When retirement village living truly came about in the 1980’s the demand was spearheaded by the Baby Boomer demographic who dominated the residence list.  At the time, retirement village developers constructed facilities that met the downsizing needs of a generation that experienced war and recession.  However, well established villages no longer offer the level of high-quality facilities expected by the new retirement generation.  As the early cohorts of Generation X retire, the demand for state-of-the-art living and modern technology is on the increase.  Village developers will need to adapt to the changes so retrospective and future facilities meet that demand.

How interactive digital signage is enhancing village living
In existing retirement village facilities, it’s not uncommon to be greeted with a single digital signage reception screen used to provide welcome messages to visitors, informing residents of events and activities, alongside a live news feed.  It’s often not particularly useful or attractive!

More recently developers have begun to use digital signage in recreational areas as a way of improving the in-village experience for residents. Using touch screen technology as way finders and information boards with interactive capabilities, and in some villages, where there are facilities that can be booked in advance, we are beginning to see the installation of room booking systems whereby residents can book through email calendars.

Digital signage manufacturers such as UK’s Sedao Digital Signage have a range of products that uses a single platform for all their digital communications technology, making it easy to expand as demand requires.