title: What are older adults seeking? Factors encouraging or discouraging retirement village living.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  (1) To identify factors that older adults find encouraging or discouraging about the prospect of relocation to a retirement village; and (2) to identify features or facilities often associated with retirement communities that are most appealing to prospective residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomly selected community residents (n = 517), aged 55-94 years, from the Australian Capital Territory completed postal surveys to identify the characteristics associated with retirement villages that influence relocation decisions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The provision of outdoor living areas, support in maintaining independence, assisted living facilities and accessibility to medical facilities were identified as factors that would encourage relocation. Luxury services (e.g. heated swimming pools) were indicated as least likely to encourage relocation. Negative perceptions most influential in discouraging relocation reflected a fear of losing independence and privacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Through identifying the expectations of prospective residents, retirement village providers may better tailor facilities to the needs of their target demographic.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Ageing Health and Wellbeing, College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Dimity A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Crisp
authors.forename: Tim D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Windsor
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Butterworth
authors.forename: Kaarin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Anstey
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D040561:Assisted Living Facilities; D020958:Australian Capital Territory; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016852:Housing for the Elderly; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living / Q000523:psychology*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012179:Retirement / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: aged; housing decision; relocation