Involving your family in your retirement village search

If you’re considering moving into a retirement village, your family is likely to have a few questions.

Here are some ways to help them feel more involved in the decision-making process.

1. Set expectations early

Moving homes can be a sensitive topic for some families, especially if you’re considering selling a home that’s been in the family for a long time.

When you share that you’re looking into retirement villages, your family may ask you questions you don’t yet know how to answer. Or, they might start researching villages on your behalf.

Whether you’d like a lot of help at this stage – or none at all – it’s a good idea to clearly communicate your preferences, so everyone knows how to best support you.

2. Visit villages together

If you’d like your family’s opinion on each village, bring them along to open days and information sessions.

Family members are always welcome at open days and will often spot things you overlooked or ask questions you didn’t think to ask.

3. Refer your family to the village sales manager

If your family has specific questions or concerns about a village you’re interested in, ask the sales manager to give them a call or arrange a meeting.

Most sales managers are more than happy to speak to your family about general topics, for example, services, care and facilities. They can also clearly explain the village cost structure, legal titles on which homes are sold and the process for either leaving the village or transferring from one home to another.

4. Refer your family to Village Guide

Your family is likely to have lots of questions about the retirement village industry in general. From the cost structure to the paperwork, there’s a lot to learn.

Refer them to Village Guide’s Resource Centre, so they can learn all about the industry without overwhelming you with questions.

5. Download ‘Retirement villages: What your family needs to know’

The fastest way for your family members to get up to speed with retirement villages is to download our booklet Retirement villages: What your family needs to know.

This booklet covers our most frequently asked questions about retirement villages in an easy-to-read format.

It covers topics such as:

• Benefits of retirement village living
• Common myths about retirement villages
• Retirement village fees, contracts, and paperwork
• What to ask a lawyer