Raising the benchmark

Moving into a new retirement village means residents benefit from the latest design trends and the most recent advances in technology.

The Woolooware Shores retirement village in Taren Point, Sydney, is a prime example. Developed and managed by ARV (Anglican Retirement Villages), the village has been architecturally designed to complement a picturesque waterfront setting. It has also been planned so it meets the lifestyle needs of residents.

Apartments are arranged in clusters to create a sense of community. As well, there are community rooms scattered across the village, which provide a place for people to meet for activities, hobbies and family celebrations or just catch up with friends.

All independent living apartments feature spacious living areas and large windows that take advantage of the views across lush green gardens to the harbour and city skyline beyond.

Large, ergonomically designed kitchens reflect the commitment to high-quality fixtures. For this reason, also, Fisher & Paykel appliances were specified.

Robert Jaworski, Fisher & Paykel national sales manager commercial, says the increase in demand for high-quality retirement living developments has meant designers, manufacturers and developers are now addressing the specific needs of the ageing population.

"Smart, time-saving technology is essential for this market, but it must be inherently simple to use," he says. "Fisher & Paykel has introduced a number of initiatives, including ovens with large, easy-to-read fonts and symbols, soft-touch appliance controls, and the ergonomic DishDrawer that can be installed at waist height for easy loading and unloading."

Many of these appliances feature in the Woolooware Shores apartments. These include the seamless CT560CSS ceramic cooktop, the BI603ESS multifunction oven, DD60SI6 DishDrawer and E442BRX stainless steel refrigerator, which features the Active Smart system designed to keep food fresher for longer.

For details, contact Woolooware Shores, 2 Alexander Avenue, Taren Point, NSW, phone 1300 111 278 Or visit the company's website: www.wooloowareshores.com.au.

For more information on the Fisher & Paykel appliances, phone 300 650 590. Or visit the website: www.fp.com.au.

Forget the notion of retirement villages being cut off from the community. St Peter's Green, a new village just opened on Sydney's lower North Shore, is integrated with a wide range of community facilities, including a park, a cafe and a new 460m² council library.

Matthew Fisher, a director of Greengate Property Group, which is developing the facility, says the company has gone into partnership with the Willoughby City Council to maximise the green spaces and facilities on offer.

"The project has been designated a new community hub for the region," he says. "This enhances its appeal to prospective owners."

St Peter's Green is an integrated village, providing 27 independent living units in three-storey buildings, and 93 residential aged-care beds operated by Catholic Healthcare.

Fisher says every aspect of the project has been planned to make residents feel secure from the design of the independent units to the choice of fixtures, fittings and appliances.

Marketing manager Lia Fraser says the company undertook considerable research before starting the project.

"This included community consultation, and interviews with groups of senior citizens as well as one-on-one discussions on what does and doesn't work for them. The average age of the residents in the village is just over 80, and although many are healthy and active, arthritis is often a problem. Consequently, ergonomics was a key consideration."

As well as providing wide door openings, and flush floor surfaces between inside and outside, the company specified Fisher & Paykel appliances designed for ease of operation.

The CT560CSS ceramic cooktop, for example, has large knobs, positioned at the front for accessibility. The flat surface of the cooktop also means heavy pans can be slid across the surface, rather than lifted.

The controls of the Fisher & Paykel OB60SLMFX oven have wording and symbols in an extra-large font that is easy to read. As well, the oven has heavy-duty telescopic runners that allow food trays to slide out. This means there is no need to put hands into the hot oven and bending is minimised.

Ergonomics was also a factor in the choice of the stainless steel Fisher & Paykel DD60SCX6 DishDrawer. Installed at waist height, the DishDrawer provides easy access to dishes.

Other Fisher & Paykel appliances include the slide-out HS60CSRX1 rangehood and E442BRX stainless steel refrigerator, which features Active Smart technology to maintain optimum freshness.

The laundry is equipped with a MW512 washing machine and DE45F56EW1 dryer.

For details, contact St Peter's Green, 5 Felton Avenue, Lane Cove North, NSW 2066, phone 0404 049 922. Website: www.greengate.com.au.

For details of Fisher & Paykel appliances, phone 300 650 590. Website: www.fp.com.au.

The best of all worlds that's precisely what the modern generation of retirees is looking for in a retirement village. And location and attention to detail are right at the top of the list.

The new Watermark Castle Cove retirement village on Sydney's North Shore offers a secluded, yet central location, just a short walk from a charming local village.

Designed by award-winning firm Marchese + Partners, Watermark Castle Cove features a low-rise, contemporary architectural style. Each unit is designed to maximise the picturesque, leafy outlook while also providing privacy.

Enzo Marchione, a Watermark Castle Cove director, says the design of the village reflects a discerning client base.

"People looking for a retirement village today tend to shop around they have a greater choice. Every aspect of Castle Cove has been designed to appeal to this market from the extensive lifestyle facilities on offer to the high standard of specification evident in the fit-outs."

Marchione says the village not only offers a full range of activities, but also benefits from a new Willoughby City Council community library built on the premises.

Display suites designed by Janet Graham of Nic Graham & Associates reinforce the high standard of specification evident throughout the development.

This attention to detail is also reflected in the choice of appliances, which includes the Fisher & Paykel E522BRMFDU Iridium stainless steel refrigerator.

"We chose Fisher & Paykel appliances for a number of reasons," says Marchione. "Reliability was a key factor. So, too, was the service and back-up provided by the company."

The refrigerator has a crisp, square-edged design that complements the contemporary look of the unit interiors. This top-of-the-line model also comes with a number of features designed to enhance modern lifestyles.

An external water dispenser lets residents enjoy cold, filtered water at the touch of a button. Because the dispenser takes up no room inside the door, it leaves maximum space for food storage.

The refrigerator also features Fisher & Paykel's Active Smart system, which continually monitors temperature and air flow to keep food fresher for longer. In addition, there is a humidity control system fruit and vegetable bins can be individually customised to maintain optimum freshness.

For details, contact Watermark Castle Cove, 8B Deepwater Road, Castle Cove, NSW, phone (02) 9882 2770. Or visit the company's website: www.watermarkcastlecove.com.au.

For more information on Fisher & Paykel appliances, phone 300 650 590. Or visit the website: www.fp.com.au.

Story by: Trendsideas