Good News Hub

There’s never a dull moment at Glengara Care. With Lauren at the helm as Diversional Therapist, residents are spoiled for choice with social activities, Central Coast outings, and things to do. At twice-weekly exercise classes, residents practise sit to stand exercises and other movements to improve mobility. Not only that, but they get active with a pool noodle! Balloon tennis and noodle soccer are particularly popular for good reason: here’s noodle soccer in action.

Some residents have taken to exercising in their homes as well as during classes, and Lauren has seen a vast improvement. She says some residents no longer need to hold onto the chair when they stand.

Bingo mornings are another resident favourite, and Lauren also devises games or quizzes to add a dash of fun to Friday night happy hour. She recently compered The Price is Right, finding grocery items that were available in the 1950s and asking residents to guess how the price has changed in the decades since.

But Lauren doesn’t just connect with the residents. For Christmas, she made sure that one resident’s cat, Lucy, was well looked after. Lucy found a toy mouse under the Christmas tree, thoughtfully gifted to her from ‘Santa’.

And that’s not all. Lauren is bursting with ideas for the future, and has plans to bring over a group of 3-year-old children from a nearby childcare centre for an inter-generational game of balloon tennis. She may also have mentioned hiring a “party pony” for Melbourne Cup later this year. Stay tuned for more of her great ideas!

As Glengara Care’s Diversional Therapist, Lauren says “when you love your job, it’s easy to get up in the morning”. She brings that same enthusiasm and zest for life to the Glengara Care community, organising an array of creative activities to keep residents engaged, happy and connected.

While COVID restrictions have made this a little more difficult, Lauren has risen to the creative challenge. She recently created a home-made golf putter course out of a cardboard box. This proved such a big hit that a Glengara Retirement Village resident, Denys, volunteered to build a proper course out of wood and plywood. This will be mounted on casters so it can be easily moved. Meanwhile, a Glengara Care resident, John (himself an avid artist), will paint a golf scene to add some vivid colour to the course. The new game is immune to bad weather, great for hand-eye coordination and even challenges residents’ balance. Sounds like a winner to us!

Along with Belrose Country Club, Bartonvale Retirement Villages was the proud joint winner of our Village Christmas Decorating Competition! ✨ The judges loved their creative Australiana-inspired decorations and Bartonvale won a $250 donation to their charity of choice.

Village Manager Robyn and resident Yvonne recently had the honour of presenting a cheque for $250 to Uniting Communities. This is a South Australian not-for-profit organisation that provides support to some village residents. The Bartonvale team champions and celebrates the Uniting Communities ethos: to support people to live the best lives they can, while welcoming and respecting people from all walks of life.

This is just one example of how Bartonvale works with and supports the broader community, and we’re delighted to help Uniting Communities continue their important work.

When Belrose Country Club entered our Christmas Decorating competition, the whole community got involved in making the village look magical and bright. After spending four weeks decorating the village, residents and the RetireAustralia team held a special function in December.

The community came together to share the festive spirit, while the village choir sang Christmas carols and the lights were turned on. Beneath the beautiful twinkling display lay a more important motivation – that of taking home the winning prize in order to donate $250 to their chosen charity.

Resident Jo had suggested that Belrose Country Club nominate Rare Cancers Australia as their charity of choice, in honour of her grandson Eli , pictured above [middle]. We’re proud to say that Belrose was awarded joint winner, and a $250 cheque was recently presented to Rare Cancers Australia.

The Belrose community took their fundraising efforts one step further, with residents raising an additional $500 on the night of the Christmas function. They donated $250 to Rare Cancers and $250 to Heart Kids.

We wish you all the very best in your fight, Eli, and hope that this donation helps in some small way.

We love seeing residents connect over shared interests and creativity. The Residents’ Workshop at Tea Tree Gardens is thriving, and fosters camaraderie, happiness, and friendship.

The group is resident led and organised, and draws in residents of all ages. Participants regularly make wooden furniture, clocks, toys and planter boxes for the Hope Valley community. They enjoy working in a newly refurbished space and the hallway rings with their laughter.

One proud resident even describes it as her husband’s ‘second home’.

We have a champion* in our midst at Belrose Country Club Retirement Village 🐶! Under the tutelage of resident Tricia, Abbey the Cavvie [Cavalier King Charles Spaniel] entered her very first obedience competition last month.

