Retirement Villages Australia
Does Your Intended Retirement Village Provide Enough Technical Support?
By: Chris Jacko
It is important to be able to evaluate different retirement options, but what criteria are the best to use to evaluate if a retirement village has adequate technological facilities to suit your needs?
As the population becomes more 'digitally aware', the demand for current and accessible infrastructure to facilitate the technology is becoming ever greater, and more of a necessity rather than simply a desire. Contrary to what some may think, this demand for current technology is present in the aging population, and will grow in importance over the next decade.
Are you in your sixties, use social media, a 'smart phone', a laptop computer, or an iPad, or all of the above? If you are, you certainly aren't alone; on Facebook the fastest growing demographic segment is women over that age of 55. Additionally, a significant proportion of iPad users aren't the tech-savvy gadget hungry teens, as is commonly believed, but in fact elderly user. This adoption of the iPad over other computers can be attributed to its small size, adding to mobility, appropriate screen size, and most importantly ease of use. With trends such as mobile computing and social media, which are unlikely to go away in a hurry, the infrastructure to support these needs to be available for you when you choose to move in to a retirement village. As such, the following list summarizes three key components that can be used to evaluate whether or not a retirement village meets your requirements.
1) Wireless Network Access
Having appropriate wireless access points enables a large area to be serviced by a single network. The advantage of having a good wireless system is that no matter where in a complex you are, you will always be connected to the network, and through it the internet. The set-up, from a user's perspective, is simply to input a password when connecting to the network for the first time, after which it will remember the details and connect automatically. This should require no ongoing inputs, and should enable an internet connection on all appropriately fitted mobile devices. When evaluating a wireless network system, ensure that there is blanket coverage over the entire complex, and no that blind spots occur.
2) Staff
Let's face it, no one likes when their computer isn't doing what they want it to do. When choosing your retirement destination, be sure that the staff are knowledgeable in how to address any technical queries that you may have. While initial support may simply be to direct your query to someone more experienced in technical problems, it is good to know that all staff have been trained in how to address this situations accurately and efficiently. If the staff can fix your problem themselves, even better.
3) Power Points
While a seemingly trivial and nonsensical point, particularly in a short list, the issue of power points is one that needs to be considered. With our growing attachment to electronic devices, we have a growing number of devices to charge. As such, be sure that your facilities have an appropriate number of power sockets, so you aren't reaching for double-adaptor ever time you want to charge your iPad.
This issue of technological facilities in retirement villages is one that is important to consider when choosing a retirement destination, particularly for those who have come to enjoy their relationship with their gadgets. As such, I anticipate that the topic will gain much attention over the coming years, and will be an import consideration for years to come. Hopefully these criteria may assist in evaluating retirement villages.
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