Finding the right retirement community for your lifestyle

Begin with what you do all week

List the things you actually do in a normal week, not the things you think you will do once you have more time. Walks, volunteering, the gym, grandchildren, the library, a favourite café. That list is your test for every place you consider.

It is a more reliable guide than any feature list, because it measures a place against your life instead of its own brochure.

Look at the surroundings first

Whether you are choosing a town or a specific residence, look outward before you look inward. How far is the nearest hospital, pharmacy and grocery store? Is there somewhere to walk? What does it take to see friends and family, and does it still work when you no longer drive?

Our community guides start from questions like these, and each one says plainly what we know and what you will need to check for yourself.

Ask what is included

For a retirement residence, ask what the monthly fee covers and what costs extra, and how the fee can change over time. Ask what happens if your needs increase: what levels of care are offered, whether you can stay in your suite, and what it costs. Get the answers in writing.

We do not publish price claims we cannot verify. If a residence has not published its rates, we say so, and you should ask them directly.

Visit on an ordinary day

The tour is arranged, so ask for a second visit on a normal weekday. Eat a meal there if you can. Talk to residents when the staff are not in the room, and notice how they talk about the place. Pay attention to how quickly people answer a call bell and how staff speak to residents.

Do not skip the waitlist question

Popular residences can have waitlists, and the right one may not have a suite when you need it. Ask how the list works, what it costs to join, and what happens if you are offered a suite and are not ready. Starting the conversation early gives you options that a crisis will not.