Review of community facilities in Australian retirement villages: a content analysis

Abstract

Facilities in retirement villages form a supportive environment for older residents. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the provision of these facilities in retirement villages, which are regarded as a viable accommodation option for the increasing ageing population in Australia.A content analysis of facilities in 124 retirement villages operated by 22 developers in Queensland and South Australia was conducted.The most widely provided facilities are community centres, libraries, barbeque facilities, hairdressers/salons and billiards/snooker/pool tables. Commercial operators provide more facilities than not-for-profit organisations, and larger retirement villages normally have more facilities due to the economies of scale involved.The results of the study provide a useful reference for providing facilities within retirement villages that may support the quality lifestyles of older residents.