Summerset Retirement Villages believes that retirement is an opportunity to focus on the things you love, unburdened and relaxed in an inviting community. Their villages represent a step into an engaging, fulfilling lifestyle – one built around ease, enjoyment, new friendships and a genuine sense of belonging.
Summerset’s residents have the freedom and the opportunity to pursue what matters most to them in retirement – whether that’s relaxing, focusing on hobbies, taking part in their local community or something else entirely. That freedom comes from living in a safe and secure community with like-minded people, and with a team of village staff who take the hassle out of life – managing maintenance, gardening and so much more.
The villages offer resort-style facilities, making every day feel like a holiday. Residents don’t need to go far to find engaging and entertaining spaces where they can enjoy the company of their fellow residents, keep fit and active and be part of a community. There are many social activities to attend and enjoy, but it’s the simple everyday interactions that make the difference.
Travellers have the peace of mind to know they can lock and leave their home at the village at a moment’s notice – no need to worry about the lawns being done or anyone keeping an eye on the place. That’s all taken care of so they can spend time planning their trip – not the home admin.
Summerset is a welcoming environment for residents’ families and friends too with every village playing host to regular visitors every week, lots of homes have an extra room for sons, daughters, grandchildren or friends to stay too.
As many communities feel more disconnected and fewer people know their neighbours than in years gone by, a safe and secure retirement village brings together elderly people who want social connections. Through making new friends, they easily find other people with common interests. This inspires new activities such as hiking groups, dinner parties and outings they organise themselves – on top of the busy activities calendar put on by the village team.
Summerset resident Ross McKenna, agrees, adding, “There are a lot of things which add to the richness of your life here that are part of what Summerset offers. It goes back to having a focus on residents. There’s a care part, but there’s also an understanding that people are here for a lifestyle, and they’re catering for that.”
He continues, “It’s really like you’re on holiday, but you’ve got the safety and security of your home. Add to that holiday resort feel, the fact that you’re with your friends, and you make new friends. That community culture is more powerful than I think people realise.”
His wife, Angela adds, “When you move into the village, it’s a whole new adventure, a new chapter. That’s been the biggest, best surprise about it. I think we’re more fun grandparents than we might have been if we hadn’t come into the village. We’d probably have been worrying about the garden, cleaning and everything else. Here, all your needs are met, there are fewer worries, and you have a good time spending more time with family and friends and living a richer life.”
Pet lovers Michael and Lynne Barradell were overjoyed to discover that Summerset Mount Denby in Whangārei has been very welcoming to them and their two black Labradors, “We liked Summerset from the start. We looked around other villages, but it was Summerset’s sympathetic and pleasing attitude about our dogs that made the difference,” adds Michael happily.
Summerset resident Sharon Powell says, “I’ve got more social life now than I’ve ever had. When my husband was alive, we were very social. But after he passed, it was harder for me to go out. Here, things are happening every day.”
The couple had a large property for 32-years and used to maintain it together. After Sharon’s husband passed, it eventually was too much for her. “You don’t really realise until you shift somewhere like this, just how much you do in your own home,” she adds.
“I walk every morning with my next-door neighbour, and there’s a group of us who get together for special birthdays or events, we take turns hosting and have a few drinks.
When I go away, one of my neighbours waters my garden. Another neighbour had picked a whole lot of plums, so he brought plums over along with some quince jam he had made. I can’t say enough how friendly everyone is around here.”
Current Summerset resident Trevor Hansen is a former real estate branch manager. “We looked at villages in the area, and when we compared them all, we felt that Summerset is superior in a lot of ways,” he adds. “Being in real estate helped a bit with understanding contracts, and I knew about licence to occupy agreements. We took legal advice, and our solicitor was our trustee. A fundamental thing to understand is the deferred management fee. As long as you can get your head around that, then you can see the benefits for you. You have to place a high value and worth on the lifestyle and camaraderie. And all the facilities and activities you can do on your doorstep. Then there’s the safety and security. You need to place a lot of worth and value on enjoying all that while you’re alive.”
Another Summerset resident Gavin Archer says he felt vulnerable as a single person living by himself, with no support in place. “I thought, perhaps it’s time to actually look to the future rather than hang on to the past,” he adds.
“Summerset has a full-time presence on the site, day and night. I don’t have to worry about security or anything. The vulnerability is gone, and freedom has taken over. I can decide this afternoon to go to Australia tomorrow. If you’ve got your own property to look after, you can’t be impulsive. There’s a big benefit of being able to lock and leave. I’ve got some great neighbours. And that’s a benefit because we all come in together with the same intention of making sure that the next stage of our life is well catered for,” he adds happily.
Maria and Hans Nagelkerke are both Summerset residents who are also delighted with the move. Hans says, “Maria, my wife and my co-pilot in life, came up with the bright idea of moving to Summerset. And it’s worked out brilliantly. With our entire family living in Holland and the two of us getting on in age, we realised that we needed more support. We’ve lived in the area for close on 31 years, and loved our community, so moving into the village didn’t feel like a massive adjustment at all. We literally picked up where we left off at a different address, except now we have a whole community looking out for us.”
