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. Having established itself as a research centre for alternative energy sources, New Plymouth is the major provincial city where residents enjoy a range of activities, from enjoying the award-winning Coastal Walkway, through to taking in Len Lye’s mesmerising kinetic installations at the Govett-Brewster art gallery.

The heartland towns of Stratford, Hāwera and Eltham service their surrounding farmlands, and each have their own unique character. While cheese fiends and history buffs will enjoy the dairy industry history of Eltham (not to mention the renowned Eltham Cheese Bar!) or the oldest railway station in Inglewood, literary lovers, especially fans of the great bard, may prefer Stratford with its Glockenspiel clock tower performing reenactments of Romeo and Juliet daily.

For those with a green thumb, Taranaki is the place to be with a number of open-to-visit gardens spread across the region, as well as the highly regarded annual Taranaki Garden Festival.

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.