Would anyone like to come to Spain? I have a house in the white village of Jimena....

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catherine OHanlon

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Hello, My name is Catherine, I am not "senior" but have an idea and would like your feedback.

I have a rustic house in the white Moorish village of Jimena Andalucía, southern Spain. I would like to make a commune there for retired people. Jimena is a charming village where people still have family values and respect their elders. It is safe to leave the door open or go out for a tapa in the evening. The older people here sit outside at sunset to play dominos and chat. The village is surrounded by National Park countryside and only a 15 mins drive to the beach. I plan to retire there when I am older but I currently live about 1 hour away.

We converted the 200 year old house into 3 apartments and my idea is give the small 1 bedroom basement apartment to a carer to look after the guests and rent for the other two apartments to retired people from overseas. They could choose to rent the whole apartment or just a room. The other 2 apartments both have 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen living room, dining room and terrace with views over the church, village and countryside. They would not be suitable for disabled as there are stairs/steps.

I think it would be especially nice for older people who are on their own and want to spend 6 months to a year abroad but are afraid to go on their own. This would allow them the freedom to be overseas without being in a nursing home, but with the security that the carer is there is they need help. The carer would organise the cleaning, food deliveries and activities such as trips to the beach/marina/castle, river walks, gentle yoga and tapas evenings.Rather like a "gap year in the sun for over 60s". We enjoy sunshine 300 days a year here and I know it can get cold up in the North wintertime!

I have to clarify that this is not a nursing home, even if the carer was a nurse I could not sell this as a nursing home as the red tape in Spain would deem it impossible, and the house is not suitable anyway as the bathrooms have baths, no facilities for the wheel chairs etc. The guests would simply be renting the rooms or apartments but with the added service of having a carer to help on a day to day basis. Thus the guests would need to have a travel insurance in case they needed medical care.

Ideally if there was group of say 4 guests that were already friends, and had a carer they all liked, I could simply rent the entire 3 apartments and give them the local knowledge they needed to enjoy the area. I think the key is getting a good carer as I cannot be there myself.

If anyone has any advice or comments I am open to suggestions. Cathy
 

"Mejor Hotel de la Maravilla Exótica?"

Seriously... Has no appeal to me, too far, but I'll venture my reaction as an onlooker.

There seem to be still a lot of 'ifs' in your business plan. What sounds a good plan on the face of it needs quite a complicated set of lucky coincidences to gel to make it operate smoothly.

Personally I'd drop the 'carer' tag. Substitute guide, 'organizer' or whatever they label tour group shepherds over there. 'Carer' will scare off any contenders as it evokes pictures of utter servitude. It has much the same effect on those who really aren't suited to the amenities you describe but may venture there with thoughts of being more secure than is really the case for their physical capabilities.

Also it would need to be someone with at least more knowledge of the local area and culture than someone's niece who just wants a freebie holiday abroad and is as clueless as the 'guests'.
That 'guide/organizer' position will be vital in keeping your plan from becoming the subject of another movie. You will need good feedback and your plan rests heavily on that aspect of it. One bad experience over someone you don't control can ruin you.

Perhaps someone local in need of accommodation within the community they are familiar with? I hear jobs are scarce in Spain and that set up may appeal to someone with part time work elsewhere to support themselves for food but not enough for rent. Or someone on a pension, if they still get that over there. You know how that all works.

I see it as appealing to perhaps recently widowed seniors, still reasonably fit and independent who as you mentioned want to try an adventure but not alone. I'm not sure about couples working, they tend to get 'territorial' sometimes and a single person can get left out and lonely.

You're on the right to track to finding seniors on forums, perhaps start a little one of your own to link to for those interested to discuss their circumstances and find their compatibility levels? Restrict membership to those with interest in your type of business though. A few members have formed 'visitor level' friendships from forums I've been on so it may be helpful.

Hope you do well with this, it could very well be a great opportunity all around.
 
Thanks for your comments, I had thought of widows who do not want to travel alone. I only need to find 4 people that can live together in harmony in two apartments and pay approx 1000 euros a month each and then there would be enough fund to employ someone to "organise". The problem is that in Spain they do not really have OAP homes, the older people here live with the family unless they are really sick and need full time medical care and they charge a fortune, have them all sharing one living area with the TV on full volume all day and no activities or day trips to look forward to. I wouldn't have a clue how to start my own forums but will keep looking at others like this, can you recommend any others???
 
It sounds fabulous and only wish I could afford to visit. Other than placing it in the hands of a rental agency, or placing lots and lots of ads in travel mags & newspapers for renting it out, I would consider handling it via VACATION RENTAL BY OWNER (VRBO.)

You're probably aware of it, think it's international, and I've been using it for years, as have all my friends -- for anyplace we may be visiting. You would eliminate the costly rental agent fee and your guests can get far more bang for their buck! The problem is there would be heavy $$$ arrangements/scheduling/man hours going the route of short term vacation only, and that could present a problem. Sounds like a dream if you can get it presented to the proper travelers, and that is definitely going to take some effort on your part. I'm sure it would be well worth it for you in the long run, just not an overnight or inexpensive thing. Good luck to you, however you may chose to handle it.
 
Not much help from this quarter Catherine, we just go and chill out on the Gold Coast and personally Spain is roughly as enticing as Outer Mongolia, but that's just personal preference.
It seems to offer most appeal to Europeans, I'd focus on UK and European based forums for likely candidates.

Have you given thought to tapping into the 'gay' demographic? That kind of holiday may appeal to many, especially the aging ones.
They seem reasonably well behaved, well heeled, and not as needy of 'care' as some of we old dears can be. They network well and finding 4 might be an easier option to organize amongst themselves than you trying to get 4 compatible senior strangers to organize their lives to suit the rental calendar.

Just a thought.

Good luck with it. :)
 
Thanks for all your support and tips. I will list it on the VRBO, we use to do house swaps with the top apartment and had a fabulous holiday in Panana with a retired couple. I keep looking, I am sure there are 4 old dears out there somewhere that will love Jimena, I just have to find them....
 

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