Arriving at my vacation spot on a moist Wednesday morning, I’m greeted by a gentleman with a big umbrella who shields me from the rain as I make my manner from the cab to the high-ceilinged foyer.
Inside, a smiling concierge takes my suitcase and I’m instantly conscious {that a} valise from Louis Vuitton could be altogether extra applicable than my barely scuffed John Lewis baggage. The sensation of disorientation is acute. I’ve come for a recce and a one-night sleepover, however what precisely is that this place that operates with all of the providers and facilities of a luxurious resort (suppose Claridge’s, no exaggeration) and has the texture of a non-public members’ membership (suppose Soho Home, by way of coolness)?
How is it potential that Auriens, as it’s referred to as, is neither a resort nor a membership, however what we peculiar, frequent folks may name a retirement residence. The type of place I’m now eligible for, age-wise if not pocket-wise.
Not that the time period ‘retirement residence’ would ever move the advertising and marketing group’s lips on this five-star setting. No, that is the last word expression of what’s now referred to as ‘luxurious later-life dwelling’.
Auriens is neither a resort nor a membership, however what folks could name a retirement residence. Linda Kelsey, 70, (pictured) explains that it’s luxurious, upscale dwelling for the over 65s
And but the residents I meet, presently starting from their late 70s to 91, don’t even attempt to dodge the age bullet, and are fairly prepared to pronounce how very historic they’re. This might be as a result of they’re so having fun with themselves that they don’t give a rattling in regards to the phrases used to explain the place they dwell.
Whereas Auriens is exclusive — for the sheer scale of its opulence, to not point out the price (rental begins at £13,750 a month) — the phenomenon of upscale dwelling for the over-65s is rising apace.
At present lagging behind the United States, in addition to Canada and Australia, that is one UK business set to go stratospheric, regardless of the costof-living disaster.
One research has revealed that the price of dwelling disaster is forcing pensioners out of retirement and again to work.
Not solely are one in 5 folks in England and Wales 65 or older, for the Child Increase era, who’ve benefited from the rise in property values, there’s extra cash round for downsizing or at the least discovering houses extra appropriate to altering circumstance with out sacrificing consolation.
In accordance with Knight Frank’s Senior Housing Annual Evaluation, funding in senior developments this yr alone is ready to succeed in a report £3billion.
Frankly, on the age of 70, the concept of a retirement residence, whether or not it’s deluxe or one I can truly afford, has zero enchantment.
Linda enjoyable by the swimming pool and the sauna with Himalayan salts emitting from the partitions
The notion of being sequestered away with a bunch of oldies feels akin to being sentenced to finish your days on a cruise ship you’re by no means going to disembark from, within the firm of fellow passengers you in all probability don’t have anything in frequent with.
Would my keep at Auriens affirm or confound my prejudices? Or is there something to be realized from Auriens that may trickle down from the millionaires to us mortals?
Auriens has 56 one and two bed room residences accessible for hire fairly than sale, and to this point it’s slightly below half full. Nonetheless a chance then to nab an condominium. It’s a mere stone’s throw from King’s Street in London, a glamorous procuring and eating paradise and helpful when you’re nonetheless on the sprightly facet.
As I stroll alongside the hall in the direction of the condominium allotted to me for the night time, I take within the unique prints by Nineteen Sixties super-snapper Terry O’Neill which line the partitions, black-and-white portraits of icons of the period together with Sean Connery, Audrey Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, and Richard Burton in a shower cap.
Upscale dwelling for the Boomer era is rising apace
No expense spared on the artwork then, as you may anticipate, for the individuals who dwell right here have all skilled the heady occasions these portraits conjure up, coming as lots of them do from the worlds of huge enterprise, trend, artwork and promoting, and with ample hundreds of thousands to spend their ultimate years within the lap of luxurious.
The large, gleaming marble and mosaic lavatory in my condominium is twice the dimensions of mine at residence. However I’m virtually grateful for a second of actuality after I realise the toilet is leaking barely on the again.
