HealthInfo Waitaha Canterbury

Overview of retirement villages and residential care

Ngā kāinga whakatānga

If you or a family member are thinking about moving into a retirement village or rest home or need hospital-level care, this information will help you make an informed choice.

Retirement villages are developments that are purpose built to cater for people over the age of 55.

Residential care for older people is long term and offered in the form of:

• rest home care, providing 24‑hour care by trained staff. People can often do many things themselves but are unable to live independently at home
• hospital-level care, providing 24‑hour health care by trained staff including qualified nurses for people with high health needs
• dementia care, providing care by trained staff to older people suffering from dementia
• specialised hospital care (psychogeriatric care), providing care for older people with mental illness.

The most appropriate facility for you will depend on your individual needs.

Reasons to move to retirement villages and residential care

Some of the reasons people consider moving to a retirement village or residential care include:

• wanting to meet new people
• needing to downsize the family home
• wanting to live in a more supportive environment or needing more support.

When thinking about moving you need to consider some things such as:

• what you want – it may be that you can stay at home with support. Discuss this with your general practice team
• the level of support you need
• your health – think about how your health might affect your mobility
• your financial position
• your cultural needs.

Think carefully about what you need now and what you may need in the future.

  HealthInfo recommends the following pages

• Age Concern – Housing and care

  Contains links to Age Concern information about different aspects of housing and care.

• Eldernet
  • Residential care vacancies

    Up-to-date details of vacancies in residential care facilities.

  • Where from here is a booklet that has information about services for older people in New Zealand. The booklet is free but there is a small cost for postage.
• Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand
  • Health of older people

    Includes information about the Health of Older People team.

  • Residential care questions and answers

    Provides answers to some common questions about residential care.

Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed March 2023.

Sources

Page reference: 559181

Review key: HIRRV-48277