AdventCare Bendigo executive director Ruth Welling said the number of elderly people looking for places to live was on the rise.

At yesterday’s open day for the aged care home and independent units in Golden Square, more than 200 people toured the facility.

“A lot of people are saying they might not need them now, but they’re using it as an opportunity to see inside the homes for their future,” she said.

“Even younger people who haven’t even retired... the demand from people who aren’t looking for immediate accommodation is greater than I expected.”

Mrs Welling said the demand for independent living units at the facility was 30 per cent greater than spaces available.

In the AdventCare aged care facility demand outstrips availability by 20 per cent.

The growing waiting lists compound the latest forecasts for the region that show greater Bendigo’s over-65 population will increase from 15.2 to 22.1 per cent.

The majority of elderly citizens will come as Bendigo’s population heads toward 140,000 in 2031.

Mrs Welling said more and more people were looking at securing their future in a retirement home.

“From what I’ve seen at the open day there’s definitely people planning for the next five or 10 years,” she said.

‘‘Couples are coming together, with some people saying they want to stay in the same room until they die.”