Why we picked Lifemark

A keen interest in architectural design, and 26 years in a wheelchair, has given Philip Blundell a thorough insight into what makes a home user-friendly and accessible. Phil’s own house was specifically designed to be totally accessible for his wheelchair as well as being a beautiful family home.

So when it was time for his parents (now in their eighties) to move into a retirement village, Phil knew exactly which design features would be invaluable to them – and that a retirement villa bearing the Lifemark seal of approval would have them.

The Taradale village in Napier is a Summerset Retirement Village, and it was the first in New Zealand to achieve the Lifemark seal of approval, for the villas within the complex.

The design features of a Lifemark home make life easy for its residents. Level entries into and throughout the home make for ease of access, and spacious bathrooms have room for a wheelchair to manoeuvre, and reinforced walls for the installation of a shower seat. Kitchens are also spacious, with storage drawers overcoming the necessity to bend into cupboards, and electrical sockets and switches at a height which can be reached by anyone. Wide passageways will accommodate wheelchairs with ease, and cavity sliders save valuable space.

‘This is what I liked about the Lifemark approach – everything has been thought through. I’ve seen other retirement units that just haven’t been thought through at all. Doors opening into small spaces like a laundry – no room to move at all if you’re in a wheelchair. Separate toilets which have only the standard floor area – same problem. With the design of some places, it’s clear that once someone reached a certain stage of mobility, they would not be able to carry on living there.’

‘I think a lot of people feel that moving to a retirement complex means in some way losing their home, But of course, it is home – but easier!’ says Phil. His parents’ original home, with its steep section and many steps, was becoming all but inaccessible to his mother, who uses a walker. Moving into their Taradale villa, with its Lifemark design features, has been a very positive experience.

‘Moving here has given them more freedom and independence. They’ve escaped the limitations of living in a home that no longer worked for them, and have joined a real community.’

Summerset Retirement Villages, a market leader in the sector in New Zealand, have embraced the Lifemark, and have recently opened another complex in Manukau which bears the Lifemark seal of approval - a guarantee that a home has been designed to allow anyone of any age, stage or mobility to live there easily for as long as possible.

Ageing-in-place has huge social benefits for people. The upheaval of being forced to move because your home can no longer match your needs, or of doing costly adaptations in order to remain in your own home, is very distressing. There is great peace of mind to be had, knowing that your home is designed to be able to adapt to your changing needs far into the future.

To find out more about Lifemark visit www.summerset.co.nz