My very own bathroom at residence has the identical drawback. The distinction is that after per week I’m nonetheless ready for a plumber; at Auriens no sooner have I picked up the telephone to upkeep than the issue is resolved.
My first gasp is reserved for the kitchen. One factor oldies aren’t inspired to do anyplace is get on a step-ladder to succeed in the highest shelf in case they lose their stability. Right here you don’t must. On the press of a button the top-tier cabinet lowers towards the work prime so you’ll be able to merely attain in fairly than attain up.
Then there’s the dishwasher — a top-loader, once more to keep away from accidents in addition to the tough enterprise of bending down solely to understand your again has gone into spasm.
Linda within the theatre at Auriens, which residents are capable of ebook by way of the concierge service on the residence
And most comforting of all, a nurse-call button by the mattress: press at any time of day or night time (no naff crimson cords right here) and, in minutes, assist might be on its manner. As one 80-something resident tells me later, laughing dryly as she does, ‘Somebody calls me each morning very first thing, simply, I believe, to verify I’m nonetheless alive!’
On this alternate universe the place cash is not any object, a retirement house is starting to appear like one thing to aspire to fairly than dread.
And but, I can’t assist feeling that it represents a shutting down — cloistering me in an area for outdated folks solely, after I nonetheless need to be a part of a vibrant, all-age group as I’m at current.
One factor you wouldn’t be inspired to do when you moved to Auriens is relaxation up. Each new resident will get a well being and wellbeing evaluation with wellness director and private coach Gideon Remfry who, alongside physiotherapist Holly Limbrick, will type you out so far as good diet and train are involved.
After a finger prick blood take a look at, to evaluate mobile stress and antioxidant safety scores, in addition to physique composition evaluation, I’m suggested on tweaking my weight loss program and given a resistance coaching programme to extend power and muscle mass. You possibly can have one-onone private coaching (further, in fact) or be a part of group aqua courses or a seated train session free of charge.
Frankly the concept of a retirement residence, deluxe or not, has zero enchantment…however this might change my thoughts
To be sincere the swimming pool and the sauna with Himalayan salts emitting from the partitions are wanting extra tempting proper now than a exercise within the well-equipped health club the place I spot an aged chap cheerfully practising boxing jabs. It happens to me that in a spot like this you might truly get fitter fairly than succumb to say no, one thing certainly much less swanky outfits may study from.
After a scrumptious lunch of gnocchi and salad made by an ex-Savoy head chef (whereas feeling grateful I don’t but have to make use of the specifically designed stands subsequent to the desk the place you discreetly stash your strolling stick), I discover myself worrying about what to put on for the pre-dinner soiree within the library.
There’s a piano recital on the 1929 Steinway, a classical medley offered by a gifted graduate of the Royal School of Music, Ana Bursac.
Gosh there’s so much occurring right here, together with singing and portray courses, and there’s solely simply time earlier than dinner for a glass of champagne within the glamorous bar they discuss with as ‘the speakeasy’. And completely no time to catch a film within the Artwork-Deco-style cinema the place residents select the movie they need to see whereas having fun with nibbles and cocktails.
Then again, if you wish to go to the theatre you’ll be able to ask the concierge to ebook it for you; when you fancy having dinner delivered to your room you’ll be able to simply ring downstairs and order from the menu. Really feel like performing some procuring spherical city however can’t be faffed with getting transport? The Auriens automotive and chauffeur, at your service ma’am.
Regardless of the upbeat environment, the factor I preserve remembering is the trend I felt on reaching my seventieth after I began receiving leaflets from purveyors of retirement houses, like Elysian Residences (with properties in Stanmore, Sevenoaks, Berkhamsted and Tunbridge Wells) who needed to lure me in with a champagne drinks reception. I had no want to be singled out and categorised due to my age.
Inside one of many Auriens flats, which Linda mentioned was grand and extremely giant. It was additionally very luxurious
Why wouldn’t they simply depart me alone and cease reminding me of how outdated I’d turn out to be?
I suppose what most of us need as we age is to retain our dignity and independence, and letting go of that’s scary.
