‘Ageing in neighbourhood’: what seniors want instead of retirement villages and how to achieve it

As we age, most people prefer to stay in their own homes and communities instead of moving to retirement villages. Some have gone so far as to say retirement villages have had their day. What’s needed instead is adaptable housing and neighbourhoods to help people as they move through life’s stages. Are the days of the retirement village numbered? Many individuals and families struggle to find the right “fit” between the supported living options of retirement villages, independent living lifestyle villages and staying in the (often unsuitable) family home as their needs change. This research with seniors in south-east Queensland revealed a desire to “age in neighbourhood” and to have neighbourhoods with a mix of ages and building forms.