Retirement Communities

A retirement community is a generic term that covers many varieties of housing for retirees and seniors--especially designed or geared for people who no longer work, or restricted to those over a certain age. Most retirement communities are planned communities with special facilities catering to the needs of retirees. Usually these communities have amenities like swimming pools, golf courses, clubhouses and on-site medical facilities. Retirement communities are common in the United States.

In the United Kingdom, retirement communities or villages do exist but they are generally composed of bungalows and two-bedroom apartments set in the grounds of a building with bar, restaurant, leisure facilities and 24 hour support staff. Retirement communities in the country also rarely exceed 100 residents. According to Audley, the company that pioneered retirement living in the UK, the top five reasons why seniors and retirees buy an apartment at a retirement community are: the need to feel safe, freedom to enjoy life, companionship, knowing there is help when you need it and independence.

The best known retirement community in the UK is the Hartrigg Oaks in York. Hartrigg Oaks has 152 bungalows clustered around a central complex with a café, restaurant, library, arts and crafts rooms, fitness suite, and a 42-bed residential home.


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retirement_community
http://www.buildingdesign-news.co.uk/2007/27-Audley-Retirement-villages-UK-retirement-homes-News-090707.asp