This article is part of a series where we explore the real questions people are asking about retirement living — the honest ones, the hard ones, and sometimes the uncomfortable ones.
Rather than avoiding them, we unpack them, examine them from different angles, and offer a perspective that helps people make more confident, informed decisions.
One of the most common and deeply felt questions people ask when considering a move to a lifestyle village is:
Am I giving up my independence?
Many people worry that if independence is reduced, their physical and cognitive well-being may begin to decline.
And it’s a valid concern that research into senior ageing supports. But independence is not simply about where you live. It’s about how you live.
It is entirely possible to remain in your own home, yet become increasingly dependent on others to maintain it.
Another way to view independence is as being autonomous. Making your own decisions. Maintaining control over how life is lived.
Autonomy is not simply about doing everything yourself.
It is about having the freedom to choose how you live your life. A growing body of research shows that maintaining autonomy, staying socially connected, and continuing to engage in meaningful activities are all strongly linked to better physical health, improved mental wellbeing, and a reduced risk of cognitive decline in later life.
Studies on successful ageing also highlight that people who remain active and engaged in their communities tend to maintain both cognitive and physical function for longer. In this sense, lifestyle villages like Settlers Lifestyle Village do not remove autonomy; they enable it.
Here, residents are encouraged to lead activities, organise social events, and participate in outings, creating an environment that naturally supports both physical activity and social connection.
As one resident explained:
“I think ours might be rare – other villages employ staff and the staff organise everything — that is more restricting and less personal. But in ours, we make our own days up — it provides a sense of purpose, a bit of pride that it’s your area that you look after.”
“We are more active here than before we came.”
Others describe a noticeable shift in how they feel:
“Fitter, we are definitely fitter.”
And perhaps most simply:
“You can use your energy to do the things you want to do rather than the things you have to do.”
Independence in a lifestyle village is not through managing everything alone, but through having the freedom, energy, and opportunity to live life on your terms.
To wake up and decide what the day holds. Where you might go. Who you’ll spend time with.
What you feel like doing. Choices that become easier when your time and energy are no longer taken up by the ongoing demands of a home.
At Settlers, residents often speak about the balance between independence and support. There is freedom to be involved or private, social or quiet, active or relaxed.
As one resident put it:
“You’re here just to enjoy yourself. That’s the fun of it. There is so much to do if you want to do it, and if you don’t, just stay home.”
So perhaps the question is not, am I giving up my independence?
Perhaps it is: What would I do with more time, and less to worry about?
