The listed operator’s Gulf Rise retirement village on the Hibiscus Coast near Auckland, which will see the first resident move in next year, has been designed to have open borders with the surrounding community.
Metlifecare chief executive Glen Sowry says that the village’s security comes from good design and the site has a relatively limited number of entry and exit points, which will be monitored by security cameras.
According to Mr Sowry, the oldest cohort of the Baby Boomers, who are now at the age when they are starting to consider the move into a village, don’t want to live gated away from the world.
“They still want to feel relevant, and connected to the community, not shut away behind a wall, out of sight, out of mind,” he told Stuff.
“The oldest Baby Boomer today is 72 years of age. Clearly the Baby Boomers are the customers of the future.”
A café and restaurant is also planned for the edge of the village – not dissimilar to Living Choice’s Fullarton village in Adelaide which has a popular café and restaurant that is also open to the public.
