New management team takes over at Radford House retirement community in Exeter

A newly formed management team has taken charge at Radford House, a recently opened retirement community on Weirfield Road in Exeter, as the development begins to welcome its first residents.

Radford House, developed by Adlington Retirement Living, comprises 65 age-exclusive one, two and three-bedroom apartments, alongside shared facilities including a homeowners’ lounge, coffee lounge, on-site restaurant, hair salon, therapy room and activities studio.

The on-site team is led by General Manager Kay Suckley, who has more than ten years’ experience in the retirement living sector and previously managed a retirement village in Plymouth. 

She is supported by six duty managers with backgrounds in hospitality, financial services, wellbeing and customer-facing roles. 

The wider staff team includes a maintenance technician who worked on the construction of the building and a housekeeper recruited from a local hotel.

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The management team provides a 24-hour on-site presence, offering support to homeowners and overseeing the day-to-day running of the development. 

According to Adlington Retirement Living, the team’s role includes supporting residents as they move in, maintaining the building and communal facilities, and organising activities intended to encourage social interaction among homeowners.

Four homeowners have moved into Radford House so far. A further 11 people who have reserved apartments are expected to move in over the coming weeks as sales complete.

A recent Winter Warmers event brought together current homeowners and those due to move in early next year. 

The event, held in the communal areas of the building, included live music, food and an opportunity for residents to meet staff and neighbours. The management team was present to introduce the facilities and explain services available on site.

Phil Holyoak, National Sales Manager for Adlington Retirement Living, said the event was intended to “help new and future residents become familiar with the development and begin forming connections within the community”.

Sector-wide research suggests that retirement communities can have wider impacts on residents’ wellbeing. 

According to data published by ARCO, the UK body for Integrated Retirement Communities, people living in such settings often report stronger social connections and improved feelings of safety compared with those living more isolated lives.

ARCO’s research indicates that residents in retirement communities experience a 75 per cent increase in the amount of exercise they do, alongside a reduction in falls within two years. 

The same research reports a 24 per cent decrease in anxiety symptoms, with only one per cent of residents saying they often feel isolated. 

It also suggests reduced demand on health services, with GP, nurse and hospital visits falling by 38 per cent overall, and by more than 50 per cent for residents who are frailer. 

Average unplanned hospital stays are reported to fall from between eight and 14 days to one to two days.

Radford House offers round-the-clock staffing, optional personal care packages, an emergency call system and secure video entry. 

The development is continuing to welcome new residents as it becomes established within the city.