Good News Hub

Monthly bingo mornings are a long-standing and much-loved tradition for the residents at Cleveland Manor. But when COVID-19 restrictions came into effect, residents were no longer able to get together to play.

This got resident Anne Ormerod thinking of new and creative ways in which residents could connect. It wasn’t long before she came up with the idea of a weekly game of ‘virtual hoy’. Hoy is a variation of bingo, but played with a deck of cards.

“People just need a pack of cards and access to email,” she explains. “I deal 10 cards and send an email outlining the cards I’ve dealt. Residents play along at home and deal their own set of 10. Every three or four minutes I send details of the next deal, and so on until we have a winner.”

In the initial stages of lockdown, Anne was giving prizes to the winners, handing out hard-to-find grocery items like toilet paper! Then, she started giving away culinary creations made by her husband Keith, like shortbread. “Now they can have the thrill of winning,” Anne laughs.

With restrictions easing, the group is able to get together afterwards for lunch, as long as they have fewer than 14 people in the barbecue area and order lunch in. Last week they had burgers, and today they enjoyed post-hoy pies.

This is one new tradition that might be a keeper.

It all started with a glass cabinet, in which Noyea Riverside residents planned to display some of their treasured possessions or items that sparked a special memory. But when Village Manager Darren Adams talked to the residents to hear their stories, a common theme emerged. He soon realised the village is home to a wealth of talented artists, and the idea of displaying residents’ artwork was born.

Darren quickly found a feature wall for the gallery, and got to work creating placards to showcase the artist’s name next to their exhibit. He enlisted the help of resident Di Kong, to source and collect artwork, manage the exhibition and encourage the community to share their artistic talents. As Darren puts it, Di inspires residents to “step out from behind the canvas”.

The end result is an incredible display of creativity and community, with many residents revealing previously-hidden artistic flair. Artwork from eight residents is currently featured, including oil paintings, sketches, needlework and photography. This includes a painting from much-respected professional artist and Noyea Riverside resident Joy Scherger. Joy’s husband Ray Joliffe estimates that 1 in 10 Australian homes would own a Scherger piece of art, print, or illustration!

As new pieces become available, the artwork will be rotated to showcase the depth and breadth of talent at the village. While this project was intended to shine a light on treasured memories of the past, it has instead become a wonderful way to share current artistic ability.

When residents at Murray Gardens gather for meals in the community centre, they’re greeted with the beautiful sight and scent of hand-picked roses. 🌹

That’s all thanks to two of our residents, Geoff Hughes and Muriel Damm. Geoff and his wife Nan bring a huge amount of colour and warmth to village life. Gardening aficionado Geoff helps other residents with their gardens, making sure none of the flowers go to waste. He also manicures the magnificent roses flourishing throughout the village grounds.

When the roses are in full bloom, he collects them for Muriel to work her magic. Muriel is the village’s resident florist and she creates stunning floral arrangements for display in the community centre.

The lovingly-crafted blooms greet our staff, families and care apartment residents for every meal, and our community is very grateful for Geoff and Muriel’s colourful contribution.

The nights might be getting colder, but that hasn’t stopped our ‘open air’ Boambee Gardens bar from buzzing. Today marks the re-opening of the bar in a new format, with a few restrictions in place to keep residents safe.

Residents were thrilled to be reunited and took to the new rules with gusto. As well as the ‘open air’ format, we’ve limited numbers, have markings on the floor and require bookings. But this just makes a seat at the Boambee Bar the hottest ticket in town!

There’s nothing as comforting as face time with friends, so here’s cheers to many more (socially-distanced) evenings, stories, and shared memories. 🍷🍺🎶

Over the past few months, residents and the village team at Tarragal Glen have been working with local organisations to help fire-affected communities get back on their feet.

Convoy Missions Australia (CMA) is one such organisation. Their ‘Operation True Blue’ initiative builds permanent and semi-permanent housing for locals to live in while they rebuild their homes.

The whole Tarragal Glen community pitched in to help. Residents have donated furniture, non-perishable foods, clothing, Bunnings gift cards and other goods. Meanwhile, village staff rounded up items from refurbished apartments that would usually be considered waste, giving them new life in the hands of CMA. Materials like old ovens, tapware, door handles, used kitchen appliances, sinks and even a patio roof were able to be re-purposed to help families settle into their short-term homes.

