Affordable housing and intergenerational living? It’s the new face of retirement villages

Not-for-profit provider BaptistCare has just announced plans for a new development for western Sydney that will offer a mix of retirement living, community housing and aged care centre – a first in Australia. 

The site, next to their Angus Bristow Village in Elderslie, will boast 122 independent living units with 70 per cent reserved for people aged over 55 with the remainder available to single-parent families on low incomes. 

A concept-approved 138-bed aged care facility is also in the works. 

It’s a different idea, but one that makes a lot of sense. 

Not just a roof over your head 

We know people often end up financially worse-off and become socially isolated as they get older. 

The BaptistCare development will allow residents to interact with their neighbours – young and old. 

The village will also offer in-home care services and a social club providing respite care – allowing residents to stay in their homes and living independently for longer. 

With aged care on-site, it will also reduce the sense of upheaval many people feel when they have to move into aged care. 

BaptistCare clearly believes the model will be popular. They’re already including a provision to expand the retirement village in their plans – and have six similar projects in the works. 

Count us in. 

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A special thanks to our contributors

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Caroline Egan

DCM Media, agedcare101

Caroline has a wealth of experience writing within the retirement and aged care sector and is a contributing journalist for the Villages.com.au and agedcare101 blog and accompanying newsletters.

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Ian Horswill

Journalist

Ian is a journalist, writer and sub-editor for the aged care sector, working at The DCM Group. He writes for The Weekly Source, agedcare101, villages.com.au and the DCM Institute fortnightly newsletter Friday. Ian is in daily contact with CEOs of retirement living, land lease and the aged care operations and makes a new contact every week. He investigates media releases, LinkedIn and Facebook for a good source for ideas for stories.

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Lauren Broomham

Retirement and Aged Care Journalist

Lauren is a journalist for villages.com.au, agedcare101 and The Donaldson Sisters. Growing up in a big family in small town communities, she has always had a love for the written word, joining her local library at the age of six months. With over eight years' experience in writing and editing, she is a keen follower of news and current affairs with a nose for a good story.

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Jill Donaldson

Physiotherapist

Jill has been practicing as a clinical physiotherapist for 30 years. For the last 13 years she has worked solely in the Aged Care sector in more than 50 metropolitan and regional facilities. Jill has also toured care facilities in the US and Africa and is a passionate advocate for both the residents in aged care and the staff who care for them. She researches and writes for DCM Media.

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Chris Baynes

DCM Media, agedcare101

Chris has been a journalist and publisher in the retirement village and aged care sectors for 11 years. He has visited over 250 retirement villages and 50 aged care facilities both within Australia and internationally. Chris is a regular speaker at industry conferences plus is a frequent radio commentator.

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Annie Donaldson

Nurse and Carer

Annie has a long career in both nursing and the media. She has planned and co-ordinated the medical support from both international TV productions and major stadium events. In recent years she has been a primary family carer plus involved in structured carer support.