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If you want a practical way to live longer, feel better and keep your mind sharp into old age, the advice from Harvard is simple: invest in connection and relationships.
For more than eight decades, the Harvard Study of Adult Development has tracked hundreds of lives to answer one question: what truly predicts happiness and good health over time?
The results are surprisingly clear. Strong relationships and regular social connection are the single biggest predictors of both health and longevity.
Not money.
Not status.
Not perfect cholesterol.
People with deeper connections to family, friends and community live longer, report less pain, cope better with stress and maintain sharper minds well into later life.
Well, quite a lot to be honest. Our environment can really shape our outcome.
Homes and neighbourhoods are not just about design, status or value, they’re a key driver in fostering connection and community. As we get older, these familiarities become more and more comforting. Can you walk to a familiar café? Do the grandkids pop in? Are your doctor and local shop still nearby? Those small, everyday moments of contact stack up, and over time, they protect your health more effectively than most medicines.
The Harvard study began in 1938 and is still running today. It’s often called the world’s longest study on happiness. Over the decades, researchers found the same pattern repeating: people who are socially connected to family, friends, and their community are happier and physically healthier.
Loneliness, on the other hand, can be extremely toxic. Those who are isolated experience earlier health decline and shorter lives. At age 50, the best predictor of health at age 80 wasn’t blood pressure or income: it was relationship satisfaction.
That might sound sentimental, but it’s backed by hard data. Large global studies show loneliness and social isolation increase the risk of premature death by up to 30%. They’re linked to higher rates of heart disease, stroke, depression, and cognitive decline. In New Zealand, local studies tell the same story. Age Concern research found almost 60% of Kiwis over 65 feel lonely at least some of the time.
Health researchers describe loneliness as being as damaging as smoking or obesity. The takeaway is simple: staying connected isn’t just nice — it’s necessary.
Here in Christchurch, a quiet shift is already underway. Long-time residents of the Cashmere Hills -people who’ve owned their homes for decades - are beginning to look down to the flats. The views are beautiful up there, but the driveways are steep, the stairs unforgiving, and the gardens demanding. For many, the sensible next step is to stay local but move to an easier postcode - somewhere that keeps them close to family and friends, yet offers age-appropriate living.
That’s why suburbs like Somerfield, Beckenham, and St Martins are seeing a surge in interest from downsizers. These areas are walkable, well-serviced, and social. But most developers are building two storey townhouses there (luckily we aren't most developers)! We are moving into our era of the downstairs master, catering to the growing part of the population whose knees may not want to be carrying them up and down the stairs on a daily basis. They want to stay in the area, shop at the same supermarket and meet their same friends and family at the same cafes. The want what the Harvard study has been proving for 85 years: connection, familiarity, and the chance to stay part of daily life.
Take a look at: 16 Roker Street, Somerfield, 92 Tennyson Street, Beckenham, and 23 Ensors Road, St Martins. These developments reflect a demographic turning point — the next generation of retirees is not looking for retirement villages or isolation. They’re looking for independence, style, and the ability to stay where their lives already are. While not every home has a downstairs bedroom, we needed to test demand before increasing supply. That demand has been sufficient enough for us to begin to build more.
If big pharma could sell the benefits of connection and social integration in pill form, it would be a wonder drug. Proximity as a pill is a concept we have talk about at Rosefern the more we design these downsizer-friendly homes in established neighbourhoods.
The Harvard study shows that proximity to people you care about is one of the strongest drivers of happiness and long life. A move out of your area might seem like a fresh start, but it can quietly break the invisible web of small, daily interactions that keep you feeling connected. When you move out of town, those connections turn into weekend visits instead of weekday drop-ins. Your friends become phone calls. You lose the spontaneous catch-ups that used to punctuate your week.
Staying local turns those “occasional catch-ups” back into “pop-ins.” It’s those quick coffees, five-minute chats, and familiar nods at the dairy that act like emotional fast-charges - small moments that keep you grounded and energised. Over years, that adds up. Research now shows that people with regular social contact have lower levels of stress hormones, better immune function, and slower cognitive decline.
