An Inside Out village planned for Rooty Hill is a new Anglicare project designed to create retirement options that are designed, from the ground up, to be a part of the local community rather than isolated from it.

“The understanding is that the older concept of a retirement village as being a gated, secure, isolated, compound is outdated,” says Anglicare CEO Grant Millard. “If you look at overseas trends, and if you look just at what retirees want, they do want to be integrated with an outside community while also enjoying the benefits of a retirement community... facilities appropriate for an internal community for them, their peers and friends.”

The retirement village, while still providing traditional services for residents, will also serve as a hub for other community services such as restaurants, shopping, child care and a medical centre. These Stage 2 services will follow the completion of the Stage 1 complex of 66 one- and two-bedroom apartments – which will be up for sale from May next year, with occupancy within 12 months. Roughly a third of units will also be available for rent, making them more accessible to those living in the local area.

“The building development itself is going well – we’re ahead of schedule,” Mr Millard says.

An information centre is open at the site, providing details about the organisation’s retirement and residential aged care options. It also offers a free dementia advice service, which provides testing and lends support to the elderly and their families.

In addition to teaming up with local community services, the Inside Out village will continue Anglicare’s practice of partnering with local churches.

“Anglicare staff have been very involved with communicating with us and even being involved with some of our ministries as well, ” says the rector of St Alban’s MBM at Rooty Hill, the Rev Ray Galea.

“Residents will be in our parish, and so we’re looking to explore how we can minister to them." - Ray Galea

“The fact that a number of units are available through rent as well makes it easier for those already in the area who may not have a significant asset to launch from into retirement living. It opens the door to ministry to a wider demographic, and we’re looking at the kinds of ways we will be able to be involved.”

Mr Millard says the organisation believes the Inside Out style of development “is going to meet a need of the future”.

“One of the sensitivities people have about going into retirement living is giving up the life they were used to, and losing connections with the community around them. I think this model will hopefully bring the best of both worlds by providing a supportive environment and security of tenure, but actively looking to promote people’s connections with the wider community – and in fact, bring the wider community in.”

Anglicare is also looking to expand the concept to other locations, with a site at Minto in the early planning stages.