Jessie loved her life at Tea Tree Gardens Retirement Village, where she’d lived happily with her husband for many years. After her husband passed away and her Parkinson’s Disease progressed, Jessie started to find her day-to-day life a little more difficult.
“People often move into a retirement village fit active and healthy, but then as the years move on, people age and they realise that they do need additional levels of care. One of the things that Jessie and I talked about initially was accessing RetireAustralia Home Care,” says Lucy Mulvany, Village Manager at Tea Tree Gardens. “After her late husband passed away, she began to feel that she was not as able as she had been.”
Lucy spent time with Jessie talking through, and assessing what would be, the best options for the next phase of her life.
“I was getting less able,” Jessie explains. “I’ve got Parkinson’s, so Lucy and I had long chats around the possibility of transferring to a service apartment in another village. I was lucky to have her help because I really didn’t have anyone and she made it so easy for me to do this.”
Life in a serviced apartment
A serviced apartment is perfect for someone whose care needs are increasing, yet they still want to maintain their independence and keep doing the things they love. With the RetireAustralia team taking care of housekeeping, maintenance, and providing delicious and nutritious meals every day, there is the freedom to focus on what matters most.
“I think there may be a misconception that when you move into a serviced apartment that, all of a sudden, you’re losing independence. Whereas when somebody moves into a serviced apartment, they actually regain independence and dignity because their energy can be spent on themselves, their social life, their activities,” says Lucy. “The serviced apartment is entirely theirs to decorate and to furnish, so it does become like home, but it’s really manageable for them.”
Jessie, with Lucy’s help, made the decision to move into a serviced apartment at Torrens Grove Retirement Village and she hasn’t looked back.
“It’s really lovely! I’ve got my own little kitchen, my own lounge room, my bedroom and my big bathroom. Everything’s spacious and I just think it’s great,” says Jessie. “My friends came down to check it out, make sure I was living in a good place and they were very impressed.”
"When somebody moves into a serviced apartment, they actually regain independence and dignity because their energy can be spent on themselves, their social life, their activities,” says Lucy Mulvany, Village Manager Tea Tree Gardens Retirement Village.
More than a place to live
Life hasn’t slowed down for Jessie since she moved into the serviced apartment at Torrens Grove, there are plenty of activities and services on offer with a good team to support her.
“I’ve always been a great reader my mother used to say I’d read the labels on the jam jar if I had nothing else. You can knit, you can do tai chi, which I used to do,” says Jessie. “I found that the staff here are absolutely spot on, David our cook he’s wonderful, he remembers what everybody likes. We’re lucky to have a very good hairdresser here and she does a very good cut.”
For Lucy, being able to assist residents, like Jessie, to live full and rewarding lives is definitely one of the highlights of her role.
“Moving into retirement living or into a serviced apartment can change people’s lives, it can change families lives,” says Lucy. “I feel inordinately privileged to be in that position where I can help and guide people to living as individuals and as families.”
As for Jessie, she says: “I don’t think I could live anywhere else better and to think that I’ve got such a lovely place and I’m being looked after so well is a big plus.”
Find a community of care that can offer you the right level of support.
Find a community of care that can offer you the right level of support.
