Housing Options For Fiftyups

My husband and I are 70 and would like to downsize from our 4 bed home with pool and garden to a small villa type home with small garden in our area but the only option seems to be an apartment. Too claustrophobic. 

I am concerned for those seniors who for myriad reasons (e.g. late entry into the workforce, domestic violence, long-term sole parenting with no child support from ex, forced redundancy late in life etc.), have moved into retirement with insufficient super, living on the pension and dependent on rental accommodation. I count myself in all of the above categories, but through the loving support of my children and their provision of a small, low-rent unit for me in close proximity to them, I am surviving. But how on earth do those in worse situations manage in their senior years if they are reliant on the normal rental market? I would love to see easily accessible, innovative, supportive, low-cost, community living options for those seniors who are currently facing fear and insecurity about their future. Janis from NSW 

I would love to downsize from a large home to an apartment but the new ones are so small. I have been looking at older apartments as they are roomier. How does the government expect seniors to move out of their houses if they don't provide an incentive of decent sized housing. 

I am in the process of leaving an apartment building and moving to a seniors community and have been looking outside of Sydney. The location is vital, ie, close to doctors and medical facilities, shops, transport, schools and churches. I am hoping to be doing some casual work, so location is important. Also I need to have access to services such as car service centres, electricians, plumbers etc. Big city living has become overwhelming for me, so I am looking for a slower pace. I am hoping a seniors community living will provide me with emotional and physical security, and being in the company of friends with similar tastes and aspirations. Not everyone has family to look after them, so these communities are important. 

Hello there Yes I think more thought needs to go into this. Resort style living ie own small villa with a small garden in a nice area, coastal or hinterland or city with good ammenities close by. Access to fitness ie swimming pools etc. Good public transport options for medical, shopping etc. Pet ownership a priority if desired. Available to people over 60 who still participate in part time work. The ability to rent the villa to other seniors if travelling for six months. In other words freedom to live your life!! Cheers Sharon 

I am a very young mobile on the go loving life 61, and due to the recent death of my husband I am in the process of selling our home to move to a over 55 Village which also evolves onto care facilities. My only concern is the fare of commitment of my finances to this facility, only to find that I will be surrounded by people too senior for my required lifestyle and then be stuck on the premises. Louise Northside Brisbane Qld I 

It often seems to my wife and I that those who make decisions about housing for fiftyups are either in the low 50s or not in their 50s yet! Those who provide it are more likely to be in it for profits. Beguiling dvertising with lots of references to 'lifestyle' and images of trim and elegant grey heads swimming in heated pools and sipping cocktails together on wide terraces can work most effectively to people who are at their most vulnerable ....when they are beginning to already feel the social marginalisation associated with advancing age. We are both in our 70s and we are both as fit and healthy as we can be. We like the company of people of all ages and cultures (a vague term I know) and the thought of accepting the corral of a retirement establishment would not suit us at all. The word 'lifestyle' is a flippant and superficial one that too often seems to mean the kind of luxury we associate with resort hotels where everything is provided (for those who can afford it) - not the more complex and more intellectually demanding daily life we seek. We want to be close to the action; especially when we can no longer drive. An apartment designed to properly live in alongside a diversity of neighbours would be fine if it were above local shops and close enough to the ground that we could see the faces of people in the street. Is this too much to ask? 

I am very scared of the future, as my partner and I have come out of marriages that have left us renting. So where do we go to live when we retire? My partner now has had a stroke and diagnosed with cancer. So what do we do. We can't buy, there is no public housing available. It is something I don't look forward to. 

I would prefer to live within walking distance to cafes, shops and doctors etc not in an isolated area 

I am not looking forward to the day when it becomes impractical for me to remain in my home! I do not want to live with any of my children and I certainly don't want to go into a retirement facility of any type or description.