A retirement you and your pet will love - our Pet Policy explained
Most Keyton villages welcome pets. Here’s everything you need to know about moving into a pet friendly retirement village.
Enjoy quality time with the grandkids at our retirement villages
Thursday, 27 March 2025
Grandkids are always welcome at our villages.
Being a grandparent is a wonderful thing, bringing much joy and happiness. As a grandparent, there’s nothing better than spoiling your grandchildren and having plenty of fun when they come to visit.
A retirement village can be the perfect place to make memories with the grandkids in a secure and supportive environment. From our many amenities to our friendly staff, we make sure the community feels like home not just for residents but for their loved ones too.
A welcoming place for the grandkids
Most retirement villages offer plenty of space and opportunities to entertain the grandkids. Whether you look after them on a set day every week or they come for visits in the school holidays, your grandchildren will love exploring the village and making memories in your new home.
With a range of housing types available, you can choose a home with a spare bedroom for regular grandkid sleepovers. Or let them ‘camp out’ on the loungeroom floor with sleeping bags while you all enjoy popcorn and a movie.
Some villages also offer events or activities where the grandkids can join in with Granny and Grandpa. Perhaps they can help you in the community garden. Or join you on your daily walk with village friends. Or they could get creative learning to knit with the arts and crafts group. With our villages located in thriving urban, rural and coastal neighbourhoods, there are plenty of fun things to do outside the village, too.
For Susan, resident at Brentwood Village, finding a place where her granddaughters could visit and stay was a must. “When I was looking at retirement villages, my big question was whether my grandkids could come stay with me. So many places didn’t allow it, but Brentwood Village did — and that made all the difference.” Now, her granddaughters, aged 10 and 4, are frequent visitors. “The little one’s here every week and the older one sometimes spends the night during school holidays.”
Marian from Hibiscus Nambour Retirement Resort and Adrienne from The Brighton on Bay share a special connection with their grandkids, who have practically grown up around the village. Marian’s grandkids, aged 10 and 11, visit her every Saturday and more during school holidays, while Adrienne’s 4 year old granddaughter, a “COVID baby,” has spent much of her early years exploring the village with her grandmother.
💡While grandchildren are welcome to visit and have sleepovers anytime, there might be rules about the length of stay, noise levels and use of community facilities. Check with the village manager if you have any questions.
Making the most of the amenities
The amenities and friendly staff at our villages make them a perfect place for grandkids to have fun. Susan’s granddaughters, for instance, can’t get enough of the pool. "They love splashing around! They also enjoy wandering along the walking trails, spotting ducks by the lake and meeting the welcoming residents who are always happy to have them around." With Brentwood Village's location set on almost 60 acres of coastal hinterland on the Central Coast in NSW, the stunning gardens and the picturesque lake are some of its many beautiful features which residents and their loved ones can take advantage of.
Keyton villages have so much to offer. Some villages have art and crafts room while some have hobby sheds and tennis courts, swimming pools and gorgeous walking paths. Every village has a community centre and some have onsite cafés where residents get together. There’s always something new to try! Susan’s grandkids especially look forward to the big events at Brentwood Village. "Christmas carols with Santa hats, seasonal fairs and even a circus that was organised here one time which they enjoyed."
Adrienne's granddaughter finds joy in the little things in the village. "She loves playing in the garden, tossing a ball and even enjoys taking out the garbage and putting it through the chute. The Brighton on Bay is like a second home filled with friends she calls “the ladies,” who always ask about her if she’s not around.”
With over 300 days of sunshine a year, the weather in Queensland makes it fun for Marian's grandchild to dip in the swimming pool at Hibiscus Nambour Retirement Resort. “In the summer, we’re always in the pool. We often head to our village green to play badminton or Pickleball and sometimes we bring morning tea down there. It’s amazing how many residents join us!” For both Adrienne’s and Marian’s grandkids, the village has become a place of connection, activity and plenty of familiar faces.
For both Adrienne’s and Marian’s grandkids, the village has become a place of connection, activity and plenty of familiar faces.
Supportive staff
The staff go above and beyond to create a warm, family friendly vibe. Susan loves how welcoming they are. “The staff are lovely and so is the community. It’s wonderful for the girls to come by, meet older people and experience a caring community. It makes them empathetic and aware.”
Adrienne’s granddaughter shares a great connection with the village manager, Brian, who’s always got a chocolate bar ready for her. “She loves hanging around reception, hoping for treats and Brian doesn't disappoint.”
Marian feels the same. “Mary Lee and Kylie, the village managers have been fantastic with my grandkids. Every time they visit, they want to stop by and say hi if the office is open. Both of them have been coming here since they were born and love spending time with the residents. Now that my 9 year old is older, we’ve started baking every Saturday morning to share with everyone — especially during Saturday afternoon card games and we make sure their favourite residents get their share too!”
Every time they visit, they want to stop by and say hi if the office is open. Both of them have been coming here since they were born and love spending time with the residents.
With friendly staff, plenty of amenities and fun activities, there’s always something for residents to do with their grandkids at the village to make memories.
More time to spend with family
Living in a retirement village means having a built-in community to welcome your grandkids. And it also means you have more time to focus on your family. When you don’t have to worry about maintaining a large garden or property, you can prioritise making special memories as your grandchildren grow. We even have a great list of grandparent activity ideas you can try next time the grandkids visit:
The modern grandparents guide to work-life balance
Family interaction and get-togethers are an important part of your retirement years. For many, one of the highlights of living in a retirement village is the opportunity to spend more time with family. Especially the grandchildren. Having your grandkids visit you in your village creates lasting memories. And it forges stronger bonds as you enjoy the fun of an active retirement lifestyle together.
For more information about the lifestyle and support offered at our retirement villages, call our customer service team on 1800 550 550 or send us an email here.
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