This post follows on from my last, on my favourite subject 🤡 BUNGALOWS. It’s obviously popular with journalists because they keep writing about it and with politicians, who keep talking about it. Older people too, keep dreaming about it. Sadly as I explained previously, they are all going to be disappointed. There is not going to be an explosion of new bungalows all over the countryside.
However, in those dreams and aspirations there is a golden key. DOWNSIZING and EQUITY RELEASE.
These two issues have the solution to some older peoples better later lives, if they have the courage and opportunity to use them. Downsizing gives them a smaller property to manage and the release of equity provides money for care should they require it in the future.
But the answer lies in the sky not on the ground. You have to build upwards not outwards. In other words you need to build much higher density housing to offset high land acquisition costs.
Large scale Retirement Villages have long been a feature of housing in America and Australia, but their adoption in the UK has been slow. Partly because of “the bungalow illusion” and also because in the UK private housing sector it has become an expensive option, only available to the wealthiest pensioners.
Government intervention in this market has been very cautious, for fear of upsetting voters. A bolder policy would be to promote retirement housing as a way of freeing up under occupied family housing.
However, either capital subsidy would be necessary if the accommodation is to be affordable to all, or guaranteed social insurance for care costs. Successive Governments have been reluctant to provide either option. Until they do we will continue to have beds blocked in the NHS and poor quality social and domiciliary care.
GrumbleSmiles 
Quietly and silently live and the concept for live hs passe on! One retire one trusts and hopes for accommodation with views of the countryside, maybe having worked in the cites and metropolises that oneearn aliving in,
Reality in my retirement day for the elderly was to own ones living quarters with a view and then when one become less mobile move into a sheltered housing /care home? The standard was say around 65/70 registered appartments [2 srtorey Building], then came the retirement Village concept some 250/260 appartment some 1 some2 bedroomed with a kitchen, lounge, wetroom and hall, and reception staff and the offer of care should one need it..
Today this blog is about retirement in a purpose built centre in a town or conibation, which at the point of retiement aged say 68/70 years one may wish freedom; Just wait stop and think of ones life maybe with ones partner/friend, what do I need in the basics of life [accommodation/self independance, and wht else] AS one ages one of the greatest proviso’s is social connections, and one has to look closely arond ones self as mobility and mental agility become a problem, and one may not be able to no longer drive/catch a bus and enjoy ones social habitat, so becareful, and think, a retirement village if one studies it may provide all these services, maybe in a township, but close to people and yet independently of the hustle and bustle of the commercial centre of the area. Great It is not a dream, but a way of living, and it still keeps families and communities together for the elderly, allowing the younger generation to fight their way through life and bring up their children [Ones own grandchildren and gret grand children}.
 for live hs passe ==for life has passed on
the mail on sunday pages 58/9 are full of government proposed tax, expenditure paymens, and the statatement that savings have to be utalised for or towards care. It is most diffcult for those well into retirement, and have to consider their own health care expenditure, and that occassional git to family members.
In retirement one does not have the flexibily easily of earning more money through work opportunities. So the Papers reading of these perposals by governemnt are extremely thought provoking. Life in retirement has to be gauaged and taken when one is younger and still earning a living. Life is not easy???? Be aware of the future for ones self???