Around the globe, people are living longer and increasing longevity will be a permanent feature of our socio-economic landscape. In Ireland, our over 65 population is set to grow by 70 persons per day for the next 30 years.

Unfortunately, many older people, irrespective of their means, reside in relative isolation, even when they live in urban areas, in homes unsuited to their needs.

Then, as they become frail, their need for community-based healthcare and homecare often goes unmet. Consequently, many end up in expensive nursing homes prematurely.

According to Pat, who spent many years in Australia:

Australia and New Zealand have responded to this challenge by developing the retirement village model. Today, some 13% of Australians and New Zealanders reside in retirement villages.

If Ireland were to adopt this approach it could enhance the lives of a significant proportion of our elderly.

Pat looks at the retirement village model through the prism of the researched needs of older people and, as well as explaining how retirement villages operate in Australia, the book looks at:

• what we know about our older citizens,
• what they feel they need in terms of housing, and
• most importantly, what needs to be done to establish fit-for-purpose retirement villages in Irish communities – rural and urban.

The author draws on a large volume of research from both Ireland and abroad in making the case for retirement villages.

In Pat’s opinion:

Housing alone, irrespective of its age-friendliness, is not enough. Health and care services generally must be integrated into the whole housing package. Besides, processes must be put in place to facilitate sustainable and mutually beneficial interactions between those living in the retirement village and those in the wider community.

If we get the ‘village’ model right, those in their golden years should be able to live with a high level of independence and a good quality of life for much longer than might otherwise be the case.

Meeting the specific housing needs of older people appropriately is critical to:

• their overall enjoyment of life,
• the cost and quality of their healthcare and, indeed, their care and security generally,
• the contribution they can make to the wider society, and
• the lives of the families who care for and worry about them.

In 21^st century Ireland, ensuring older people live comfortably and fulfilled for as long as possible is a societal responsibility. It cannot just be left to the older people themselves, their families or, for that matter, to charity.

But ensuring the quality of life of our elderly does not require the expenditure of significant amounts of scarce public resources.  

Rather, it requires a paradigm shift in the way we think about the older cohort in society. It also requires the State to put legislation and fit-for purpose regulations, standards, and oversight in place:

• to protect the interests of all involved with the provision of housing for older people, and
• to incentivise and facilitate the development and popularisation of what may be generally described as retirement villages.

The retirement village is not a silver bullet for improving the quality of life of older people. There is much else that needs to be done. It can, however, make a significant contribution towards enhancing the lives of many older people and those who care for them.

Pat stresses that:

The retirement village model being promoted in the book is very much about providing senior citizens with housing options that take account of their stage in life – and their specific needs – fulfilment, social, health, transport, retail, cultural, religious, care, and so on.

It is about providing them with attractive housing options they may choose to live in rather than with housing they are, in any sense, required to live in.

RETIREMENT VILLAGES IRELAND is about cost effectively addressing these matters to the benefit of older people, their relatives and friends and the wider Irish society.

RETIREMENT VILLAGES IRELAND and everything associated with it is a not-for-profit activity and any money generated through sales of the book will be ploughed back into promoting the retirement villages concept.