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Then and now: evolving community in the context of a retirement village
- Authors:
- BERNARD Miriam, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 32(1), January 2012, pp.103-129.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Whilst there has been considerable research into retirement villages in the United States and Australia, there is little data in the United Kingdom about what it is like to live in retirement communities, how they evolve over time and whether they enhance people's lifestyle aspirations and quality of life. This paper examines these issues through the lens of ‘community’ and in the context of Denham Garden Village: a purpose-built retirement village in Buckinghamshire. Interviews were held with 52 residents and 16 individuals associated with a variety of organisations involved in the (re)development of the retirement village. The paper focuses on how community was conceptualised, experienced and understood both in the early days of the village, and now subsequent to its redevelopment. In conclusion, the authors suggest that the findings question the extent to which community evolves over time and raise important questions about how socially cohesive such retirement villages are.