Choosing The Right Retirement Living For You

It’s always a big decision to buy a new place, move house, or choose somewhere to rent. We understand that it can be a stressful and emotional time moving from your family home.

At MHA, we work with you to take that stress away and our hope for you is to find a home for the rest of your life. MHA can be there for you every step of the way, helping you with any questions you might have, removals, and services that can help you have a smooth move.

The key to choosing a retirement living property is that you have peace of mind, and feeling safe and secure.

Before you start looking, think about the things that are most important to you now, but also think ahead to the future and what you might need if your circumstances change or your health was to deteriorate in later life.

We would always recommend viewing a property in person, this is a great opportunity to get a feel for the place and meet some other residents and staff too. It would be a good idea to take someone with you as they might think of different questions to ask and bring another perspective.

You can always book a second viewing too and we’d recommend going at a different time of the day. If you want to bring a lot of furniture with you, bring a tape measure, notepad, and pen with you to measure spaces for furniture.

Here are some questions you might want to consider before the viewing – you could either write them down or print this page and bring it with you to make an informed choice.

Some of these might be for the future, like care packages, but it’s a good time to be thinking about that.

The local area

• Where is the nearest transport link?
• How far away is the nearest town?
• What’s the local area like?
• Is there a park nearby?

Financial options

• Can you rent before you buy?
• What charges are included?
• What happens if you wish to resell the property? Will the operator take a cut of the resale value?

Health and wellbeing

• What care packages are available?
• What care packages are available and how much are they?
• Can you cater to my dietary requirements?

The finer details/amenities

• Can I move in with my wife/husband/partner?
• What are the facilities on site and are there extra costs to use any of them?
• Can I bring my car, and will I have a designated parking space?
• Are there wheelchairs available to use if I want to go out for the day?
• Can I bring my pets and are there any restrictions?
• Is there staff available 24/7?
• What activities do you have available?
• Will I have an emergency call system in my home?

Guests and visitors

• Are there guest facilities for family members?
• Are there car parking spaces for visitors?
• Can guests eat with me in the communal area?

Page last updated: April 2023.