Disrupting a one-size-fits-all approach to ageing

Disrupting a one-size-fits-all approach to ageing, property & lifestyle

An Auckland couple have recently launched Future Moves Limited, a consultancy and advice service that addresses a glaring gap in the ageing baby boomer lifestyle, housing and accommodation sector.

With their collective experience in retirement and real estate sectors, fitness, wellbeing and paramedic work, Mark and Maria Trubuhovich decided to get a carefully chosen team of professionals together to challenge the oversimplification of an elder person’s choices about how and where they want to live.

The concept began when Mr Trubuhovich, a Group Sales Manager at a respected retirement village operator, noticed that as the potential clientele grew, not everyone’s interests were being met with a one-size-fits-all approach. Together with wellness-focused wife Maria, Mark realised that for the increasing number of retired baby boomers facing decisions about their next move in life, there didn’t appear to be any unbiased professional support. He wanted to get across to people that as they started to think about their ‘next move’ there was a lot to carefully consider.

“People don’t actually have to automatically sell the family home and move into a retirement village when downsizing or supported living is required. That is just one of many good options that we put to our clients” says Mr Trubuhovich.

Future Moves works to a strictly independent business structure that allows them to assess, research, advise and assist with impartiality to present the advantages and disadvantages of various options. Services include ageing in place guidance and facilitation, downsizing guidance including supervision and liaison with real estate, legal and medical professionals and, for those choosing a retirement facility, purchase and paperwork interpretation. Mediation and advocacy with present or remote family parties is also offered.

“There is a growing area of need for family who are physically absent yet want to trust someone to advocate on their behalf, find and present back various options available for decision making. In my experience, and that of the associations I work with, the family structure and time available has changed. Once upon a time there was a family member at home and therefore available to help with things like down-sizing decision making processes or care of elders. However far more women are an equal part of the work force now. They are also having children later so their capacity to support is more limited, even if they live within an easy distance of the older family member.”

Accordingly, Future Moves aims to highlight matters like ageing in place, home retro-fits and support service combinations.

This area is increasingly covered in Statistics New Zealand literature: ‘The physical effects of ageing need to be taken into account in housing design…features to assist older people include smart assistive technology and modifications to help mobility, and range from video-entry phones and handrails to accessible driveways, ramps, and street-level entrances.’

This need will only increase: according to the Office for Senior Citizens, the number of people aged 85 years and over was projected to increase from 67,000 in 2009 to 144,000 in 2031, eventually representing one in four of the over 65-year-old population in 2031.

“Future Moves exists to minimize or remove the residential dilemmas we commonly see around ageing” says Mrs Trubuhovich. “Often, neighbours don’t know each other due to the changing social environment so ageing in place may include ‘cohabiting’ in a safe and friendly environment offering an independent lifestyle.”

She adds that it’s not only people who are at a stage of need that are asking for information and guidance: “There are women in their 60’s who are looking for guidance on safe, sociable living options. We’re even starting to get asked by people in their 50’s about what they might need to consider now in time for making big decisions in their 70’s and beyond. It’s very relevant as the cost of living in a village can be prohibitive for some.”

Mark adds that in many cases there are some non-negotiable drivers when it comes to retirement living; because of health issues their next move needs to be an 'integrated village' with care on site so there is future-proofing in place should it be required.

“But the bottom line is that as a result of my work experience I’d much prefer to help people at the beginning of these kinds of decisions to ensure a seamless transition and ‘best-fit' solution for the client.”

ENDS

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