Trish adopted Abbey four years ago, when the pup was just six months old. Abbey’s breeder no longer wanted her, as she was too small to be a show dog and her markings were considered imperfect. [She may not win ‘best in show’ but she sure looks perfect to us! 😍]

Trish has been involved with obedience training for many years, and said Abbey was timid at first. But over the years, Trish has worked hard on Abbey’s confidence. She’s taken Abbey to dog clubs and socialised her with the Belrose Country Club community, and recently felt that Abbey was ready for formal competition.

And boy was Trish right. She and Abbey scored a whopping 99 out of 100, tying for second place! 🥈 For Abbey’s first competition, this is a fantastic achievement. We prescribe lots of tasty treats for this very good dog.
Congrats Trish and Abbey!

* Ok ok, we admit that technically speaking, Abbey may not have won – but she’s a champion in our eyes.

After months of social distancing indoors, a new gardening group has sprouted at Wood Glen. 🌱 The Wood Glen Green Thumbs started in August 2020, in part to encourage residents to be active, enjoy the outdoors, and get back to engaging in community life.

The Green Thumbs have only been in operation for five months but they’re already an established presence in the village. A core group of 10-15 residents gets together each month.

“They’re a swap and chat group,” says Village Manager Vanessa Fordyce. “They swap cuttings, herbs and general gardening tips. Our Leading Hand Gardener, Martin Grieves, has taken the group under his wing and attends every meeting with books and articles. He loves sharing his wealth of knowledge with the group.”

The Green Thumbs are so passionate that they’ve even created an offshoot group – the Community Garden Group – focused on establishing a village garden to produce fruit, vegies and herbs for the community. Residents are collecting recyclable bottles and jars to raise funds for this project.

At night you can probably see our villages from space, their Christmas decorations are so bright! ✨🎄

Earlier this month, our leadership team had great fun judging our annual Village Christmas Decorating Competition. There were 16 spectacular entries and one winner was to be crowned. But our judges were so blown away by the entries that they couldn’t select a winner. Instead, they selected two!

They chose Belrose Country Club for their impressive Christmas lights and Bartonvale Gardens for their creative Australiana inspired Christmas decorations. Congratulations to our talented residents and teams! Each village has won $250 which will be presented to their chosen charity in the New Year.

But all our villages deserve to be celebrated. Thank you to the residents and RetireAustralia team who put in such an incredible effort to make the end of 2020 sparkle. From city to coast, countryside to the seaside, retirement communities in Adelaide, Brisbane, Bundy, Coffs, the Central Coast, Sydney, Toowoomba and Wagga twinkle with Christmas lights and colourful decorations.

This Christmas, the Tea Tree Gardens reception desk is adorned with a gorgeous knitted nativity set, hand-made by a crafty resident in the community.

But the heart of this story goes back 14 years, and is threaded with kindness and history.

It all began at the Tea Tree Gardens’ Christmas Dinner Dance in 2006. A couple in the village won a knitted nativity set in the raffle (top photo), and have wondered for years which talented knitter was responsible. They love it so much, they’ve always wanted to thank the clever crafter in person.

When Village Manager Lucy spotted this on their fireplace last year, she set out to solve the mystery. With some selective detective work, she discovered that the nativity set was knitted by Elva, the village’s longest-reigning resident. While Elva recently moved into a nursing home (age 102!), a younger and equally crafty resident, Gloria, resolved to continue the tradition.

She presented Lucy and the village team with a gorgeous replica (bottom photo), which now has pride of place in the office. Thank you Elva and Gloria, your crafty creations have a special place in our hearts!

When residents move into a RetireAustralia village, they don’t just join the village community; they become part of the RA Family. As our way of saying ‘welcome’, Village Managers give new residents a beautiful pot plant, often lovingly cultivated by their soon-to-be neighbours.

Residents at Wood Glen Retirement Village on the Central Coast have enthusiastically embraced this initiative. Margaret Spencer and Hildegard Anstice propagate gorgeous succulents and colourful impatiens from cuttings in their own garden. The beautiful plants are gifted to residents of both Wood Glen and The Rise, new luxury retirement apartments within the village that opened in September.

