Aged Care

Looking for aged care or retirement accommodation?

Are you searching for aged care but not sure what type of accommodation you need, or what is available in your area? The Seniors Housing Online website features hundreds of aged care facilities and retirement village units and enables you to search by local area and style of care, with photos, as well as offering useful information and handy links to relevant government support and other services. You can use the quick links below to narrow your search.

Modern retirement villages offer high quality resort–style living with villas or apartments and community facilities such as swimming pools, club houses and restaurants. There is a wide range of price points from rental and budget villages through to luxury five star properties. Although the focus may be on lifestyle rather than health care, and even if you are searching for independent living retirement property, it is important to consider what options are available if more care and support is needed later on.

Generally, independent living accommodation for seniors still offers features such as emergency call buttons, access to meals and community facilities and low maintenance living. Some facilities may offer the option of buying in support services as needed; you may be eligible for government supported in-home care services, and many retirement villages are co-located with serviced apartments, hostels or nursing homes with higher levels of support available.

There are three main types of senior accommodation:

1. independent living or 'self care' units with limited support available;

2. serviced apartment or hostel care for those requiring more assistance; and

3. nursing homes or high care facilities for those requiring a very intensive level of support and personal care.

Many retirement villages provide all three levels of care in one location, although they are unable to guarantee village residents priority access to nursing home beds. Access to hostel and nursing home care requires an aged care assessment which may be arranged through a doctor or local health or aged care service.

The trend now is for government to provide more in-home support services to allow people to stay in their own home or unit for longer as their needs increase, and to defer or avoid the need to move into facilities offering higher levels of care.

Government subsidised in-home care services are limited and waiting lists may apply. Many retirement villages or senior communities can help arrange extra support for residents as required. The availability and cost of extra support services is something to consider when you are searching for retirement housing, even if you do not need it right now.

You also need to be fully aware of any additional costs which may apply if you need to sell your home in the future and move somewhere else to receive additional care and support services. It is essential to get legal and financial advice when buying into an ‘over 55 community’ or a retirement village. Each village has a different cost structure, with varying fees and charges, conditions and legal occupancy arrangements, and you need to be fully informed of the implications.

The Seniors Housing Online website features hundreds of retirement villages and other aged care facilities, and you can easily tailor your personal search to your local area and the level of care you need. Click on these quick links to browse search results by category:

Browse Properties by Level of Care Available