With the UK suffering from a shortage of suitable retirement homes and 3 million over 60s unable to move, how about hopping across the channel?

by Georgina
A recent report from Demos has claimed that millions of pensioners face growing old in social isolation because they are trapped in family homes which they cannot leave.
Pensioners who dream of downsizing to the perfect retirement property are sitting on a stockpile of properties with an estimated value of £400bn, the report says. However, a shortage of smaller homes suitable for the older generation means that more than 3 million over 60s are unable to move.
  • UK pensioners are sitting on a stockpile of properties estimated at £400bn (Demos)
  • Shortage of suitable retirement homes – 3 million over 60s unable to move
  • The Villages Group – Rainbow offers solution
Although the latest Census (2011) released last week reveals that the proportion of the population aged 65 and over living in communal establishments declined from 4.5 per cent (374,000) in 2001 to 3.7 per cent (337,000) in 2011, retirement villages remain an option to consider in your third age.
Danny Silver, Managing Founder of The Villages Group – Rainbow, Europe’s first LGBT active retirement village nestled in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of South West France comments,
“Indeed, retirement villages have not taken off in the UK as they have elsewhere around the world. Getting planning permission can be difficult and I think Brits have an attachment to their homes that is not always seen to the same extent in other countries but I really believe things are about to change. There is a new generation of retirees coming through that have money and will demand more. They won´t put up with the status quo.
“Developers know it’s coming: a rising demand for hassle-free housing to accommodate the growing number of baby boomers entering their golden years, looking to escape isolation and enjoy their retirement with like-minded individuals, living life to the full and most importantly keeping active, warding off loneliness.
“Here at The Villages Group – Rainbow we have thought about what older buyers want as the demand for specially designed housing is evidently apparent and not readily available in the UK. We have partnered with leading contractor Kingspan Tek who constructed the London Olympic Stadium, to build the perfect home for the aging but active gay community in one of the world’s top retirement destinations.”
Indeed, designed foractive  living but keeping retirement in mind, the Village situated in the stunning Canal du Midi, offers one-level eco-friendly homes set within outstanding natural environments with full on-site amenities including tennis courts, indoor pool, gymnasium, saunas and quality entertainment programmes from just €236,000.
With reservations now open, The Villages Group – Rainbow is set to be a success, offering a practical solution to the shortage of suitable retirement housing in the UK as well as providing a fresh alternative and unique lifestyle choice for the active over 50’s seeking the perfect lifestyle abroad.
For more information please contact The Villages Group on + 33 1 4007 8625, email villages@pdfparis.com or visit www.thevillagesgroup.com.