UK: Riverstone has opened its latest senior living project, in Fulham, south-west London.
Riverstone Fulham, on the north bank of the Thames, features contemporary one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, with 23,000 square feet of communal space and a 24/7 concierge.
Martin Earp, CEO of Riverstone, said: “We’re seeing a distinct shift in behaviour towards retirement from the baby boomer generation to that of their parents. This is a generation that invented the term `teenagers’, partied at school and University, and they handled their careers differently by moving jobs rather than having a job for life.”
“It’s clear that they will plan later living in a different way from their parents – and this is what we have seen in Australia, the United States and Canada already where integrated retirement communities form a significant proportion of homes for over-65s,” he added.
Research from Knight Frank shows that the number of people aged over 65 living in the UK is forecast to increase by 20 per cent to 12 million by 2027, and those aged 90-plus years old is expected to rise at an even faster rate to more than 750,000 people over the same time period.
Knight Frank calculates the UK needs three million dedicated retirement living properties to cater for those aged over 65 who would consider downsizing.
Earp added: “We have people who have lived in London most of their lives and want to continue to enjoy the wealth of amenities that are on the doorstep of Riverstone. On the flip side we are also talking with people who live outside of London, but are looking for options to release funds whilst right-sizing and also moving closer to children and grandchildren.”
“By living at Riverstone, you are less likely to need formal support or care than if you remained living in your previous house – this is because of our proactive approach to health and wellbeing, as well as through knowing that there is always someone around if you need them. Should you need (or want) some further support to help remain independent, we have partnered with The Good Care Group and have co-designed a bespoke service for our residents.”
