I very much enjoyed my encounter with Radio 2’s lunchtime presenter Jeremy Vine on Thursday. I was invited onto his programme to discuss the retirement village concept in light of new research which suggests residents of such communities live longer and healthier. Jeremy had created a spoof advert of the…

Thank you to Melanie Reid, one of The Times’ most capable and respected journalists. Her article at the weekend entitled “Growing old never used to worry me but my accident has changed all that” unbeknowingly captures the spirit of our own retirement villages. While ‘gardeners mowing the lawns topless’ and…

The Government’s NewBuy Guarantee feels like a positive step forward, even for developers like us who sit near the top of housing chains. The initiative is aimed at people wanting to buy a new build home who are unable to fund a deposit of more than five per cent. It…

Last week saw the release of the British film ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’. The film tells the tale of a group of retirees who move into a home for the elderly in India for what they believe will be a more luxurious yet less expensive way to spend their…

This may be an American study but I’ve highlighted it here because I think it rings true in the UK too – well, at least in the many instances I’ve experienced firsthand. The study suggests that the older people get, the more likely they are to recall happy, more positive…

The idea of people rating their care home publicly is one I would support. It’s an initiative that forms part of a Government White Paper on social care and is likely to be published in the spring. Only an idea at this stage but one which would again assist in making…

It is impossible to deny the fact that property and health go hand in hand among the older population. Good housing and support can make a massive difference to older people’s independence, health and wellbeing. We see examples of this every day within our villages and have the anecdotal and…

I read the Intergenerational Foundation’s (IF) report and felt very angry on behalf of all older people. How dare these so-called experts accuse older people of "hoarding property". Surely you have to have more than one of something to be a hoarder and wanting to stay in your own home doesn't…

Monday (17th October 2011) represented the last day of consultation on the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework. We sincerely hope the consultation process has taken onboard the growing evidence supporting a more flexible and open-minded approach to housing for the older generation. As this population grows so will the demand…

I’m really delighted to see Anchor’s Grey Pride campaign starting to gather some serious following. There were 81,000 signatures on the petition last time I checked, click here for more details. We do need a Minister for Older People because there are so many areas where Government is currently missing…