What is a Retirement Village?

A retirement village is a residential complex, occupied predominantly by retired persons aged 55 years and over.

Villages may consist of freestanding cottages, villas, and low or high rise blocks of units. The majority of villages offer car parking; it may be an attached garage or designated parking within a short distance of the villa or unit.

The NSW Retirement Villages Act

Retirement villages are regulated in NSW by the Retirement Villages Act 1999 (as amended) and the Retirement Villages Regulation 2009. 

Self-care or serviced apartments

Self-care villas or units are designed to be occupied by residents who require no assistance with daily living activities. Generally, the villas or units are self-contained, with their own laundry homes. Recently constructed villages have wheelchair access, with internal halls and doorways that are designed to accommodate residents using disability aids.

Serviced apartments are designed to meet the needs of residents requiring assistance with their daily living activities. Dependent on the needs of individual residents, assistance can be provided in preparing meals, laundry and cleaning. Meals are served in a communal dining room, but some villages will provide meals to the resident's apartment. Residents usually have access to personal and or nursing care, generally on a fee-for-service basis.