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About the author
Following his retirement from career
commitments, Wilf Robinson has chosen to live in a community lifestyle resort.
In active life he had a varied career,
first as an engineer, then in management, before owning his own businesses in
semi-retirement.
He is academically qualified as an
electronics engineer, and in business management and administration.
As a pioneer of the computer industry he
participated in the installation of the world’s first transistorised computer
for commercial business use. He was employed in a variety of roles in the
industry in both England and Australia.
In retirement he studied archaeology and
continues to pursue an active interest in the beginnings of the Universe, of the
human race, of various lost civilisations and the events which created all of
them.
READ A SAMPLE OF THE BOOK:
1. Introduction
So many ‘seniors’ newspapers, and other
media outlets, now advertise alternative home styles that little introduction to
them is necessary. Some newspapers have regular supplements specifically aimed
at the retirement housing market.
Even people, who have no desire to move
from their current home, can’t help but notice the lifestyles being offered in
the media. And many people, through their friends, associations, clubs, etc.,
know somebody who has taken the plunge.
In the broadly named ‘permanent
lifestyle accommodation for mature-age people’ there are several other names,
including:
over 50’s resort/willage,
mature-age resort/village,
GVC’s (gated-village-community),
community lifestyle resort.
Whatever their name, they fall into two
main groups. In Queensland, for example, people who reside in the above listed
home types are legislated by MH (RP) Act 2003, that is: The Manufactured Homes
(Residential Parks) Act 2003, which (according to legislation) was to be revised
after three years.
For seniors who require personal care
and day-to-day personal assistance, the appropriate legislation is the
Retirement Act.
The word ‘retirement’ is a loosely
defined word. Most of the people who live under MH (RP) Act 2003 are, in fact,
retired. And most of the resorts are called ‘retirement homes’ at one time or
another, particularly by younger people for whom retirement is too far away to
even be contemplated, let alone segregated.
This book is about lifestyle under MH
(RP) Act 2003, though the experiences of community living carry many
similarities under the Retirement Act.
There are many reasons why people choose
a community lifestyle, and let it be said at the outset that the concept is
meritorious – but the same has also been said about Christianity and democracy,
with the proviso, ‘if only we could make it work’.
Although this book relates problems, it
is not intended as a gripe. Rather, there is so much sales talk and so little
publicly-disclosed experience that the aim of this bookl is to seek a balance.
To give prospective retirees a view from
the inside, to see through the sales blurb, escape the illusion, and get some
facts before you make what is probably one of the biggest decisions of your
life.
Happy retirement!
2. Resident’s Testimony
The resort into which we moved publishes
a monthly newsletter which, at that time, regularly contained a resident’s
testimony, written by a new homeowner. After we had been living there for about
two months, we were asked if we would like to write a testimonial. This is what
we wrote at that time:
“The concept of mature-age villages had
intrigued us for over five years. We had reviewed countless brochures, videos
and site inspections – but all had something missing which repelled us. Many
either frowned on, or openly rejected pets, which to us was a contradiction of
retirement lifestyle values.
“In March 2004, we took Lans (our
loveable labrador) to inspect this resort. When Lans asked, “Would a big fella
like me be welcome here?” the response was sheer enthusiasm.
“Talk about impulse buying! It took us
only two-and-half hours to inspect show houses, select a muddy, rocky,
mountainside-outcrop building block, and leave a deposit. We knew immediately
that this resort was the right place for us and since arriving in July we have
proved that decision in multiple ways.
“The houses have a distinctive design
quality. Hebel® bricks provide gratifying characteristics of noise and climate
insulation. The people respect privacy but provide friendliness and
companionship. There is a happy balance between, do your own thing and the
necessities of community conformity. Gardeners do the hard yakka, but there is
enough space to indulge in green-finger hobbies.
“Community sporting and recreation
facilities are second to none.
“To add to the village’s many
attributes, its location is first class. Its undulating streets are an
engineering marvel which not only provide panoramic vistas as you traverse them,
but also enable ease of access throughout.
“Outside the front gates there are
walkway-cycleway paths in every direction. Shops, trains, motorways and other
services are all within a short distance. Hinterland scenic drives are
magnificent, with both city and coastal outlooks.
“And if you want more, then just ask
Lans where is the best place to go for a river-estuary swim or seaside surf.
“Did he make the right decision in
coming here?
“You betcha! Who would want to live
anywhere else?”
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