Local people were invited to give their opinions about the Coventry-based charity's proposed 260-apartment development, which would be located at Earlsdon Park, near the former Butts Technical College, occupying three acres of a newly-created re-development area.
Earlsdon residents Michael and Barbara Snape were among those who attended the event and both said that they were very interested in the idea of a retirement village in the city.
"We've lived in Coventry all our lives," said Michael, 62, "but in the future we might like to move to a home that is easier to manage."
Barbara, who is 64, said that the location of the development was very appealing to her. "I like the idea of being able to stay in Earlsdon. I don't want to have to find a new doctor, for example, especially at this time of life."
She added that the security of the proposed village appeals to her. "I've never slept in a house completely on my own, and I don't think that I would like to start now, if anything happened. And it would be fantastic to be able to go away and not have to worry about anything. Living in the village would make things a lot easier and give us some peace of mind."
Two-thirds of people surveyed said that security concerns are on their minds as they age. In addition, 43 percent indicated that they often worry about what will happen to them if they develop care needs later in life, as over three-quarters have not made financial preparation for support services.
Up to 24 hour care would be available to village residents, delivered by ExtraCare's qualified staff team. An award-winning well-being service and specialist dementia centre would also be located within the Village Centre.
The Village would also include a well-being suite, restaurant, library, café bar and lounge, IT suite, hairdressing and beauty salon, gym, craft room, and an external bowling green.
ExtraCare already operates three successful housing schemes in Coventry: Humber Court in Abbey Park, Willowbrook in Canley and Princethorpe Court in Binley. These schemes will continue to operate as normal alongside the new village development.
ExtraCare expects to apply for planning permission for the Coventry village in 2012, and it could be home to over 350 local older residents by 2015.
Picture: ExtraCare's Chief Executive Nick Abbey, prospective residents Michael and Barbara Snape, and Coventry's Cllr Tony Skipper at the consultation day for ExtraCare's proposed new retirement village in Earlsdon Park, Coventry.
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Campaigns & Issues
Councils’ care home policy may cost families £millions a year, says charity
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The families are having to ‘top-up’ their elderly relatives’ care home fees because some councils refuse to pay the full market cost themselves. Councils are required to provide an appropriate care home place to elderly people with few assets but the maximum rate they will pay in England is on average £45 a week, compared to an average real cost of £524.
News
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- The latest figures from the Alliance Trust Economic Research Centre show that all households experienced a decline in their inflation rates in April
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Competitions & Fun
Win a pair of tickets to South Pacific
This breathtaking and lavish Lincoln Center Theatre production reinvented Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic musical.
It swept the 2008 Tony Awards, played for two years to sold-out houses on Broadway and was televised across America.
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Health & Wellbeing
Patients to benefit from better advice on pain control
New guidance for doctors and other prescribers on the use of strong painkillers for patients with chronic or incurable disease has been welcomed by researchers at the University of Leeds.
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Property & Finance
Older people need specialist housing
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Lifestyle
Learn how the internet can make life easier for you
Stocking up on the heavy grocery essentials was a full day out for Sheila, age 82. “I could see the advantages of doing the supermarket shop on the internet: having the groceries delivered, saving the taxi fare and not relying on others to shop for me if I’m ill,” said Sheila.
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Travel & Leisure
New sat-nav for older people
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