Baby Boomers tell retirement village industry they want different product
LONDON: Retirement village developers have been too slow in meeting the market of boomer expectations.
Lawn bowls are out. So are entertainer kitchens and gardens.
But swimming pools and cafes are in. As are low maintenance small kitchens and patios.
Smart home technology and gadgets are a must – and don’t forget the electric car charger – because these are the demands of Baby Boomers who are set to revolutionise communal retirement villages.
Unlike their parents that sought contentment in their old age, they want to remain independent, with an easy lock-up-and-go home, so they can go travelling whenever they want.
With 40 per cent of that 56 to 74 age bracket still working, an office is also a must.
RSL LifeCare CEO Graham Millett says their latest survey called the Retirement Home of the Future shows Baby Boomers are saying loud and clear that they don’t want to age like their parents or grandparents.
“Increasingly, we’re hearing Baby Boomers are after innovative homes that make their lives easier,” Mr Millett said.
“That includes smart home features with added security allowing residents to lock up and travel around Australia or abroad.”
With 5.2 million Baby Boomers in Australia – which make up a quarter of the country’s population – they are likely to get what they want.
Previous research from RSL LifeCare found 60 per cent in that age group expect to fund their own retirement and in return they want independence, travel and foodie experiences such as culinary and vineyard tours, and restaurant visits.
Cycling is popular with young Baby Boomers under 60, while top leisure activities in the wider age group are golf, yoga, pilates and tai chi.
The defining image of older generations – lawn bowls – has little or no attraction for the Vietnam War protest generation.
One reason why retirees Grant and Barbara Dreghorn moved to Pozières Retirement Village in Port Macquarie on the mid NSW coast was because they wanted to travel without worrying about maintenance or security.
Mrs Dreghorn, 68, a former social worker and tai chi fan, said that Covid permitting, she and had 71-year-old husband had big travel plans for 2022, including trips to WA, Tasmania, an extended tour of Europe and then a cruise on the Amazon.
“We want to do a lot of international travel, as well as trips around Australia,” she said.
When at home, one of the big attractions of their retirement village is the pool and cafe, while they have noticed the obligatory bowling green is rarely used.
“Years ago that’s what residents wanted, but not anymore,” she said.