We’re very grateful for the support and enthusiasm of our communities. We hope our new residents love their green welcome just as much as we enjoy growing them!

Pictured above: Wood Glen Village Manager Vanessa Fordyce welcomes the very first resident of The Rise, Judith Sherson.

A team of generous residents at Belrose Country Club has put their heads, hearts and knitting needles together, whipping up an incredible number of baby vests and beanies for newborns in Kiriwina, Papua New Guinea. The cause, Caring for Kiriwina, was originally championed by Belrose’s aqua aerobics teacher, Sandy Reid, but the community quickly lined up to help. Residents Jean Johnson and Isabel Geard took the lead in coordinating the ‘Kiriwina Knit-Fest’.

Within the space of a few short weeks, a group of 12 knitters had produced an astonishing 60 baby vests and 91 beanies! The kindness extended beyond the core knitting group, with other residents donating wool for the project.

Caitlin Beyer, Belrose’s Lifestyle Activities Officer, was touched by the overwhelming response from the Belrose community.

“It’s one thing to see our residents knit for charity and hand in some beautiful garments, but it’s very rare to see the outcome like this. It’s heart-warming to see the impact of our residents’ kindness and labour of love,” she said.

“Two of our most enthusiastic knitters were Norma Lyon and Nancy Thornton, both care apartment residents. They told me that they love to knit in front of the television at night and that knitting for this cause has given them a great sense of purpose.”

Sandy was equally thrilled with the Belrose residents’ swift and impressive handiwork. She recently shared this photo of some of the Kiriwina locals, with the babies donning some of the hand-crafted creations. The shining smiles of the mums and bubs speak for themselves!

The toy group at Carlyle Gardens has been hard at work, lovingly crafting an array of handmade toys for children in the broader community. Residents have been using their woodworking skills to create miniature tractors, cots and lawnmowers, to name a few.

They were thrilled to receive a donation of $500 from Rotary Club of Bundaberg City Daybreak yesterday, to help the group continue its good work. Rotary will distribute the toys to those in need this Christmas, bringing a little joy and festive cheer to the community.

Before Rotary arrived, the residents’ workshop looked a little like Santa’s, overflowing with gifts, woodworking tools, and dedicated toy-makers putting the finishing touches on their handiwork.

Village Manager Belinda Hensler was on hand to receive the cheque from City Daybreak President, David Facer. We’re very grateful for the kind donation, and to the team of residents who’ve been working hard on hand-crafting these gorgeous toys.

“I see that it is by no means useless to travel, if a man wants to see something new.” – Jules Verne (Around the World in Eighty Days, 1873).

In this case, Belrose Country Club residents ‘travelled’ from the comfort of their village to see a familiar sight. Their means of travel was a little less familiar (and COVID safe!) as they used new technologies to re-discover their childhood home. Care apartment residents virtually soared across the globe to land in front of the home in which they grew up. Within the hour they had visited the Outback, the United Kingdom and Morocco.

Made possible by satellite imagery and  Google Earth, residents traversed the world from their armchairs and shared in the joy of bringing childhood memories to life. It is an uplifting example of residents embracing the digital experience.

They say dogs are a man’s – and woman’s! – best friend. Research shows that our canine companions can boost mental health and wellbeing, reduce loneliness, and enrich our lives. For living proof of this, we need look no further than Max, an affectionate puppy belonging to Bartonvale Gardens Village Manager Robyn Bennett.

Max visits the village twice a week, much to the joy of many residents. One resident in particular, Christine, has struck up the most spectacular friendship with the red cavoodle. Christine is a care apartment resident whose recent health issues have seen her frequenting the hospital. She says she thinks of Max during her hospital visits and Max can be the difference between a good and bad day. “When Max came to visit, he jumped straight into bed with her,” Robyn says. “This turned Christine’s day around. He motivates her.”

Like any puppy, Max can be hard work to wrangle. But Robyn is always impressed by how well-behaved he is around residents in the early stages of dementia. “It’s as if he knows,” she says. Max holds the coveted title of Bartonvale’s best friend, heart stealer, and resident therapy pup. ❤️

Good friendships are timeless – but in a time of social distancing, they benefit from a little creativity, clever thinking and a dash of fun.

