Tips to help you talk with your family about moving to a retirement village

Some points to cover in this important conversation

Moving from your family home to a retirement village is a big step. Once you’ve made this important decision, it’s a good idea to share it with those close to you. After all, your adult children or family may be on board and supportive, or they might not understand why you want to move from the family home into a retirement community.

Sitting down and sharing the news could be challenging. There may be resistance from your family, so it pays to be prepared for this. They might raise concerns for your wellbeing, the costs involved, or be upset at the thought of not having their childhood home to return to for visits or special occasions. If you’re moving further away, they could be worried about having less support from you, especially if you have grandchildren.

These are all valid reasons for your family to be upset. Yet in the end, it’s your decision how you spend your retirement years. It would be ideal to have the support of your family, but this isn’t always possible. In that situation, what you can hope for is that the conversation will be as stress-free as possible for everyone.

So, how do you achieve that? Here are some suggestions that may help you talk more easily with your family about your plans to move into a retirement village.

1) Have a chat before you decide

If you have a good relationship with your family, you want to keep it that way. Having this important conversation early on can help keep harmony and make your family members feel valued.

Starting a conversation while you’re still considering your options gives your family time to get involved in the process (if that’s what you want) and support you with your research. If you have a good relationship with your children or family members, it may be useful to have their input. They might ask questions you hadn’t thought of, offer suggestions, and look into the many retirement living options with you.

Having them take part in the process gives them a sense of involvement and helps avoid feelings of being on the outside. If you can talk openly and honestly, so everyone has the opportunity to raise concerns, it will hopefully go more smoothly than if you plan it all without consulting them.

Working together on researching your retirement living options could prove beneficial and actually bring you closer as a family. They will gain a greater understanding of your needs and your reasons for wanting to move and they will feel better for having played a part in helping you find the perfect retirement community.

2) Let them voice their concerns

It’s a fine line to tread between letting your family know what you’re planning and letting them have a voice; a way to express how they’re feeling. Be honest and open with them about your reasons for moving from the family home. Let them know the kind of retirement you want for yourself. Share your hopes and dreams for your future. Hopefully they will listen with an open mind and support you.

If they have concerns, it’s important to let them speak openly about them, without judgement. Hear them out. This is possibly a very big transition for them as well. Talking freely and openly, asking each other questions, and most importantly listening, can help avoid confusion or disagreements.

There could be a chance that family members will be upset when you tell them about your decision. They may get angry… or shut down and not want to talk at all. You might consider engaging an impartial friend or family member that you all feel comfortable with. Someone who can help keep the peace and allow everyone to say what they need in a calm and respectful way. You could employ the services of a professional mediator if you feel things might get out of hand. Hopefully you won’t need to.

3) Dedicate a specific time to announce the news

You may have decided on moving to a retirement village without consulting your family. That’s ok! It’s your retirement, your life, and your choice. If this is the case, it might be worthwhile making a special time to make the announcement, rather than just dropping it into a conversation.

You will know what feels right for you and your loved ones. If they’ve expressed support for the idea in the past, then it’s just a matter of letting them know you’ve decided to make the move. If they’ve been challenged by the thought of you moving, then you may want to invite them over for a meal (if you’re close by) to have a chat.

If your loved ones live further away, then plan a video call. Make it special by dedicating enough time for questions and discussion and hopefully celebration!

4) Remember to mention the positives!

If you’ve made the decision on retirement living and have even chosen a village, or narrowed it down to a few, then you will be prepared with a list of the positive reasons why this is the right move for you. Talk through these with them so they gain a better understanding of the benefits of moving into a retirement village.

• Safety and security – You will have discovered that many retirement communities have on-site managers, 24/7 security and systems in place to keep you safe. From the design of the houses to the care taken with the roads, footpaths, gardens, and facilities. Everything in a retirement village is well thought out with consideration for the safety and care of its residents. You can let your family know that whether you’re at home, away for a day or on holiday for a month, your home will be secure.
  
  
• Great facilities – Modern retirement villages feel more like a resort, which is a great benefit to you as a resident and also a wonderful bonus for your family when they come to visit! As long as they’re accompanied by you, your family should be able to enjoy things like swimming, bowling, playing pool, watching movies, playing tennis, or joining you for a meal and entertainment.
  
• Little maintenance – It’s worth mentioning that while you get to take advantage of the resort-like facilities, someone else gets to maintain them! You don’t have to lift a finger to take care of landscaping or check the pH of the pool. The staff and maintenance team do all that for you. A lot of your own home’s maintenance will be taken care of by qualified tradespeople. This will leave you more time to relax, take up a hobby, enjoy visitors or travel… and give your family peace of mind.
  
  
• The community – One of the many reasons people move into a retirement community is for the social aspect of making new friends and enjoying activities together. Your family won’t have to worry about you sitting at home in front of the TV (unless that’s what you want to do) as there are so many things to do and people to meet, you can fill your diary as much or as little as you want! It’s also reassuring for them to know that you’re surrounded by people of a similar age and stage in life who are active and want to live life to the full.
  
  
• Health and wellbeing – Retirement villages are mostly aimed at people who are healthy and active. Their focus is to support the physical, mental, emotional, and social wellbeing of residents. Many are also built close to facilities that cater for higher levels of care, so when you are ready for that next move, the transition can be a smooth and easy one.

We’d love to meet you (and your family) at Renaissance

We invite you to bring your family to explore Renaissance Retirement Living at beautiful Victoria Point. Together you can take a tour of the community, look at the many retirement living options, meet some of our residents and ask questions.

Book your place at one of our informal, small group sessions and let our residents share with you why they love this lifestyle and why many wish they had made the move sooner!

To save a place at our next lunch and information session, please call Renaissance today on (07) 3820 7700 or contact us online. We hope to meet you and your family soon!