The team has also worked with Tinonee Outreach Incorporated, donating three more trailer loads of goods for families near Taree on the weekend. While the 2019/20 bushfire season was the worst in NSW history – and the re-building process is just starting for many – the efforts of the Tarragal Glen community have gone some way in helping those who lost everything.

The fun-spirited residents at Glengara Care on the Central Coast love a good social gathering. With coronavirus restrictions easing and safe protocols in place, the residents and team spiced things up with a Mexican Day Fiesta to commemorate Cinco de Mayo. This was part of their monthly ‘cultural day’, which honours and celebrates cultures from around the world. Next month, residents will celebrate Bastille Day.

At another recent get-together, residents put their minds to the test with assistance from Personal Carer, Killoran Smith. Killoran created some interesting word games, and drummed up a little competitive spirit by awarding the winner a small prize.

When a Glengowrie resident recently discovered a pumpkin vine had sprung up unexpectedly in her garden, a pop-up delivery service was born.

Village Manager Debbie Dean decided to use the opportunity to make home-made pumpkin soup for all the residents.

She and the team whipped up 50 litres of delicious soup and delivered lunch to more than 100 takers at Glengowrie and Scarborough Mews. To add to the fun, they dressed as a pumpkin, chef, waiter and Uber driver – and delivered soup from the comfort of their golf cart with a megaphone at the ready.

The delivery service was such a hit that the team recently expanded their offering for a Lasagna Lunch, complete with home-made garlic bread.

Watch this space to see what’s next!

Residents at Murray Gardens Retirement Village were thrilled to receive letters from their new pen pals at Victory Lutheran College last week.

The idea was the brainchild of George, the 9-year-old son of Sales Consultant, Jo. After hearing about all the wonderful residents at Murray Gardens who weren’t able to get out and about as much as usual during the height of the pandemic, George asked if he could write them a letter to brighten their day. Word got around about the initiative, and before they knew it, George’s teacher suggested his entire class get on board and start up a pen pal program.

There are now plans afoot to continue the program beyond the peak of the COVID-19 crisis, with a visit from the class pencilled in for the end of the year.

Nothing like a hand written letter to bring out the smiles from our residents on a chilly Autumn day in East Albury! 💌

Family and friends may not have recognised the residents and team members at Harwin Retirement Village this week – they were wearing creative masks of all sorts, from zebras to giraffes, and cowboys to flamenco dancers.

Wednesday ‘theme days’ at the village have quickly developed a reputation as the best day of the week.

It started relatively sedately, with pyjama days and wearing red, but residents and village staff had so much fun that the themes keep getting more inventive.

So far, we’ve had Silly Hats, Crazy Hair, and ‘Show Your True (Footy) Colours’. It’s a great way to keep spirits high and bring a bit of solidarity, laughter, and shared stories to the Harwin community.

Teddies have appeared in windows across Wellington Manor in a bid to entertain isolated residents.

A village-wide teddy bear hunt is making a stroll through the village a fun, cheerful and ever-changing experience. The bears (and even the odd gorilla, cat and penguin!) peep out of windows, take pride of place on front porches, and brighten up the gardens. Residents have been able to vote for the best-dressed teddy or toy, and the most creative window display.

The well-deserving winners were announced last Friday, but we think the window displays should stick around for a little longer. While social distancing is in place, we all need a little connection, a dash of joy, and a reason to stretch our legs.

First Lady of the United States “Lady Bird” Johnson once said, “where flowers bloom, so does hope”. The activities at Riverina Gums Retirement Village beautifully encapsulate this.

A pair of residents, Mary and Maureen, are bringing colour to the community by adorning dining tables with fresh blossoms. Each day they walk the grounds together, gather flowers from vacant unit gardens and fill vases with sweet-smelling blooms.

Village staff presented the ladies with a gift of chocolates to say ‘thank you’.

Bartonvale Gardens has no shortage of entertainment options for residents staying safe at home during the coronavirus crisis.

The village has innovated the aptly named ‘Bored Board’, a recreation station of boredom busters to combat the isolation blues. With restrictions affecting village activities, it might have been easy for residents’ days to seem dull and monotonous, but that’s not the case for this community.

Residents now have an assortment of crosswords, word searches, colouring pages and trivia at their fingertips, easily accessed from the village office. Boredom begone!

