Services and care: What to expect from retirement villages

At a glance

One of the perks of moving into a retirement village is having services and care at your doorstep. Below is an overview of the types of services and care you’re likely to find at a retirement village in New Zealand.

Every village is different. This article includes the most common types of services and care, as well as a checklist of questions to ask sales managers. It might help to refer to this article when visiting or comparing villages.

Services

Here’s a sample list of services you’re likely to find at a retirement village.

  • Housekeeping & laundry. This usually refers to general help with domestic duties, including light cleaning, laundry, and linen changes.
  • Meal deliveries. You may be able to get meals delivered to your door, either fresh or frozen (this will depend on the village).
  • Grocery deliveries. Some villages can help with your grocery shopping or deliver staples like milk and newspapers.
  • Hairdressing & beauty services. Some villages have a salon area with either part-time or contracted staff providing hair cuts and styles, as well as other beauty services.
  • Village van. Most villages have a village van for organised outings or shopping trips.
  • Security patrols. Some villages have security guards patrol at night.
  • Pet minding. Some villages can arrange for someone to look after your pet while you’re away.

Care

Here’s a sample list of care services you’re likely to find at a retirement village.

  • Registered nurses. Most villages have registered nurses available for appointments. Nurses might be employees of the village (or the on-site care home) or contracted externally to come into the village on a regular basis.
  • Doctors, physios, podiatrists, and other specialists. Many villages work together with contracted healthcare practitioners who visit the village on a regular basis. Some villages may even have their own part-time or full-time staff. The exact services available will vary between villages, so it’s important you discuss this directly with the sales manager.
  • Wellness centre. Some villages have a dedicated wellness (or healthcare) centre. This will likely be where you go for appointments with nurses and other healthcare practitioners.
  • Emergency first responders. Almost all villages will have an emergency call system monitored by trained responders.
  • Medical supervision. Some villages offer in-home help with administering medication, redressing bandages, or other types of medical supervision.
  • Respite care. Villages with an onsite care home (or a relationship with a nearby care home) may offer respite care if you’re recovering from surgery, injury, or require temporary healthcare.

Checklist: Questions to ask sales managers about services and care

Further reading

  • To find out the exact services and care a village provides, please search for the village in our Directory and refer to the ‘Services and Care’ tab on the village’s listing page.
  • If you’re visiting a village soon, download our Checklist: Important Things to Ask Village Sales Managers.

Search for

Email article to a friend

Log in to Village Guide

Log in to Village Guide

Don’t have an account?

Sign up to Village Guide

Already have an account?

Reset your password

Don’t have an account?

You can request an Information Pack for multiple villages by adding them to your Saved List. When ready, complete the form within your account area.