Residents in sheltered housing are struggling to adapt as electronically controlled care and 'floating support' replace onsite 24-hour wardens. But with support from Help The Aged and the launch of a new website, residents from Scotland to Southampton are fighting back ...

It’s never too soon to start planning for retirement, as Bradford hairdressing salon owners Ron and Yvonne Whinpenny demonstrated when they joined visitors to the launch of The Laureates, a brand new luxury retirement development planned for Guiseley, West Yorkshire and took up the opportunity of professional dancing lessons.

The new Government strategy on housing our ageing population has been broadly welcomed by In Retirement Services, one of the UK’s leading providers of equity release solutions.

House prices may be stagnating – so developers could be missing a trick, as buyers would be prepared to add £10,000 to the price… if it was built or adapted to allow them to live there during their later life.

MT Editor Tony Watts visits Richmond Villages’ new development in Gloucestershire

Not all “sale and rent back” schemes are the same. Some come from firms authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. But some don’t. Does it matter? You bet it does, because while regulated firms have to offer a secure lifetime lease, the rash of new, unregulated companies now offering schemes do not. Here’s a checklist of what you need to look out for if you are considering one of these schemes.

One in five people aged 65 and over struggles with everyday household activities and many are finding it increasingly difficult to get around their own home. So dedicated retirement housing – where catering for the needs for people whose mobility is likely to decrease in the years ahead – is an obvious solution. Mature Times editor Tony Watts looks at the "bigger picture".