Serviced apartments or assisted living

Key points:

• Serviced apartments and assisted living
• Lifestyle and inclusions
• Where can I find serviced apartments?

Serviced apartments and assisted living

Serviced apartments are a combination between retirement living and an aged care facility, where you can live independently with access to various levels of care and assistance.

This type of accommodation is also referred to as supported or assisted living.

Residents of serviced apartments are generally mobile and independent but require some help with some – but not all – daily living activities. In a serviced apartment you benefit from being part of a retirement community, just as you would in a retirement village, but the apartment will have even less maintenance and there is more of an opportunity to receive higher levels of care in your apartment.

Services and facilities which may be offered to residents of assisted living include:

• Cleaning
• Laundry
• Assistance with personal care
• Nursing care
• Group exercise classes
• Visiting allied health professionals such as physiotherapists and podiatrists
• Hobby and interest groups such as knitting, craft or card games
• Entertainment shows by visiting groups
• Social events such as morning teas
• Social events to bring family along to
• Outdoor or indoor lawn bowls
• Table tennis
• Swimming pool, as well as hydrotherapy or aqua aerobics sessions

Lifestyle and inclusions

In most serviced facilities your main meal of the day will be provided, and you will have more of a kitchenette in your apartment, rather than a full kitchen. The daily meal will likely be served in a dining room shared by your community.

Your provider may also have a breakfast and lunch service and each of the meals will have a menu arranged by a chef, with several choices for each meal. The meal service can be particularly beneficial if you can’t or don’t want to do your own nutrition, food shopping and meal preparation, and is a benefit of assisted living which is not regularly offered in retirement villages.

Many serviced apartments have more scheduled group activities and outings than retirement villages, for example shopping trips or bus trips with other residents.

If you are eligible for a government funded Home Care Package you will be able to receive this care while living in a serviced apartment, as the provider is not classed as residential aged care but operated more like a retirement village.

The level of security in a serviced apartment is also very high, giving you and your family peace of mind. There is also safety in the number of staff who can respond to an emergency call if you have medical concerns and the apartments are designed to support mobility with no trip hazards, wider doorways and the possibility of grab rails in the bathroom.

If you are looking for an accommodation option which supports ageing in place then assisted living is ideal as you can start with a low level of services and more independent living, then build up your care as your needs increase, all while living in the same apartment and maintaining as much independence as possible.

Where can I find serviced apartments?

Serviced apartments are usually only available in cities as they are a high-density housing development, so are not available in as wide a variety of locations across Australia as retirement villages are. However, some major regional centres may also have assisted living options.

You can search for serviced apartments near you here.

There will be costs involved with serviced apartments, just as with any type of retirement living or aged care. Most serviced apartments are cheaper to enter than retirement villages, as the home you move into is smaller, however other cost factors will depend on the location and style of apartment you want, the types of services you would like to use and the level of care you need.

Unlike retirement villages, all serviced apartments operate with rental lease type arrangements, and you cannot buy an apartment outright. To enter into the assisted living development, you pay a lump sum deposit and there may also be a fee charged when you leave the accommodation, as well as weekly fees for services.

For independent advice on the costs of assisted living call a financial advisor on 1300 863 216.

Related information you might find useful

planning for a secure retirement

choosing the right financial advisor

finding the right village