News

Some of our residents are larger than life, with experiences that could be written in a book… or in Barbara’s case, several travel journals! Barbara’s adventures started when she was 19 years old when she did her first trip around Europe. She hasn’t stopped travelling since then: she’s been to 45 countries, including Uganda, the Galapagos Islands or Cambodia.

Connecting with the community is one of the main core values we have at Real Living. One of our residents at Epsom Village, Diana Burslem, visited St Joseph’s school in Orakei to share her passion of writing with the children. Diana writes books for Red Rocket Readers and she was a teacher for 40 years so she was totally in her element at St Joseph’s. It’s a good thing she was because the little ones only asked about a million questions!

Most retirement villages have a minimum entry of 65 or even 70 years old, but at Real Living we welcome everyone from 55 years old. This is the main reason why Craig (61) was first attracted to Remuera Gardens, and then he instantly fell in love with the village after his first visit. In August he celebrated his first anniversary at the village with a sense of fulfilment: “It’s more than I ever expected. Remuera Gardens is ticking all the boxes I hoped it would.”

Real Living villages are so much more than just a place to live. They’re dynamic communities where anything can happen, including the unfolding of a beautiful love story. That’s what happened to Bob and Cornelia: they met outside of Pakuranga Park but the start of the Covid pandemic in 2020 precipitated them moving together into his villa. In June they were engaged and three years later they tied the knot. The wedding at All Saint's Church in Howick, was followed by the wedding reception at the village’s community centre....Where else?

Some of our staff members make the world go round, or more exactly, Real Living. This is the case of Raewyn Morrison, Activities Coordinator at Warkworth Oaks. She loves working in such a “friendly, caring and supportive village” and she takes any opportunity to mingle with the residents, either playing Rummikub or leading the dancing at the boogie class.

Our superstar chef at Epsom Village, Nick Seaman, has more than 40 years’ experience in cooking. He loves his job because “feeding people is like nurturing them” and working in a retirement village allows him the chance to get to know his diners. There’s nothing that Nick can’t tackle, from a Pink Ribbon breakfast to an international midwinter dinner.

At Real Living we know that life doesn’t stop when you retire, but quite the opposite. Our villages offer a wide range of activities to keep you busy, including a big selection of cultural events. At Remuera Gardens they organise regular trips to shows, museums and libraries, and if you prefer to stay at home, they also have a 45-seat tiered cinema for you to enjoy.

Distance swimmer Sandra Blewett MBE is one of our newest residents at Pakuranga Park. Her life story is not for the faint-hearted: she has swum over 56 marathon swims around the world including the English Channel, Cook Strait, and Foveaux Strait. What does she like about Pakuranga Park? “It’s close to the shops, swimming pools and doctors. I can be independent and safe at the same time, and on top of everything… they have their own pool!”

Tom and Jill moved to Warkworth Oaks in 2020 because their apartments fulfilled all the requirements in their wish list. They love that it’s such an easy lock-and-leave option and “within walking distance of everything we need”. On top of that, the village allows them to lead the lifestyle they want, full of exercise and activities, including fitness at the gym, table tennis, indoor and outdoor bowling.