News

Some of our villagers are so vibrant and energetic that when they turn 90 they give us a big surprise! Eileen is one of the most active residents at Epsom Village. She organizes the Cinema sessions and the Quirky Quiz, she joins most social events and tags along to all the trips. And she doesn’t look one day past 70!

Check out the blooming wonderland of vegetables and herbs located behind our newest retirement village, Warkworth Oaks. Even if the village is located right in the middle of the town centre, the residents have managed to build this stunning community garden for all of them to enjoy.

Easter is a time of tradition, togetherness and joy. Our residents have shared lots of special moments with their Real Living families. They participated in a Cornhole competition with the Easter Bunny as a referee, they had a Happy Hour with fabulous Easter bonnets and some residents let their creativity shine - just have a look at this charming chicken for the best Easter egg hunt!

Living in one of our villages has lots of perks, for example the regular trips to the countryside. Pakuranga Park and Epsom Village residents were fascinated by their visit to the Sculptureum, a world-class tourist attraction located in Matakana. With three sculpture gardens and six art galleries spanning over 1.5km of flat paths, the Sculptureum is a feast for the senses.

During uncertain times like the ones we’re living, it’s more important than ever to have caring staff who will go above and beyond to keep our residents safe. Megan Batra is one of our most valued employees. Being Remuera Gardens Clinical Manager, she oversees the running of the rest home with health and safety protocols at the top of her priorities.

At Real Living we love Ireland’s National Day so today we’re sharing one of the favourite ways to celebrate it: baking Irish Soda Bread. Louise is one of our residents and star bakers and she has a tried and tested recipe for this popular Irish staple.

Meet Shirley, a Pakuranga Park resident with an extraordinary life story. In 1997, Shirley was working as a radiographer in a private clinic in South Africa when a robber shot a gorilla at the zoo. Imagine her surprise when she found out that the injured animal was being moved to her clinic, and she was called to do the x-rays! Quite the adventure of a lifetime… but not the only one in Shirley’s life.

When it comes to outdoor parties, our stunning gardens offer the best backdrop. Epsom Village had an Al Fresco Party this week to celebrate all the birthdays that fell into the 2021 lockdown. It all started with some quiet melodies, but at the end all the residents were dancing to Abba under the old oak tree.

You don’t need to be retired to move to our retirement villages. With an entry age of 55+, many of our residents still work part-time or even full-time. Take Mel for example, she’s the Practice Manager of a busy Orthopaedics surgery, and she also has a very busy social life, inside and outside of the village. Moving to a retirement village allowed her to live to the fullest without the hassles of home maintenance.