Summerset’s Activities Coordinators in every village keep busy calendars of events and activities for everyone to enjoy. These include key date celebrations such as Valentine’s Day and St Patrick’s Day, along with a mix of competitive and friendly game events, music concerts and performances. There are regular trips into the local community too.
Region-specific outings are another bonus. Residents in the Nelson village often like to visit Rabbit Island to spend the day enjoying a picnic, outdoor games and a soak in the warm waters. Auckland village outings can be anything from a Tip Top or Chelsea Sugar factory tour to a trip to Hamilton to visit the gardens. Talented residents often fundraise for local charities through bake sales or market days. One of the most popular annual events for Summerset’s New Plymouth villages is AmeriCARna. Residents love the roar of the classic car engines, and a number jump in for a ride!
The best of the best New Zealand Summerset villages
Summerset’s mission is to bring the best of life to retired New Zealanders and put people at the heart of everything they do. All of their 38 Summerset village teams are dedicated to providing the very best in care, service and activities. Here’s a snapshot of Summerset’s newest New Zealand villages:
Summerset St Johns is a sophisticated retirement haven, with breathtaking views of Rangitoto and Auckland city, right in the heart of the eastern suburbs. It is the newest Auckland village and offers a range of stunning, architecturally designed homes, including apartments, serviced apartments, and suites in both the care centre and the innovative memory care centre. Residents enjoy the exquisite village centre, with a bar and bistro, an indoor pool and spa, and a recreational bowling green, along with other resort-style facilities. The village centre frames the stunning view of Rangitoto for all residents to enjoy.
Summerset Cambridge is a retirement oasis with views towards Maungakawa Scenic Reserve. It’s the first Summerset village to have an outdoor kitchen and entertaining area, adding to the resort-style facilities already available. It includes an outdoor pizza oven and a fully set-up outdoor kitchen, perfect for entertaining groups and socialising.
Summerset Milldale is located close to Silverdale and the Whangaparāoa Peninsula in one of Auckland’s newest and most affordable suburbs, Milldale. It offers the perfect retirement lifestyle, close to beaches, cafes, shopping and everything the Hibiscus Coast has to offer. Milldale will be the first village to have a greenhouse and wintergarden for residents to enjoy, adding to the resort-style facilities already available.
Summerset Rangiora is Summerset’s newest retirement village in Canterbury, offering relaxed retirement living with a delightful country feel. Close to local parks and cafés, with easy access to transport links and daily essentials. Rangiora village opened last year and is a young, vibrant community with independent residents.
Summerset Boulcott is in the sought-after Lower Hutt suburb of Boulcott, beside the iconic Boulcott Farm Heritage Golf Club. The village centre and many apartments enjoy a view of the golf course, giving residents a tranquil outlook. For golf enthusiasts, living next to a golf course is the ideal retirement location. The village is in central Lower Hutt, a stone’s throw from local theatres, supermarkets, Queensgate Shopping Centre, medical centres, and a hospital.
Summerset Blenheim is in the heart of the Marlborough region, surrounded by renowned vineyards and stunning mountain views. This beautiful location offers easy access to local shops and a relaxed lifestyle in one of New Zealand’s most scenic areas.
The village is home to one of Summerset’s newest village centre designs. It’s one level, instead of the usual three, and includes some of the most modern design fit-out to date. The one-level village centre is in keeping with the local environment and with its vaulted ceiling blends perfectly into the local area while still providing the resort-style facilities Summerset is known for.
3 Things You Need to Know
1) You’ll gain comfort and security
Summerset villages create a greater feeling of security, they’re fenced and have security gates which lock at night (though residents and their visitors can get in and out as they need with secure access). The gated community is there to provide residents with the confidence that they’re in a safe and secure environment and can truly relax into their retirement.
2) You’ll enjoy traditional support aligned with stand-out amenities.
A common misconception is that the retirement villages of today are the same as rest homes of old. This couldn’t be further from the truth. There are the care and support elements, but they’re modern and fitted out with new technologies, staff and support that didn’t used to be available. There’s also a variety of amenities for residents to enjoy, and regular fun events.
3) Transparent financial arrangements will put your mind at ease
There is a lot that goes into making the decision to move into a retirement village, and one of those is finances. Residents in Summerset villages have saved, consulted with lawyers, financial advisors, real estate agents, and their families before deciding to move in. Summerset’s terms are clear and easy to understand, providing full transparency on costs up front. Giving residents peace of mind and a transparent financial arrangement.
Summerset believes in the power of new beginnings and in the chance to make the years ahead the best they can be. Visit www.summerset.co.nz/ for more information or click here for a free information pack www.summerset.co.nz/contact-us/get-an-information-pack/ or here for upcoming events www.summerset.co.nz/about-us/events/