The average downsizing journey - from decision to move to actually settling - takes about 36 weeks. It’s not quick. That’s why buying off-plan makes sense for many. It gives time to prepare, to declutter, and to manage the emotional transition. But the real choice isn’t about granite benchtops or colour palettes. It’s about where. Do you move away and rebuild a social network from scratch? Or do you stay close and protect the one you’ve spent a lifetime building? Usually, there's multiple stakeholders in this decision too - friends and family are invested in it on your behalf.
Staying local keeps your support system intact. You already know the layout of the supermarket. You trust your GP. You know which café has your favourite table and which neighbour to call if the power goes out. These aren’t small things - they’re the fabric of community, essential for future wellbeing.
Modern downsizers don’t want rest home living (see my other blog post on this topic here). They want elegant, efficient, practical homes that can evolve with them. The features that matter most are subtle: a genuine downstairs master suite that doesn’t feel like a compromise; gentle stairs if the home is two storeys; wider hallways and smart storage; keyless entry, strong security, and low-maintenance landscaping; and solar panels that make the home affordable to run (which is vital if retired, income may be reduced so why spend it on power bills).
When the downstairs layout holds everything you need, the upstairs space becomes a bonus - ideal for visiting family or even adult children who want to share the home. Multi-generational living is another emerging theme. Many families are rethinking how they live together. A home that allows an elderly parent downstairs and the next generation upstairs isn’t just practical - it keeps families connected, and that’s a proven health benefit.
New Zealand’s retirement villages are world-class in some respects, but the model itself has a flaw - it separates older people from community life. The facilities are clean, safe, and well-run, but they’re often insular. You don’t see schoolkids, tradies, or young families walking past. You don’t feel part of the city’s rhythm. It’s a controlled environment, not a community.
In many European countries, especially Italy, intergenerational housing is the norm. Older adults live alongside younger families in the same buildings. They share courtyards, meals, and stories. The result? Lower loneliness, stronger empathy, and better wellbeing for both groups. It’s a model built on mutual benefit — the young learn patience and wisdom, the old stay sharp and valued.
Christchurch might be seeing this first, but it’s not unique. Across New Zealand, the same pattern is emerging. The generation who built on large sections in the 1970s and 80s is now looking for homes that let them age in place - without sacrificing independence or community. They don’t want “retirement housing.” They want right-sizing. They’re buying with a 20-year view - practical today, adaptable tomorrow.
This shift is one of the biggest structural changes in the housing market we’ve seen. The demand for well-designed, age-appropriate homes in established neighbourhoods is growing fast - and the supply hasn’t yet caught up. I've talked about this a lot and essentially laid our plans bare, this is a part of the market we will be serving. In Christchurch alone there will be 80,000 people of retirement age by 2028. There will be enough demand for these homes. We will happily lead the charge but there is an abundance of market share to be had and I honestly see there being more demand than we - as Rosefern - can supply (which from a bsuiness sense is great of course). But the mission is bigger than just our business. If we can provide homes for people to stay in their communities for longer and they live a longer, happier life - our purpose just got realigned.
This isn’t just a market trend. It’s a social one. Keeping older adults in established communities has ripple effects that go beyond property. It keeps generations connected. It reduces strain on healthcare. It sustains local cafés, shops, and clubs. The Harvard researchers weren’t studying real estate - they were studying the human condition. But their conclusion should influence how we build and plan our cities.
If strong relationships are the key to a long, healthy life, then the way we design and locate homes should make those relationships easier to maintain. That means focusing on walkability, proximity, and familiarity. That’s why developments like 16 Roker Street, 92 Tennyson Street, and 23 Ensors Road exist - to create spaces where people can live well for decades.
The Harvard study gave us data, but it also gave us perspective. Long life and good life are driven by the same thing - meaningful connection. So before you make your next move, think beyond square metres and fittings.
Ask yourself: will this home keep me close to the people and places that make life rich?
Because the science says that matters more than anything else. And if we design homes that let people stay local — that let neighbours remain neighbours, and friends remain a coffee away — we’re not just building houses. We’re building longevity.
Stay local. Stay connected. Live well.
Explore current projects in Christchurch’s southern belt: www.rosefernhomes.co.nz/current-projects
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