Improving the retirement village to residential aged care transition.

Abstract

Older Australians living in retirement villages are an increasing community segment. These people make choices both about the place at which they live and the support needed at that place to optimise health and wellbeing. However, for some, unmet support needs in the retirement village may result in a transition to a residential aged care facility. This qualitative study explored how and why this transition occurs; how it might be avoided; and, when the move is unavoidable, how the process can be improved. Implications of these findings for the retirement village and aged care sectors are discussed.