That’s where the garden group at Bartonvale Retirement Villages comes in. They invented a brand new board game for residents called “The Friendship Challenge”, fashioned with floral flair, hardboard and colourful paint.

The hand-made board depicts a brightly coloured flower in between two tree trunks, symbolising the foundations of a solid friendship. The aim of the game is to gain the most points by rolling three dice across the board, with each part of the flower representing a different score.

Any number of people can play, either individually or in teams, and a tournament can even extend across several days! Playing The Friendship Challenge is now a regular ritual at Bartonvale, and involves plenty of laughs and a lot of fun. And what friendly challenge would be complete without a good cup of tea and a biscuit? Residents report that The Friendship Challenge is sweetened no end with these additions.

Barry from Boambee Gardens is a pun-loving wordsmith with a gift for penning wonderfully witty poems and short stories. Here is one of his latest, aptly titled, ‘A Poem’:

Just listen to this author, as I read my newest writing.
I read so well than no one here could ever think I’m skiting.
Words that don’t make lots of sense when printed on their own
Have a different meaning when printed in a poem.

A little swear word here or there, just put in now and then
Will get each speaker listening and stop doodling with a pen.
Perhaps it’s not a good idea – they’ll expel me from the club!
(But the lass who sits behind me just gave me bum a rub.)

I have to stop my reading now, much to all your sorrow
Other things are on my mind, I’ll finish this to–bloody–morrow!

Rosemary Nisted at Boambee Gardens evokes the “very strange” times we’re living through in 2020, in one of her recent poems.

The lockdown house

out
I must go out
this silent house rebukes me
out to walk and walk

where eucalyptus leaves turn grey against the
sky and in deep valleys tiny creeks run round the
roots of massed and towering palms and I may
tilt my head to see the sky between the fronds

where damp soil and mossy banks hide shy
flowers and far away there waits the lyre bird’s
cry a different silence there that soothes the soul
its emptiness a contrast to the barren silence
that I feel at home, my home, where no
one comes.

Spring has sprung and there are some busy bees at Belrose Country Cub – and the surrounding community too.

At nearby Corpus Christi Catholic School, year 1 teacher, Leanne Lawrence, has been teaching her young students about community and kindness. When a large hamper filled with sweet treats, beautiful messages, and handmade cards arrived at Belrose, the residents felt more warmth than a lovely Spring day.

Meanwhile, the Village Management team marked Father’s Day with special handmade gifts, delivering a sweet bookmark and packet of nuts to the delight of resident Dads, Granddads and Great Granddads.

Many residents celebrated Father’s Day with family, making the monthly “seafood run” more popular than ever. Fresh prawns and oysters were shipped straight from Hawkesbury River at Mooney Mooney, to the village – delicious!

2020 has been a challenging and turbulent year to say the least – making R U OK? Day more important than ever. The ethos behind R U OK? Day is that a conversation could change a life, and each year the national day aims to inspire Australians to meaningfully connect with those around them.

Our team at Queens Park in Sydney enthusiastically embraced the initiative, led by personal care assistant Angie Pulella (pictured above, middle) and cook Beata Waskiewicz (above, left).

It’s important to check in with people we care about and ask about life’s ups and downs. Beata and Angie championed the cause by delivering hand-crafted care packages to each and every resident, containing an R U OK? letter, a small vase of flowers and a sweet treat. They encouraged residents to reach out to them for a cuppa and a chat if they wanted to talk.

The community at Queens Park loved the care package so much that one resident likened it to receiving a warm hug – never so sorely needed as during a pandemic.

Many of our other villages embraced similar initiatives, including an R U OK? Day conversation corner at Boambee Gardens, a cuppa and a chat with friends at Forresters Beach, and a yellow-themed walkabout at Drayton Villas.

In our friendly, vibrant communities, every day is R U OK? Day.

When resident Beryl Bartola recently had a short stay in Glengara Care respite, she captured the experience in a heart-warming poem:

If you would like to get away
I’ve found a splendid place.
Glengara respite and staff
will keep a smile upon your face.

The apartments are well appointed
you’ll feel very much at home.
Bowling greens, gardens and pathways
if you wish to roam.

You’ll meet interesting people from
different walks of life.
Most have known the pleasures of love
and the anguishes of strife.

