If you are researching options for an older parent, you will quickly meet two terms that sound similar but mean very different things: a retirement village and a residential aged care home. Choosing the wrong one for your situation wastes time, so it helps to be clear from the start.
What is a retirement village?
A retirement village is a lifestyle community for older people who are still largely independent. Residents buy or lease their own unit or villa and live independently, usually with shared facilities like a community centre, pool or social activities. It is about downsizing and community, not care. There are generally no nurses on site, and residents arrange any personal or medical care themselves, just as they would in their own home. Retirement villages are governed by state-based retirement village legislation, not the aged care system.
What is residential aged care?
Residential aged care - what many people still call a "nursing home" - is for people who can no longer live independently and need daily personal care and 24-hour nursing. You move into the home permanently, and a professional team looks after care, meals, cleaning and support. It is government-subsidised, requires an aged care (ACAT) assessment, and is regulated by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
The key differences at a glance
| Retirement village | Residential aged care | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it suits | Independent older people wanting to downsize | People needing daily care and nursing |
| Care provided | None on site (arrange your own) | 24-hour nursing and personal care |
| Assessment needed | No | Yes - an ACAT assessment |
| Government-subsidised | No | Yes |
| Regulated by | State retirement village laws | Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission |
Which do you need?
If your parent is active and independent and simply wants an easier, more social lifestyle, a retirement village may suit. If they need help with everyday tasks, have health needs, or are no longer safe living alone, residential aged care is the right path - and the ACAT assessment is your first step.
Paradise Lakes Care Centre is a residential aged care home, not a retirement village - so if daily care is what you are looking for, you are in the right place. Read our guide on how to get into aged care, or register your interest.