Summerset Retirement Villages Land a Lifemark

6 April 2009

Summerset Retirement Villages Land a Lifemark

This month Summerset Retirement Villages became the first retirement village operator in New Zealand to sign up to the Lifemark programme.

Summerset’s reputation for leading edge design, and safe, secure and enjoyable retirement environments has been bolstered by the Lifemark which is only given to designs that pass a strict, independent review process and meet a specific range of standards around usability, adaptability, accessibility, inclusion and lifetime value.

A home carrying the Lifemark demonstrates that it has been specifically designed to ensure ease of use in the present time, whilst also ensuring the home is more easily adapted to changing needs over the course of a lifetime.

“Summerset have taken the lead in New Zealand’s retirement sector by embracing the Lifemark. It’s an ongoing process but their commitment to the Lifemark can already be seen at their Hastings retirement village, where we have just approved 28 homes,” says Mandy Scott-Mackie, CEO of Lifemark Ltd.

Summerset in the Orchard at Hastings was the first retirement village in New Zealand to be awarded the prestigious Lifemark. Summerset is not resting on its laurels and intends that all of its new villages over the next two years will carry the Lifemark seal of approval.

There are already plans to build 253 more dwellings to the Lifemark standard in retirement villages around the country at Manukau, Warkworth and Aotea near Porirua.

Norah Barlow, CEO of Summerset, believes retirement villages carrying the Lifemark will offer new retirees additional peace of mind about their lifestyle investment.

“People move to Summerset to live, laugh and to have fun. There are very few “old people” in our villages; but there are many senior folk getting the very best out of life and now Lifemark will help them get the best out of their homes, too,” says Norah Barlow.

New Zealand’s ageing population means that there are even more people living even longer than previous generations. Many of New Zealand’s homes and communities were not designed to cope with the changing needs of the population.

“We were very conscious that our designs need to work for people from 55 to 95 and older. In other words it must be easy to adapt as peoples needs and wishes change. Getting the Lifemark means we can provide more homes and communities where people can live their lives as independently as possible,” says Norah Barlow.

“Summerset and the Lifemark leave people safe in the knowledge that they are getting a home that is adaptable, accessible, useable by all - now and in the future,” says Mandy Scott-Mackie.

Lifemark approved homes can be seen at Summerset in the Orchard, 1228 Ada Road, Hastings and, from 2nd May, in Manukau at Summerset by the Park.

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