Two residents at Tea Tree Gardens have reached a major milestone – one that is traditionally celebrated with diamonds! Having traversed six decades in their marital journey, Jean and Tony are celebrating their 60^th wedding anniversary today.

They chose Tea Tree Gardens as their home a few years ago and inject a sense of fun into village life. The village team says the couple is well-known for placing their loved ones at the heart of everything they do, and a diamond wedding anniversary is sparkling evidence of this.

Congratulations Jean and Tony!

In moments of crisis, it’s natural for us to show we care by offering a hug or supportive hand on a shoulder. Sadly, the COVID-19 crisis has meant we’re currently unable to do that. At Forresters Beach, our residents have instead found comfort in sharing joy and laughter.

One of our residents has crafted a very handy tool, aptly named the “social distance stick”, which inspires frequent chuckles around the village. Our Village Manager, Julie Ramage, and Assistant Village Manager, Jane Price, had a lot of fun demonstrating its use, displaying exactly what 1.5m looks like!

We may not be able to share a hug, but nothing can stop us from sharing a laugh.

Our residents at Carlyle Gardens have plenty of books to escape into, thanks to the generous donation of State Member for Bundaberg, David Batt MP.

Local community libraries remain closed amidst the COVID-19 isolation period. Yet it’s during these times that the escapism of books and stories couldn’t feel more essential.

Mr Batt came to the party with a welcome donation of books for the village. This not only boosts the village library, but the feeling of community spirit amongst our residents, who were very grateful for his generosity.

On Tuesday, village staff at Glengowrie decided to liven things up around the community with ‘Bright Lippy’ day.

To celebrate the day, some of the lovely ladies in our community rummaged through their beauty cases and found their favourite shades of rouge, turning their pouts up to maximum for an impromptu glamour photo shoot around the village.

Even our star resident Glen puckered up to join in on the fun. His verdict? “Far too slimy for me!” Such a pity – we think it’s quite becoming!

With COVID-19 restrictions in place, taking a walk through our leafy green villages has become the best part of the day for many. To add a little colour to their’ strolls, some of our communities prepared beautiful Mother’s Day window displays, honouring mothers and mother figures alike.

The Forresters Beach Lakehouse showcased a display honouring mothers in the village, and residents shared their own messages of love, loss, and what Mother’s Day means to them.

At Boambee Gardens, many residents decorated their own windows. The displays were great talking pieces, bringing delight and, in some cases, sweet treats, to passers-by.

Knowing we couldn’t be with our loved ones at this special time was difficult, but many residents revelled in finding new ways to share stories about the wonderful women who helped shape who they are today.

The coronavirus crisis means we’ve been celebrating occasions a little differently this year. It’s been bittersweet for our residents – many of them mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers – not to be with their loved ones for Mother’s Day. But the Wood Glen team knows the way to a mother’s heart.

Sourcing heart-shaped cookies from a local bakery, they wrapped and personally delivered these sweet treats to the delight of mothers around the village.

Meanwhile, a little competitive fun was whisked up by the Village Management team, with a guessing competition and hamper prize, adding a further sweetness to the day.

Being in lockdown was never going to stop Forresters Beach Retirement Village Manager Julie Ramage and Newling Gardens Village Manager Sue Nelson from spending quality time with their mums this Mother’s Day.

Julie’s mum, Mary Pendergast, and Sue’s mum, Daphne Brazel, just happen to live in the same RetireAustralia village where their daughters work.

Julie and Sue were each surprised with their Mum’s decision to move into their villages a few years ago, but feel blessed to get to spend more time together and see each other in a new light.

Family bonds are not uncommon across RetireAustralia’s 27 villages, with other retirement communities also having a familial connection. On the Central Coast, one of our residents at Wood Glen also takes a short walk over the road each day to visit her Mum in our Tarragal Glen community.

Proof that at RetireAustralia, we really are just one big, happy family!

The community garden at Carlyle Gardens is at the heart of a new ritual for residents – and the inspiration for community spirit to be stronger than ever.

Coronavirus restrictions have impacted the garden, as residents can no longer sell produce to fund its upkeep. This doesn’t mean the end of the project for our resident green thumbs. Instead, the village team has opened up the community garden to all Carlyle Gardens residents, encouraging them to come and pick their own veggies for free – a small silver lining in the midst of a pandemic.

