Transitioning to a Retirement Village

You’ve done your research, narrowed down your options and made the decision to move to a retirement living village that suits your needs, wants and lifestyle.

But if the thought of making the move has you breaking into a sweat, there are several things you can do to prepare yourself for the big move and put your mind at ease.

We’ve put together a list of tips which may help you as you transition to your new retirement living community.

1. Create a checklist

Writing a checklist of what you need to do before you get the keys to your new home can take the stress out of feeling ‘overwhelmed’ by the transition. This can include things like redirecting your mail to your new address, organising a moving truck (or asking friends or family for help), arranging packing boxes and ensuring you cancel any home and content insurance or internet service providers at your previous address.

2. Declutter your belongings

If you are downsizing, often you will have to declutter and decide what belongings you will keep and discard. Prioritise what is important to take with you, then decide what you can donate, sell and discard. The easiest way to do this is to go room-by-room and create four separate boxes, one for ‘keep’ one for ‘donate’, one for ‘sell’ and one for ‘discard’. This can be a great way to clear out your belongings and narrow down what to take with you to your new home.

3. Check in with your Retirement Living Coordinator

While exciting, change can be stressful for many. It’s a good to get an idea of what to expect at your new community before or soon after you move in, and a great way you can do this is through your Village Retirment Living Coordinator. They’ll be able to give you the ins and outs of the village, social activities and groups you can join.

4. Ask for help with the move

Moving is no easy feat and can take a toll mentally and physically, so it’s always good to have people around you who can provide support. Whether it’s a friend, family member or partner, there’s no harm in asking a few people that you trust and can rely on to be by your side on moving day to help ensure that things go smoothly.

5. Get to know your neighbours

When moving into a new neighbourhood, a good way to break the ice is to introduce yourself to your new neighbours. If you’re the social type, you could do the traditional door knock introduction, or if this isn’t something you’re comfortable with, you could introduce yourself in a letter to your fellow residents, or attend the next social gathering.

6. Join the social club

Becoming part of your local community can be a good way to transition into your new retirement lifestyle. Finding ways to stay social, keep busy and get involved in activities or groups where you can do things you enjoy. Many retirement living communities will have a social club or social committee that organises a regular calendar of events where residents can get together to take part in activities, join outings or simply socialise and get to know one another.

7. Establish a routine

It’s not uncommon to feel out of sorts when you’re adjusting to a new way of life, but establishing your own routine is a good way to make you feel at ease in your new community. Your new routine could include making use of the village facilities, whether it’s slotting time at the on-site gym, swimming in the residents’ pool, or taking regular morning walks around your new neighbourhood to get a sense of your new surroundings.