The Christmas and New Year period is often a time for older Australians to consider downsizing and changing their lifestyle. With families getting together and perhaps noticing that Mum and Dad aren’t coping with the family home as well as they used to, adult children are often faced with looking at options which are more suitable than the family home.
Some of the options are:
Staying in your own home and modifying it to suit your needs.
Some people may choose to stay where they are and modify the house to suit their needs. They may also want to bring in help with the garden, cleaning and other household chores. The downside of this would be the costs involved in continuing to run and maintain a large house, particularly with a shrinking income. Modifications can be very expensive.
In addition, sometimes staying at home can be quite isolating as the people around you are not necessarily around during the day.
Downsizing to a smaller house or townhouse.
This can be the answer, especially coupled with applying for a Community Care package to assist with gardening or cleaning. However, packages are in short supply at the moment, and moving house is a very stressful activity and it may still mean another move in a few year’s time.
Retirement Village Living
There are many retirement village options available in the local area of many and varied types to suit all budgets and preferences. From the modern, brand new apartment styles to the older more established villages with garden units, there is something to suit everyone.
In a later article we will discuss the differences between models of retirement living.
Cathy Bennett | General Manager 02 9481 8842 | www.woodlandsvillage.com.au