Lincoln Grove Retirement Village residents remembered the ANZACs with their neighbours —sharing solidarity even while social distancing.

For the first time since the Spanish Flu in 1919, ANZAC Day services across the country were suspended. Lincoln Grove residents found other ways to commemorate the occasion and reflect on the ANZAC spirit and resilience. Poppy wreaths adorned tables as residents shared a cuppa and ANZAC biscuit 1.5 metres apart in the Community Centre.

It is heartwarming to see residents exemplify qualities of mateship and ingenuity, ensuring they continue to commemorate our servicemen and women.

Lest we forget. #ANZACSpirit

During isolation, a community initiative at Glengara has flourished into a professional and innovative volunteer program.

Last year, some residents formed the Glengara Good Neighbour Program as a simple gesture to welcome new residents. While some of the original services aren’t currently suitable due to coronavirus restrictions, this hasn’t slowed the program down.

Quite the opposite, in fact – residents have found new and creative ways to adapt and evolve the program! Now, instead of taking residents to and from social events in a golf buggy, they are offering daily check-up calls or a friendship call.

Volunteers also help residents with prescriptions and groceries, either setting up online shopping or delivering groceries to their door. A library outreach program and pet emergency assistance remain in full swing.

This just shows the community spirit at Glengara continues to go from strength to strength – no matter the challenges.

Residents at Belrose Country Club were overjoyed to receive surprise letters and artwork in the mail from some regional children in Tamworth.

Lifestyle Activities Officer at Belrose, Caitlin Beyer, organised the special delivery, identifying a few chosen residents who would benefit most from a little sunshine in their day.

The lucky residents were astounded to receive such thoughtful messages and colourful drawings, and have returned the favour by penning their own ‘Thank you’ cards.

It’s heart-warming to see such a simple act bring so much joy to our residents. It’s certainly received our stamp of approval!

A rhyming resident at Noyea Riverside Retirement Village has penned a playful poem which aptly sums up how many of us are feeling right now:

There’s a real bad bug in the air right now
Our lives upside down like we don’t know how
About a world that we knew and the fun that it’s been
It’s bad and it’s mean and it’s Covid 19.

It’s a whole new world Scott Morrison said
This wretched disease we’ve all come to dread
Let’s hope there’s plenty of dough left to buy us
The shots we need for Corona Virus

We’re in this together this once fun nation
All stuck at home now in self-isolation
Staring at walls and pathetic TV
Do we plot our escape or just wait and see?

We could steal the bus and rip on down town
Crash through the gate and watch poor Scott frown
A brilliant plan, can’t see we could lose
We’ll swing by Dan Murphy’s and load it with booze.

Then we’ll have a big party, a real big bash
We’ll hit old mate Darren for some big petty cash
We’ll fill barby plates with onions and bangers
A real free for all with cakes too and sangers.

There’ll be nonsense and laughter and dancing girls too
Greg’ll open the bar, we’ll all down a few
We’ll all wake up seedy, a real pain in the neck
It’s all just a dream, a reality check

Of the lives we once had, inconveniently stalled
By this goddamn disease whatever it’s called
So live out your lives and question it not
It sure ain’t no fun but it’s all that we’ve got.

With the restrictions in place, many residents at Drayton Villas Retirement Village are missing out on their usual exercise routines – whether that’s catching up for bowls, going for a dip in the indoor pool or playing a hit of tennis.

So our village staff have introduced a weekly, low-intensity street-based exercise program called ‘Let’s Get Physical’, to keep residents moving while community facilities are temporarily closed. Think Aerobics Oz Style for Seniors, but with the instructors in neon tutus!

And that’s not all the fun that’s happening in the community. Every Wednesday, village staff think of a zany theme for residents to channel their creative energy into, like Crazy Sock Day, Wacky Hat Day, Pyjama Day and most recently, a 60s-inspired Distancing Disco on the street.

Looks like even a global pandemic won’t get in the way of our residents having a laugh with their neighbours!

One of the impacts of COVID-19 is that we can’t celebrate resident birthdays as we usually would. This hasn’t held back the team at Boambee Gardens, who’ve come up with an equally special way to honour residents on their special day.

The village team is now preparing indulgent sweet treats for all those celebrating a birthday – and hand-delivering them to their door!

