The paw-fect retirement: Pet-friendly homes for the over 60s

According to a recent survey, 60% of UK households have a pet. Over half of pet owners aged 45 and over said they would be lonely without their pet and over a third said their pet benefits their family’s mental health*, highlighting the important impact they have on overall wellbeing. And with 10th October marking World Mental Health Day, now is an important time to highlight the powerful benefits of owning a pet. Many fear they may have to leave their pet behind when the time comes to downsize to a smaller home. Hoping to fill this void is Rangeford Villages, who actively welcome pets into their retirement villages and has designed special spaces for them.

Rangeford Villages has introduced a ‘Bark Park’ at its recently completed village Siddington Park in Cirencester which has been designed to keep the owners’ K9 friends super fit and active. The facility offers 750 sq. ft area of dedicated outdoor space for residents to exercise their dogs and enjoy some off-lead fun, in a safe and enclosed environment. The park comes complete with a dog agility area, as well as a seating area for owners with café-style lighting, so that it can be used day or night, as well as plenty of shaded areas to shelter from the weather come rain or shine. Initiatives such as this not only encourage owners to remain active, but it also means they have dedicated areas to spend quality time with their pets outside the home, hugely benefiting their quality of life and mental health.

At Wadswick Green, owners benefit from over 25 acres of landscaped grounds surrounded by beautiful Wiltshire countryside, great for dog walks. Whilst the overall space and security that comes with a Rangeford property provides a safe and comfortable environment for cats and other pets.

When Heather moved into her one-bedroom ground-floor apartment at Siddington Park with her two rescue dogs, Summer and Tansy, the pet-friendly measures at the village were a huge appeal. Speaking about the importance finding the right home for her and the dogs she says:

“I was delighted to discover that Siddington Park was such a dog friendly village. When I told people I was downsizing and moving here, many people asked me what I was going to do with my dogs. It made me laugh really, I don’t think they realise how much space I have here, it's really perfect for them. Living on the ground floor, I have a large outdoor patio area with space for them to roam around, in addition, there are landscaped gardens and communal areas. There are some stunning walks right on the doorstep with fields and plenty of public footpaths, where I have already met so many other friendly dog walkers.

“The dogs and I have settled into our new home really well; I think the dogs are enjoying the social aspect of living here as well as me. We have lovely neighbours, the gardeners and staff are all really helpful, it’s great to watch life going by outside our window, we didn’t have that in our previous home. I am particularly enjoying the social aspect of living here and making the most of the communal amenities like the swimming pool, gym, cinema and café, there is a real community spirit here. I am looking forward to leading an active lifestyle and really enjoy being involved in the clubs and activities that are on offer.”

Commenting on the importance of pet-friendly retirement villages, Howard Nankivell, Chief Executive at Rangeford Villages, says: “We recognise how important pets are and have specially designed our villages to allow owners to continue their pet-focused lifestyle with ease and comfort. Features such as the Bark Park at Siddington Park mean they have everything they need on their doorstep to give their pets a happy and fulfilled life. Developing pet-friendly villages supports our owners in a range of ways from encouraging physical activity and social interaction through to reducing stress and increasing their sense of purpose to improve mental health, it is an incredibly important benefit of the homes we offer. With a proportion of our owners moving in by themselves, it’s vital that they can have their pets with them and the facilities they require. The needs and prioritises of our owners are at the heart of all our villages.”

In addition to pet-friendly, spacious homes and specially-designed services to provide extra support, owners benefit from an impressive array of on-site communal facilities at each village such as a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, gym, spa and hair salon. Additional features include a relaxed all-day dining restaurant. Communal activities and events will take place all year around for owners to encourage an active lifestyle and socialisation.

Their integrated retirement communities include Wadswick Green in Wiltshire, Siddington Park in Gloucestershire, Mickle Hill in North Yorkshire, Homewood Grove in Surrey and Strawberry Fields in Cambridgeshire, with further developments in the pipeline including Elstree in Boreham Wood, Hertfordshire.