bupa.co.ukIf you want to remain as independent as possible but without the worries of maintaining your current home and with extra support available if you need it, retirement housing could be the answer.
This section contains more information about retirement housing including:
Retirement housing is generally a self-contained flat or bungalow that is purpose-built with older people in mind. They are ideal if, perhaps, your home is becoming a little too much to manage, yet allows you to remain as self-reliant as possible.
There are two main types of retirement housing:
Most sheltered housing has a communal entrance allowing access to your individual home. Accommodation normally consists of one or two bedrooms, a lounge/dining room, kitchen and bathroom - and you're free to decorate and furnish your home exactly as you like. There may be unobtrusive safety features, such as emergency pull cords or 'good morning mats' and a resident manager will usually be available.
Assisted living developments offer a similar type of accommodation. Often, they are located within the grounds of a care home, however, you live independently in your own private bungalow or aprtment. This allows you access to the care home's facilities, such as the lounge, and you may choose to use extra services offered by the home, such as laundry or cooking. For your peace of mind, each room has an emergency pull cord connected to the care home, so expert help is always close at hand should you need it.
There are several places to look for information about available retirement housing:
Goldsborough Estates, a member of the Bupa Group, specialises in the management of private retirement and assisted living properties throughout England and Wales. For more information, visit www.goldsboroughestates.co.uk or call free on 0800 731 6287. As with all Bupa care homes, you don't have to be a member of a Bupa insurance scheme to use any of the facilities that Goldsborough Estates offers.
Retirement housing can be rented, however, many people choose to buy. It's therefore extremely important that you choose somewhere that will not only meet your needs now, but also in the forseeable future.
Like choosing any other place to live, you will know within a few seconds of entering a retirement property whether it 'feels right'. To help make the right decision, we've produced a useful checklist. Print it out as many times as you need, then you can be sure you've asked all those practical questions that are just as important as your first impression.
When you've found a property that you like, you should consider:
Check whether the development is run by a company with a track record in retirement housing, and whether it is a member of the Association of Retirement Housing Managers, who abide by a code of practice.
Talk to any professional advisers you may have, such as your bank manager or accountant. Most importantly, ask a solicitor to look at the lease and any conditions, and check that you understand them fully.
Think carefully about what would happen if you needed more care in the future. If it is a retirement property, would you have access to additional help if you needed it? If it is an assisted living property, what would the arrangements be should you want to move into the care home?
Goldsborough Estates is part of Bupa Care Services, providing high quality apartments and bungalows specially designed to provide independent living for people aged over 55.
We aim to combine maximum privacy and independence, with the reassurance of knowing that help and company is never far away. We have over 45 developments covering Yorkshire, North Wales and the North West.
Bupa Assisted Living is similar to Goldsborough Estates, but the properties are in the grounds of a Bupa Care Home. These purpose-designed apartments and bungalows provide independent living, with access to a full range of care services if required.
We have Bupa Assisted Living properties in London, Yorkshire, Cambridge, Gloucestershire and Somerset.
For more information on Goldsborough Estates and Bupa Assisted Living properties visit www.goldsboroughestates.co.uk or call FREE on 0800 731 6287. You can also email goldsboroughestates@bupa.com or write to Goldsborough Estates, Bridge House, Outwood Lane, Leeds LS18 4UP