Making the shift into a retirement village

Tauranga woman Jeanette Andrews, president of the Metlife Somervale Retirement Village residents association, says she has peace of mind after making the move to the facility. Photo/Andrew Warner.

When Jeanette Andrews and her husband Mike moved from Papamoa into Metlifecare Somervale Retirement Village nearly two years ago the couple were looking for peace of mind.

Mrs Andrews said it was important the village had a hospital facility that would offer them a sense of security.

Mrs Andrews comments come as building consents for Tauranga retirement villages surge ahead.

Data from Priority One shows in the year to July 2016, 96 consents were issued, valued at $51.8 million, compared with 87 consents valued at $33.6m for all of 2015 and 35 consents for 2014 valued at $14.3m.

The largest single value consent over the same timeframes was issued to Metlifecare Somervale at Mount Maunganui in March for $11.7m to erect a 69-bed care home and 16 new serviced apartments

Mrs Andrew said they hadn't needed the village's hospital facility yet ''but we don't know what the future holds''.

"If one of us has to go into the hospital the other can still be in the village and it makes it much easier."

The Somervale Residents Association president said the village was also very community orientated.

The 72-year-old said the committee had recently adopted a buddy system and would hold a Spring Festival in October for the first time.

"I love it here and we organise a lot of social gatherings, which is great," she said.
"It's entirely up to yourself what you want to do ... there is so much going on in the village to choose from."