We hope everyone in our communities is finding a unique way to honour their own special occasions during this time.

In times like this, it’s more important than ever to find little moments of joy. And you don’t have to look very hard at Wood Glen Retirement Village.

In an effort to effort to cheer up his neighbours during the coronavirus pandemic, Wood Glen resident Doug Davies has established a ‘joke of the day’ board outside his villa.

The jokes change daily, so residents have reason to get out for some fresh air, exercise and a daily chuckle!

The Easter Bunny, busy as ever, has certainly hopped to it this year. This lovable character has been spotted in a few of our villages already, spreading joy and most importantly – chocolate! ❤️

We have loved seeing how our communities shine through this period of social distancing and self-isolation. We know that nothing can stop our residents from having a good time this holiday season.

Let’s continue to look out for each other this #isolation #Easter 🐰

In times of social distancing, one Wood Glen resident is working tirelessly behind the scenes to keep us connected.

The village grounds have been showered in enchanting knitted hearts of all colours, as if by a mysterious force of love. The stealthy knitter remains anonymous, but wants to see how many hearts residents can spot on their morning or afternoon walk.

We think this is a wonderful way to spread joy in a climate that makes it a bit harder to do so. Whoever you are, thank you for your crafty hand in keeping this Central Coast community tightly knit!

A special kind of tree has been thriving in the grounds at Tea Tree Gardens Retirement Village.  🌳💕

The ‘Gratitude Trees’ project has seen messages of appreciation and optimism bursting through the gardens, proving that there is no shortage of hope in this Hope Valley community. One resident articulated that they are grateful to “wake each morning to enjoy another day together”. This is a graceful display of spirit in these trying times.

These messages serve as a timely reminder that we can use this period to reflect and practice thankfulness.

At Forresters Beach Retirement Village, resident village crooner Geoff Grundy has taken his weekly jam sessions from the stage to the streets.

Every Tuesday afternoon, Geoff serenades the community with a bevy of classic hits from the front of his villa, as they indulge in a few “bevvies’’ of their own during ‘Happy Hour’ in their driveways.

So what’s one of Geoff’s favourite tunes to belt out? Take a look at our video below to find out. Hint: The artist was a real country boy, with a fondness for home grown tomatoes!

One resident has been bringing sunshine to Glengowrie Retirement Village, armed with crochet needles and the determination to spread joy. 💛

Catherine Beinke has assumed the role of Chief Sunshine Maker, entrusted with the task of crocheting dozens of bright, yellow suns. Her handiwork has been cropping up across the grounds, flooding the village with rays of sunlight. The suns are adorned with an array of unique faces and residents have been charged with finding as many pieces of sunshine as they can on their daily stroll.

We are grateful to our Sunshine Maker for her contribution to community spirit, and for reminding us that even in times like this, we can shine brightly! 🌞

John Hunter at Wood Glen has penned a poem of gratitude for the village team, with a special call out for receptionist Jo Murden, whose friendly smile greets residents every time they step into The Lodge.

Time to say thanks

Some poems are long and some are short,
This one is versed to express some thoughts;
Most like to wake and plan each day,
It makes one feel so bright and gay.

But recent times have changed our views,
As doom and gloom is worldwide news;
But at The Lodge there is a friendly team,
They work for us – it feels like a dream.

So these few lines are full of praise,
They manage, they garden, over many days;
Our life at Wood Glen is one of the best,
The team excels whatever the test.

But who takes most calls? You already know,
A friendly smile comes from a lady called JO;
So a big tick to all, and THANKS all around,
There’s no better team – nowhere can be found.

Nothing can dampen the community spirit at Drayton Villas in Toowoomba!

A few days ago, Village Manager Rachael McCarthy drove through the village in her golf cart to wave to residents and say hello. What started as a quick morning loop has quickly turned into a daily ritual.

Affectionately nicknamed ‘The Daily Wave’, each morning at 9am the team is greeted by a chorus of residents waving them through the streets, and occasionally, bursting into song.

“Yesterday, I was doing my usual rounds and the whole street surprised me with a spontaneous rendition of ‘You Are My Sunshine’. It nearly brought tears to my eyes,” Rachael said.

Even in the face of adversity, it seems nothing will take the sunshine away from this group of cheerful and resilient residents!