What if you didn’t need to wait until your 60s to retire? What if you could do it in your 20s? This isn’t a retirement home from life itself, but from the burnout that modern adulthood brings.
In Malaysia, a new concept is gaining attention for exactly this reason. The country has recently opened what is being described as a retirement home for Gen Z, and it has reportedly been fully booked within its first month of operation, highlighting a growing demand for intentional rest among young people.
All About the Retirement Home
The retreat, called Gopeng Sanctuary, is located in Gopeng, Perak, Malaysia, a region known for its natural greenery and quiet surroundings. The location itself plays a central role in the concept, offering a slower, more restorative environment away from the pressures of urban life that many young people navigate daily.
According to an article by AsiaOne, Gopeng Sanctuary was founded by a 25-year-old Malaysian entrepreneur who drew inspiration from his parents’ traditional nursing home in Ipoh, which he described as emotionally bleak. Rather than associating rest with ageing or illness, the founder wanted to reframe it as a preventive and intentional pause.
In a video shared on TikTok, the founder, whose name has not been publicly disclosed, explains, “I’ve seen too many 90s and 00s kids like me who are burnt out before they’ve even reached 30.” He adds, “Here, there are no KPIs or 8-to-5s. Idleness isn’t a sin; it’s a necessity.”
The retreat charges RM 2,000 per month (approximately ₹46,000) and spans around eight acres. The fee covers accommodation and home-style meals in a quiet, unstructured setting. There are no compulsory schedules, productivity workshops, or goal-oriented routines. Residents are free to sleep, rest, read, or simply exist at their own pace.
Unlike wellness retreats that often promise self-optimisation, Gopeng Sanctuary is intentionally anti-performance. Its core offering is permission to disengage without guilt.
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Does This Initiative Really Matter?
The popularity of this retreat reflects a broader and well-documented issue. According to the World Economic Forum, Gen Z currently makes up about 27 per cent of the global workforce. Despite being early in their careers, this generation reports disproportionately high levels of stress and burnout.
A 2025 report by MetLife found that only 31 per cent of Gen Z employees described themselves as healthy, marking a 6 per cent decline from the previous year. The same study reported that 46 per cent of Gen Z employees experience frequent stress, 35 per cent report symptoms of depression, and 44 per cent say they feel burnt out in their daily lives.
Compared to older generations, Gen Z consistently reports lower levels of happiness, higher mental health strain, and greater emotional exhaustion, despite having more access to information, flexibility, and mental health awareness.
Missy Plohr-Memming, Senior Vice President of National Accounts at MetLife, notes, “The declining health of Gen Z employees should be an early warning sign for employers who rely on this generation’s passion, innovation, and tech-savviness.” She adds that organisations must support Gen Z’s mental, social, and financial well-being, particularly by helping them access and use benefits designed for long-term health.
Seen in this context, the rapid booking of Gopeng Sanctuary is less a novelty and more a signal. It suggests that many young people are actively seeking spaces that allow them to pause, recover, and recalibrate before burnout turns into chronic disengagement.
As academic and professional pressures intensify, initiatives like this offer an alternative to the constant hustle narrative. They recognise rest not as a reward for survival, but as a necessary intervention. For a generation burning out before 30, stepping away may no longer be indulgent, but essential.
Images: Google Images
Sources: Firstpost, Moneycontrol, AsiaOne
Find the blogger: @shubhangichoudhary_29
This post is tagged under: Gen Z burnout, retirement home for Gen Z, Gopeng Sanctuary Malaysia, youth mental health, intentional rest, hustle culture fatigue, wellness retreats Asia, Gen Z workforce stress, mental health awareness, alternative living concepts
Disclaimer: We do not hold any right or copyright over any of the images used; these have been taken from Google. In case of credits or removal, the owner may kindly email us.
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