OCTOBER 2019 | The Australian Women’s Weekly 105
What’sthebestthingaboutlivingina
retirementvillage?
COLLEEN:WhenI wasunwellandin myownhome,I think
that’ssomethingthatreallychangesyou.Myfamilyhelped
meoutbuteventhingslikegoingtothesupermarketand
gettingmilkwereimpossible.BeforeI gotmykneedone,
I couldn’tevenwalktothemailboxandI had 14 stairsin
myhouse.I don’tthinkI wouldhavemadesucha good
recoveryaftermykneereplacementif I hadn’tcomehere,
becauseI couldgoandwalkin thepooltogetexercise.
CYNDI:I camehomehereonce,earlyonafterwe’dmoved
in,andI’dbeenoutat golfandhadbeenabsolutelypoured
onwithrain– I waswetthrough.SoI wentandhada
lovelyspa,thenwalkedpasttheladiesallplaying
Rummikub,whichI’dneverseenin mylife,soI satdown
andwatchedthem,andlearnedhowtoplayit.It wasa wet
afternoonoutsideandI thought,“Thisis great!”
WAYNE:I tooktwograndsonstoschooltoday– that’s
whywewanteda three-bedroomunit,sowecouldhave
familycomeandstay.Theycaterwellforfamiliesand
youngchildren.Theyputona children’spartyinJanuary
forthekidswitheventsandmovies.Ourgrandsonslove
thepooltable– I won’tplaythemanymorebecause they
canbothbeatme.
DENISE:Overthepastyear,we’vemadea lotoffriends
here.OnecouplewewenttoInvercargillwithfor
theoysterfestival,andwe’regoingona cruisewith
anothercouple.
Tellusaboutthehappiestperiodof
yourlife?
CYNDI:My40s.Thekidswereoffmyhandsmore,they were
growingup.Wetravelledmore.I wasworkingfull-time so
wehadthemoney.You’vebeenthrougha lot,you’ve
survivedproblems.Theyweregreattimes.
COLLEEN:I thinkyour40saregood– youknowyourself
more.Thingsweremorestable,moresettled.I also liked
mynursingtimes– wewere18,andwe’reallstilllike
sistersnow.
EMMA:I wouldsay40sand50s.Butthen
again,I’mhappynow.Next month, the residents discuss the ups and
downs of transitioning into retirement, spirituality
and their thoughts on the afterlife.FROM LEFT:
Rev. Bob
Riha-Scott, 81,
Denise Mitchell,
75, Andy Mitchell,
76 and Wayne
Smith, 75.