Retire to Asia is fast approaching its first full year of operation, and over this time we have had the pleasure of speaking to many people from all walks of life. It truly has been an amazing experience to discuss the dreams of such a broad range of people looking to retire to an overseas destination. Initially (and perhaps foolishly) our expectations were that men would represent the majority of our clients, but this was very quickly dispelled. The surprising statistic about men and women retiring to Asia is that women, whether they are single or in a relationship, constitute 70% of the enquiries we receive to move to Asia in retirement.
When we met Catherine earlier this year in Chiang Mai, it was easy to see why women have embraced overseas retirement in such a big way.
Catherine – An English Rose firmly established in the Thai countryside
When we spoke to Catherine, she was full of praise “The level of care for residents of the Village is exceptional, and the staff are so friendly. Thai people truly respect the elderly, and even those that reside in one of the dementia wards are always treated with the utmost dignity. Its very reassuring”
In its two years of operation, and with no advertising, the Retirement Village has received over 2,000 international enquiries from all corners of the world. And surprise, surprise, 70% of those enquiries are from women!
Catherine chuckled when we mentioned this to her “Look around you, we have a lovely sense of community here, and yes women dominate. Maybe its because we tend live longer than men, but I don’t want to take anything for granted, I just want to enjoy every minute of my life”
She continued “I can’t speak for everyone, but the women I talk too have a wonderful sense of adventure, they want to enrich their lives, and breathe new life into their souls”.
We couldn’t agree more.
Our Financial Services Experience
So what are the main reasons for moving to Asia?
We’ve touched upon this broadly in previous blogs, but its certainly worth reinforcing some key themes that we are told by clients (both men and women);
- Access to great ‘affordable’ healthcare. This is always a top three statement no matter who we are talking too.
- The cost of living benefits. This really does enable a better quality of life in retirement. You can do so much more, with less financial stress.
- Meet new people. This is one of our favourite reasons. There is a large and fast growing retirement community in many locations around Asia. These communities are full of people just like you. They’ve left friends behind but are incredibly open to making new friends. And these are people with a sense of fun and adventure, with a spirit excited the embrace new experiences.
- Climate. Its the tropics, so it does rain (sometimes heavily) but its usually short and sharp, and the temperature remains warm throughout. Its an environment for outdoor living, encouraging you to stay fit and healthy.
- Adventure. With so many new things to discover (food, culture, language, the landscape and people) there’s no need to sit indoors watching T.V. And flights around Asia are so cheap and plentiful, there’s nothing to stop you exploring the region to your hearts content.
- Respect. Many retirees have commented to us that they feel respected, and part of a community that appreciates people in their age group. It’s a sad fact that many elderly feel left out or marginalised in Western society. In Asia its very different. You will often hear locals refer to elderly as ‘Aunty’ or ‘Uncle’ as a term of respect.
As an advice business that specialises in helping people retire to Asia, our best resource is people that are already ‘living the dream’. People just like Catherine.
As she told us:
“I have a great fondness for England, but I wanted and needed a new experience. My kids had grown up and my husband had passed on. I saw a future of monotony and growing loneliness. Coming to Thailand has filled me with a sense of joy and fulfilment. I look forward to every day with a sense of wonder. I love it.”