If you happen to’re like me and used to being absolutely unbiased, and under no circumstances used to butlers and housekeepers and valets on faucet, it’s simple to search out all this pampering a little bit cloying.
The lack of full autonomy is, in fact, one of many chief drawbacks to all retirement houses, and regardless of how high-end the service is, I really feel it right here too.
I don’t need to dwell beneath any watchful eye, regardless of how benign. And I do suppose I’d really feel the strain to look well-groomed on a regular basis in case I acquired sniffy appears from my co-residents.
It’s simple to search out all this pampering a little bit cloying
It’s why these of us nonetheless younger sufficient to be in denial of the true well being points (each bodily and psychological) as we proceed by our 70s and into our 80s, would fairly keep put in our creaking however beloved houses, cracking lame jokes about Zimmer frames and stair lifts fairly than resist what may turn out to be the truth any time within the subsequent few years.
My retirement dream (after I was younger) was all the time to get along with mates in a type of large commune, convert a manor into separate models with some shared dwelling house, and pile in with mates and hopefully my sister.
However it’s simply that, a dream, as a result of in terms of the potential of doing it, most individuals don’t even start to agree on their necessities, have completely different tastes and completely different budgets and are greater than more likely to fall out horribly earlier than contracts are even exchanged. After which what occurs when your mates begin dividing into those that want care, leaving those that don’t because the carers?
The reality is, and I believe like many, many others, I’m not planning in any respect for when my own residence may turn out to be much less manageable with its stairs and the fixed upkeep required of a Victorian home.
My sister and brother-in-law, too, now 73 and 76 respectively, don’t have any ideas of foregoing their four-storey city home, banking on their good well being and luck for the foreseeable future. Denial, I suppose, is what it’s all about, till the watershed second.
For Auriens resident Josiane Woolf, that second got here when, after nursing her husband for the final 4 months of his life, and spending Covid in isolation, she felt painfully lonely.
‘I used to be married 58 years,’ she instructed me, ‘and but outdated mates stopped contacting me. After which, throughout Covid, I may solely meet my youngsters open air for a stroll.
‘That is one of the best factor I’ve completed. Once I arrived I had simply two mates, now I’ve seven.’ She smiles over at her new friends.
For an additional resident, John Blackburn, 88, a former artwork director in promoting who based a profitable design firm, the set off was a nasty fall. ‘This place is my Shangri La. So long as I’m right here I stay younger. If I depart I really feel I would revert again to my true age.’
I speak, too, to Paulene Stone, a flame-haired supermodel of the Seventies, now a pixie-cropped blonde of 81, nonetheless exquisitely elegant in cream cashmere and sporty Zara trousers. Though quickly wheelchair-bound after fracturing each kneecaps after a fall, she stays upbeat about her determination to promote her Pimlico residence.
Covid loneliness and extra significantly a involved and persuasive daughter had been catalysts for shifting to Auriens.
The reality is, I’m in denial about the true problems with outdated age
‘For the primary month I believed why on earth did I do that? I even felt shy about happening to the restaurant for breakfast,’ she says. ‘Then at some point I used to be lugging groceries from M&S, got here by the door and mentioned to myself, “Thank God I’m residence”.’
For a few of the already frail residents, carers may be introduced in from a really helpful company, or you might, in a two-bed condominium, have one dwelling with you.
And so after my transient keep I used to be virtually bought. Auriens may change my thoughts, at any charge. Loneliness, frailty, feeling unsafe, a want for group — regardless of what number of hundreds of thousands you will have stashed within the financial institution, we’re all human, all of us get outdated. Companionship and caring employees readily available who really feel like mates are issues no amount of cash should purchase.
And but from the concierge to the waiters, I couldn’t assist however discover on what pleasant, chatting phrases all of them gave the impression to be with the residents. I suppose they’re skilled that manner and are paid so much higher than employees in an precise care residence could be.
A retirement residence? As an alternative of by no means, it’s extra of a one-day possibly. Now, come the tipping level, I really feel a little bit higher ready for the massive determination. I simply want to start out significantly saving.
