Skipton and Ripon MP Sir Julian Smith praises 'positive impact' of integrated retirement community at The Red House
Homeowners at a retirement village in Ripon had the opportunity to discuss local issues and the benefits of living in a retirement community with their MP during a visit to the site.
Sir Julian Smith, Skipton and Ripon MP, visited The Red House to discover how integrated retirement communities help support the housing needs of the country’s ageing population.
Following a tour of the facilities, including a restaurant, library, hair salon and fitness suite, Sir Julian joined residents of the retirement village for coffee and cake in the bar.
He said: “It is great to see the positive impact that integrated retirement communities like The Red House have on the lives of their residents.
“These communities play a crucial role in providing high-quality living and community spaces, supporting older people to live independently and with dignity.
“I am grateful to ARCO and The Red House team for their efforts to improve the quality of life for older people in our community.”
Sir Julian’s visit was part of a national campaign by ARCO (Associated Retirement Community Operators) to raise awareness of integrated retirement communities among the government and opposition parties and demonstrate their contribution to housing for older people.
Enterprise Retirement Living, which manages The Red House, is an ARCO approved operator and runs all its retirement villages according to the principles laid down in the ARCO Consumer Code.
Sarina Kiayani, policy and external affairs manager for ARCO, who also attended the visit, said: “It was a pleasure to discuss the integrated retirement community model and its benefits for older people in Ripon.
“Integrated retirement communities provide a balance between independent living and communal living, with residents having their own front doors and CQC-registered care delivered there if needed, and access to shared facilities such as lounges, restaurants and gyms within the wider community.
“It was wonderful to see Sir Julian's enthusiasm for the model and we look forward to discussing further.”
Sandra Allison, who lives at The Red House, said: “It was interesting to meet Sir Julian, and we appreciate the time he spent with us finding out about retirement village living.
“I’m hopeful that his visit will help to promote the expansion of similar communities, which we can certainly commend.”