Some have lost their spouse others still
have their mate.
One cannot chose their future it’s in
the hands of fate.

There’s are lots of things for you to do.
Play games, swim, bowls and bingo
to name a few.

It’s like being on a cruise
with so much to do
you can join in the fun
or sit and watch the view.

It may not have the smell of the proverbial greasepaint, but residents at The Laurels in Mount Barker have found a way to keep their popular monthly concerts going.

With a bit of innovative thinking, they’ve put the village community television channel to good use and set up a Concert at Home series. Talented local artists now beam into each living room through a raft of tailor-made shows, continuing the monthly concert tradition while staying safe.

Resident Graham Trott said coronavirus was never going to curb the fun.

“Usually we have a monthly concert for residents, with around 90 people coming together for dinner and entertainment,’’ he said.

“This stopped with coronavirus, but I thought there had to be a way of keeping the concerts going to keep people’s spirits high.

“The Entertainment Committee put its heads together and thought about making use of our community channel. Meanwhile, RetireAustralia brought in an IT specialist and we found a way to broadcast videos to everyone’s living room.’’

In the past couple of months, residents have enjoyed performances from musical duo The Borderers and the South Australia Police’s Dixieland Band, as well as stand-up comedy from the ABC’s Peter Goers and Channel Nine’s Anne Wills.

We salute The Laurels’ Entertainment Committee and their innovative residents for finding a way to continue their concert series – all while staying healthy and having fun!

Residents at Forresters Beach are answering a call from local charities by donating scores of handcrafted woolly warmers to help community members doing it tough during the coronavirus pandemic.

The 30-strong Ladies Knitting Group has notched up production of warm clothing and blankets to assist organisations such as Vinnies, which is bracing for a surge in pleas for assistance.

St Vincent de Paul’s National COVID-19 Winter Appeal kicked off in late June, with Vinnies NSW CEO Jack de Groot calling for community donations to help people experiencing difficulties as the crisis continues and government assistance begins to wind down.

The Forresters Beach group, which has been knitting together for 11 years, approached a local Vinnie’s welfare officer to offer blankets, beanies and scarves as gifts for those receiving welfare checks from local support workers.

Village Manager Julie Ramage said it was heart-warming to see the residents swing into action.

“Even though many of our residents are in the high-risk category, they’re constantly thinking about how they can help others in our community,” said Mrs Ramage.

As the crafty group continues to weave kindness through the Central Coast community, we think this is a purl of an idea!

It’s starting to look a lot like Christmas (in July) at Harwin and Bartonvale Gardens Retirement Villages!

Last week at Harwin, our wonderful team decked the halls with Christmas cheer and organised a special lunch for residents, who also got into the spirit by donning red and green themed attire and a hilarious array of elf hats!

Meanwhile, care apartment residents at Bartonvale Gardens were treated to a special Christmas lunch of their own – roast turkey with vegies and cranberry sauce, followed by the obligatory Christmas pudding with custard.  The delicious lunch was accompanied by Christmas crackers, lots of music, festive decorations, and wine.

This year, more than any, we think everyone deserves to celebrate two Christmases, don’t you agree?!

Residents at Murray Gardens in Albury are feeling the winter chill, with temperatures reaching a low of two degrees this week. ❄️ There are fantastic golf courses in the region, but playing a round of golf outside is less appealing when the weather is frosty.

So what are Murray Gardens residents to do? Well, thanks to Village Manager Robyn Anderson, residents no longer need to brave the icy temperatures, and can play golf indoors! Robyn worked with the on-site team of amazing care assistants to create this fantastic mini-golf course in our community centre.

And how does it match up to the real thing? Well, resident Bob Smith gives it the tick of approval and says it’s just as good as a putting green. Looks like the winter months are sorted then!

Winter at Wellington Manor means a kaleidoscope of colour, clear blue skies, and stunning gardens.

So much so that resident Renate Smythe took time out to photograph some of the majestic flowers and plants that are currently in bloom. She even managed to capture a resident rainbow lorikeet, peeking its head out of the birdhouse.

Lovingly tended by a team of three expert gardeners, the gardens are looking particularly colourful this winter and are a hallmark of the village. Head Gardener Rod Bennett says that residents are particularly fond of the beautiful camellias, chrysanthemums and orchids, to name just a few.

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!