Last week my regular correspondent to this blog posed a challenging question about the future of retirement villages. David Freeman and his wife Molly have been residents of the ExtraCare retirement village at Lovat Fields in Milton Keynes since it opened in 2007.
Over the next few weeks we will try to answer/explore the question:-
“Is the model of retirement village developed at Lovat Fields sustainable financially, if the average age of the residents continues to increase ( to 90 ) ?.”
It’s worth taking a step back to see how the thinking of extra care first emerged nearly 40 years ago. The early ideas were a move beyond sheltered housing to include care support, but crucially they stopped short of the social services model of Old People’s Homes and the private sector’s residential care homes.
Our thoughts were first brought together in 1986 with the opening by Coventry Churches Housing Association of Princethorpe Court in Coventry.
(I wrote a series of blogs in 2012 about the project which you can find by clicking on “ Princethorpe Court Story” in the TAG cloud.)
Many of the building design ideas were born in this scheme and equally importantly the first care and support ideas were established.
In my next blog I will look at the step up to Retirement Villages.
GrumbleSmiles 
Responsejohn
Dear JOHN!. OH Hell that girlfriend again??? What this time??? Are we finished, I trust not?
[these letter from a romantic interlude, while serving on a ship at sea-Stating the relationship had ended was colloquially a ‘DEAR JOHN’]
I have just been Reflecting quietly through the blogs, attached to this one, and the history, development of the ‘EXTRACARE CHARITIES Concept of A RETIREMENT VILLAGE’ A most informative and thought provoking read!!!
Today as I put my thoughts to paper, I still wish the original concepts of what The Coventry Church Trust, and John Graham as a manager of the EXTRACARE Charities Trust followed in establishing their/my dream of a n ‘EXTRACARE Retirement Village way back in 2005.
Now as an older resident aged 81 years, with my wife MOLLY aged 79 years we seriously have to consider our ‘TOMORROW’s’.
In the light of government policy towards the aged, one has to learn and be alert to TAXATION Laws/ Government aid and help, and there again if one has saved for old age, savings accounts to pay for welfare and support when needed? That is the extra support for daily living. When in our earlier days moving int a retirement village, we had health [MOBILITY AND Mental], now we are at the doors of support and local government agencies, which determine what are needs are, and may make appropriate rulings over our finances, removing our ability for an independent life style????
It is all to understand, and one has to talk to one’s family, and the EXTRACARE Providers!
That for me personally, now then with a retirement village with the average age of 80/82 years, and its residents? I am not a working pensioner, nor do I have in excess of the government investments/assets for which I must pay inheritance taxation, I am trying to save on my pension income for tomorrows events. This makes my decisions most difficult at times. Further my wife who only worked after having our children, her pension rights are curtailed, so tomorrow’s problems are for us both today’s problems, and we have to watch carefully how we spend or income.
This all adds to the original dream of our EXTRACARE RETIREMENT VILLAGE, and I am just with my thoughts, and wondering, what the next 10/15 years will bring us as residents. The current Lovat management are going through changes, of not Philosophy or ETHOS of how they offer homes and care for us as residents: However the day-to-day management in LOVAT FIELDS is considering changes in policy, which I wonder with the possible budget statement in this OCTOBER, and the current unrest in the recent changes in our political government. The emphasis on help for the elderly is changing, or could change in the manner of Government help, and benefits that the government offer the elderly, pensioners in general. It is a minefield of considerations, and with the side effects of Alzheimer’s and Dementia, for a elderly person one has to have help and advice in the decisions one must take. This is important for both the benefits and future of THE EXTRACARE CHARITY TRUST, and me/us as a resident, when one has to consider services, support and basic costs of accommodation.
REGARDS David MOLLY.