizens’ longevity.

Reduces the Risk of Dementia

Stress and social isolation, in several cases, have also been reported to cause dementia in older citizens. However, engaging in various activities, such as drawing, music, crafts, and games, would keep dementia at bay as these activities would help polish the individual’s mental health.

Superior Cleanliness and Infection Control

Considering the vulnerability of the older citizens to various infectious sources of diseases, volunteers at retirement communities take special care in providing a healthy living environment for the residents. In most retirement communities, the volunteers are trained in infection control and other wellness policies. The authorities make sure that all the rooms are sanitised regularly to avoid any chances of virus transmission.

Shifting to a retirement community is as good as adopting a new way of life as it opens up fresh pastures for them to explore. However, make sure that the retirement community that one opts for meets their requirements and covers all the checklists mentioned above.