Gerotopia: producing lifestyle communities for baby boomers

Abstract

Australia's ageing population will have a critical impact on the economy, the healthcare service and housing provision. Active Adult Lifestyle Communities (AALCs) have recently emerged on the Australian housing market in response to many boomers' calls for housing choice, as they embark upon the ‘retirement’ phase of life. The lifestyle contract in these developments means government intervention and support is minimised, as residents take the necessary steps to secure their own health and well-being. This paper focuses on the commodification of ‘lifestyle’ in master planned communities (MPCs) and AALCs, in particular. I argue that AALCs offer, and largely deliver, a lifestyle that addresses the needs, requirements and desires for the mental and physical health and well-being of residents/boomers. The proliferation of such developments in the residential landscape has implications, some of which this paper will highlight. The literature identifies a need for further research into housing needs, choices and preferences of baby boomers, as a unique and influential cohort, as they enter retirement and this paper addresses this need.

Keywords:

• boomers
• Active Adult Lifestyle Communities (AALCs)
• commodity

Acknowledgements

My thanks to the two anonymous referees for their support of this research and their helpful and constructive comments on earlier versions of this paper.