News

During the lockdown Real Living goes the extra mile to make sure their residents are safe and healthy, physically and mentally. Here are a few examples of what the villages are doing to improve the wellbeing of the residents: social distanced exercise classes, lockdown happy hours, wellness calls and little gifts to lift up everyone’s mood.

Real Living Group has almost completed the Covid vaccination program for their staff and residents. The team at Walls and Roche Pharmacy (Royal Oak) administered the second dose of the vaccine to Epsom Village residents. Our villagers and staff have played their part in protecting themselves, their whānau, and the community from the effects of the virus.

How much are you missing your hairdresser? Angela, Remuera Gardens’ own hairdresser, is looking forward to going back to work once alert levels drop. She has one simple advice for her clients; “Please be strong and don’t cut your own hair!”

Today we’re celebrating New Zealand’s Random Acts of Kindness Day (RAK). It may seem difficult to RAK when we’re in lockdown, but here we give you some ideas to support one another even during these challenging times. Random acts of kindness, however small, can have the power to brighten someone’s (and your) day.

Daffodil Day symbolises hope for all New Zealanders impacted by cancer. Real Living villages found their own way to keep the tradition alive and raise funds for the Cancer Society. The team at Pakuranga Park wore groovy hats and paper daffodils to celebrate this special day with a lot of enthusiasm and a great sense of humour. The village raised almost $2500.

This month we're sharing a delicious recipe of Banana Caramilk cake with Margaret from Pakuranga Park. Margaret’s talent for baking and decorating cakes has impressed many staff and residents at the village. She’s such a good cook that her nephew, well-known conservationist Daryl Eason, took her to Codfish Island to participate in the efforts to save the kākāpō.

Epsom Village celebrated International Cat Day with a special Happy Hour last week. Residents came dressed up as their favourite cat characters… including a special appearance by a real cat! Celebrated on August 8 every year, the day is used to raise public awareness about cats and to learn about ways to keep and protect them.

Pakuranga Park Village turned into a stunning Art Gallery yesterday afternoon. The community really enjoyed the opportunity to see the works of contemporary New Zealand artists such as Flox, one of the leading stencil-based artists in our country. According to Real Living Groups' director Chris Murphy, the exhibition is part of the Village's efforts to give back to the community.

Commonwealth gold medalist Roy Williams has just moved from Te Aroha to Pakuranga Park Village. He is the only kiwi to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal in the demanding decathlon. He’s settling into his new apartment in the village where he has been binge-watching the Tokyo Games, with a special interest in the new Olympic sports such as skateboarding.