Taranaki

Why choose a retirement village in Taranaki?

Taranaki is defined by the overarching presence of Mt Taranaki, its ocean beaches and lush dairy country, and beautiful country gardens. For many years the centre of offshore gas and oil exploration and drilling, and now reinventing itself as a research centre for alternative energy sources, New Plymouth is the major provincial city. The provincial heartland towns of Stratford, Hawera and Eltham service their surrounding farmlands, and each have their own character.

There’s plenty to do outdoors in New Plymouth - you can bike or walk its coastal walkway, which stretches from Bell Block to Port Taranaki, or wander through Pukekura Park admiring the plants and listening to the birds. If the weather’s not playing ball, there’s the world-famous Govett-Brewster art gallery and its mesmerizing Len Lye kinetic installations. Every year gardeners from across the country make the pilgrimage to Taranaki for the rhododendron season, and the highly regarded Taranaki Garden Festival. The region is home to a number of open-to-visit gardens, some world-renowned, and many more keen gardeners and growers.

A retirement village is a community specially built to cater for the needs and lifestyle of older people. Choosing to live in a retirement village can be a great option for those wanting to maintain their independence while living among a like-minded community of people.

Research shows most people enjoy a high level of satisfaction when living in a lifestyle or retirement village. For residents, the benefits can be numerous; these may include giving you peace of mind, new and varied activities and interests, new friendships, and time to be able to spend on the things you most enjoy.

Villages vary greatly – you’ll notice different-sized villages, from very few units to some with hundreds; different types of units within the same complex; newer villages and older villages. You will discover the community offering a wide range such as swimming pool, bowling green and café. Eligibility age differs across villages too – some villages may allow residents to enter at 55 while others commonly have an entry age between 65 and 75.

As well as providing a range of different accommodation options, many villages now offer alternatives, such as care suites, which combine village offerings and residential care components. Make sure you visit a village more than once before you make a decision, and if possible visit more than one village to get a feel for how each has its own culture.

When you are ready to visit some retirement villages, our checklist may help you with your assessment.