Lee Peart finds out how London luxury retirement operator Riverstone helps residents live the life they want to live

Retirement life at Riverstone Fulham is all about its desirable location on the north bank of the River Thames in fashionable Southwest London.

“Every apartment either has a riverside, garden or courtyard view so you are bringing the outside in,” says chief commercial officer Shannan Hodgson.

Each of the 161 one-, two-, and three-bed apartments, which range in price from £860,000 to more than £6 million, has its own terrace or balcony.

“We made it part of the strategy for us to make sure that people have that private space to be outdoors and have that sense of wellbeing,” says Hodgson. “Every apartment has a terrace which is quite unique and allows residents to be outside and get fresh air.”

Riverstone’s leadership team
Investor	Goldman Sachs
Chief executive	Martin Earp
Founders	Paul Pheysey, chief investment officer; Julian Mercer; Paul Vesty, chief development officer
Board members	Penny Hughes, chairman; Dr Jane Macdonald, non-executive director

The residence apartments face onto a large central garden courtyard developed with the input of Chelsea Flower Show garden designer Andy Sturgeon where residents are able to wander and tend to raised garden beds or take part in communal activities.

The Fulham residence is situated close to Riverside’s first development, Riverstone Kensington, with facilities and services shared between the sites.

“The nuance at Riverstone is the fact that you have two residencies which you can enjoy with being part of the Riverstone Club,” says Hodgson. “Whether you have the golf simulator here or the recovery suite at Kensington, residents have the choice and the ability to appreciate both. The ability to have that in London is quite unique.”

Riverstone is also developing two new residencies in Bishops Avenue in North London opening next year and King’s Road in 2026 and has the long-term aim of having six sites in the capital with club members sharing access to each others services.

The Kingfisher Wharf riverside event venue, opened by Riverstone last November, adjoins Riverstone Fulham and provides year-round events for residents and the local community. This includes an agreement with Hammersmith Council to use the site for school education.

Riverstone Fulham’s Maria G’s bar and restaurant is also open to passersby who wander the Thames waterfront.

“We are saying to the community come in and let’s try and integrate as much as possible,” Hodgson notes.

Apartments are built to Lifetime Home Standards with the ability to make adaptations for futureproofing.

“We have the ability to make adaptations depending on how small or big your needs are,” Hodgson says. “We do it in a way that is really discrete and that makes you feel you are not having to live differently. Telling residents that any adaptations they need can be done is hugely reassuring to them.”

The Riverstone Club

Care valet services and shuttle cars are provided as part of annual membership fees which range from £16,000 to 20,000 per annum, subject to apartment size.

There is also a deferred management fee calculated by accruing a 4% charge per year of ownership that will never be more than 28% of the sale price (that is, capped at seven years). Membership fees also cover round-the-clock 24/7 concierge services, access to amenities and regular social and educational events, as well as day-to-day services, safety and security.

Health and wellbeing

Hodgson says the 24-hour reception and concierge, and fundamental focus on wellbeing were its USP. Health and wellbeing services are led by wellbeing director Dr Zoe Wyrko, a consultant geriatrician by trade, who spent 21 years in the NHS before moving into the private sector.

The wellbeing team meets with residents before they move in with Riverstone. Once they move in, they are given an introduction to the residence’s health and wellbeing services by one of two wellbeing ambassadors who are trained in clinical physiology and nursing.

“We do a full MOT or comprehensive geriatric assessment,” Wyrko says.

The informal consultation covers everything from end of life plans and lasting power of attorney to general health matters such as continence, eye health and podiatry.

“We help them follow through on the advisories because doing all of this stuff means they can get on with living,” Dr Wyrko says. “We talk about the life you want to live, so you can get on and do that stuff.”

Healthcare services also include access to care through Riverstone’s partnership with The Good Care Group and the 24/7 Doctorcall healthcare service which provides 30-minute urgent appointments with private GPs within three hours.

Wyrko emphasised Riverstone’s preventative and early intervention approach to physical and mental health.

“Older people don’t tend to be afraid of dying,” she says. “The bit they are afraid of is not being the person they recognise in the mirror anymore and not being able to do the things that they want to do that are important to them and losing their independence and sense of self, which is so much of what frailty does. What we do here is try and help avoid that.”

Fitness programmes built around what matters to residents, focused on muscle and core strength and balance, have achieved amazing results.

“We have people who have stopped using their walking sticks because they are feeling more confident and feeling stronger,” Wyrko says.

Mental health support is also provided with the service offering six-week courses on brain strength covering cognitive impairment, dementia, depression and mental health. Residents are also signposted to activities that can boost mental health such as playing bridge or learning a new language.

It’s a comprehensive, holistic wellbeing approach designed to meet Riverstone’s brand ethos of enabling residents to live the life they want to live.

“We won’t add years to your life, but we will definitely add life to your years,” Wyrko concludes.

For more information, visit: https://www.riverstoneliving.com/