With the emphasis on home, it is important that you choose the retirement home that suits you. A little care and attention to detail at this point in time can avoid disappointment at a later date.

First of all, and to create the shortlist that I mentioned earlier, you have to come to a figure of what you can afford to pay. If you want to get the best information on retirement homes in Auckland then you can navigate to this website.

Then maybe check out the vicinity of the home, if it's in an area where you think you would be happy to live, then add it to your list.

Once you have your shortlist you should now consider the finer details. A good idea would be to make a list of services and amenities that you are looking for and give each retirement home on your shortlist a value, like a points system on a scale of 1 – 10, then you could total the points up and review the results as the home on your list with the highest total points being the best one to suit your needs.

Visit every home on your list and get a general feeling for the place.

Decide if the staff are friendly and caring. Are the medical staff properly qualified and registered, is there a dietician and are they also qualified?

Mingle with other residents of the retirement home and ask questions about the amenities and generally get to know them, after all these are the people who will be part of your retirement lifestyle on a daily basis if this becomes the home that you choose.

Find out how the home is being managed, check out the retirement home agreement and find out what rights you have once you are a resident, ask the other residents about the owners, and in conversation, ask discreetly if there are any problems that you should know about.

Do a tour of the neighborhood and local amenities is there a convenient shopping center, hospitals, leisure facilities.