What is the difference between residential aged care and retirement living?
Retirement living communities and residential aged care homes are distinctly different from one another and accommodate people at entirely separate stages of life.
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15 November 2022
Stories
| Retirement Living, Aged Care Homes
What is the difference between residential aged care and retirement living?
With so many lifestyle choices now available to senior Australians, understanding the options and terminology can sometimes be confusing.
Here we break down the definitions – and distinct points of difference – between retirement living and residential aged care to help you determine which will best suit your needs.
Key points:
Residential aged care homes typically cater to residents who need ongoing assistance with self-care and basic everyday tasks.
Retirement living in Australia commonly describes a community of people over the age of 55, living independently in a complex of homes and facilities – a little bit like a resort.
Retirement living communities and residential care homes are sometimes located on the same site, to offer a smooth transition for retirees if their needs evolve over time.
Home Care services can also support people to stay in the comfort of their own home for longer, whether it be within a retirement living community, or in their family home.
What is residential aged care?
Residential aged care provides residents with access to round-the-clock care in an environment which has been designed to feel like home. Residential aged care can also be known as:
A nursing home
An aged care home or care home
Aged care facility
Residential aged care accommodates seniors with a diverse range of care requirements, from those who are still living fairly independently, to people with complex care needs, such as those living with dementia, right through to end-of-life palliative care.
Usually, residents and their families will make the decision to move into residential aged care when their mobility or cognitive health has reduced to the point where they can no longer live safely on their own.
Residential aged care allows them to be supported 24/7 by highly qualified and well-trained staff, who will work with residents and their families to provide consistent, quality care, tailored to each individual’s preferences and needs.
The care home staff also ensure residents are still able to continue doing activities and hobbies that they enjoy, creating inclusive, tailored leisure activity programs to keep the resident community active and having fun.
Residents at a BaptistCare residential aged care home enjoy a game of carpet bowls.
What is retirement living?
Aretirement living communityrefers to a village of homes and facilities designed for people over the age of 55, typically those who are living independently and do not need ongoing, full-time care. Retirement living can also be referred to as:
Independent living
A retirement village
A retirement community
Over-55s community
Retirement village residents have often downsized from a larger property, wanting to ditch the hassle of home and garden maintenance as they get older and feel part of a close-knit, sociable community. They can enjoy on-site facilities like swimming pools, bowling greens, libraries, and hair salons, reducing the need for frequent travel, and there is often a village shuttle bus serving the local shops if required.
Unlike residential aged care homes, which employ multiple care workers to provide tailored, 24/7 care, a retirement community will typically have a much smaller team of staff to manage the everyday running of the village.
Residents socialising at a BaptistCare retirement village
Can I receive care at home in a retirement village?
Yes. Many village residents choose to receive home care to varying degrees, enabling them to stay in the comfort of their own home for longer.
Retirement village operators may also offer their residents home care services, or residents might choose a different provider. Either way, home care is delivered at additional cost, but is eligible for government funding.
Home care funding falls into one of the following three categories:
Home Care Package (HCP) For those requiring more complex care, with four varying levels of support available. This is often best suited for people who do not require the 24/7 support of residential aged care but who need a higher degree of care than that offered by the CHSP.
Privately funded home care The wait times for a Home Care Package (HCP) can be lengthy, and you might prefer to pay privately for your home care in the interim. Not-for-profit organisations like BaptistCare often support retirement village residents to do this in two ways:
1. At BaptistCare, our village residents have the option to draw down from their Entry Payment to pay for services whilst they await funding, with the option to pay on a fee-for-service basis.
2. We offer our village residents priority access to BaptistCare at Home services, reducing their potential wait time.
Retirement Village resident receiving in home care services
Why are retirement villages and residential aged care homes sometimes located together?
If you are a couple for example and your partner requires residential aged care, you can stay close to one another amongst familiar surroundings.
Co-located facilities will also usually mean you can stay consistent with the same provider, and this can be cost-effective. For example:
At BaptistCare, we offer prospective care home residents a discount on their accommodation bond if they are moving over from one of our retirement villages.
Are you thinking about residential aged care for yourself or a loved one? Or perhaps you’re keen to take a tour of one of our beautiful retirement villages.
Some of our most popular communities are listed below, all of which house both a retirement village as well as a residential aged care home if ever you need it.
In the heart of the Hills District, surrounded by award-winning gardens, Aminya Village features a range of fully refurbished one and two-bedroom units.
The co-located residential care home Aminya Centre offers a warm and welcoming place to call home, with 119 general care rooms featuring ensuites, large built-in wardrobes and emergency-monitoring systems for your safety and security.
Nestled in Sydney’s beautiful Cumberland Woodland, our award-winning established community provides a fully integrated independent living environment, with co-located aged care available as your needs change.
The co-located residential aged care home Gracewood Centre offers 96 general care rooms and 32 secure dementia care rooms and features onsite amenities including a café, landscaped gardens and covered teraces, chapel, hair salon, therapy spa, library, electric BBQs and a private function room for family gatherings.
Maranoa Village is a retirement village community located within charming Alstonville that flourishes as a village within a village, with easy access to everything you’ll ever need just a short stroll away.
The co-located aged care home Maranoa Centre provides 90 beds across all levels of care including dementia care and respite care. The home sits on truly magnificent grounds of lush rainforest, making it a beautiful spot for daily walks.
Just a short stroll from Bangor Shopping Centre, with views towards the city, Warena Village is a peaceful oasis in the Sutherland Shire.
The co-located aged care home, Warena Centre offers residents stunning landscaped gardens and comfortable sitting rooms where they can take in the natural vistas.
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