With the average life expectancy continuing to make gains, many New Zealanders are re-thinking what life in “retirement” can look like for them.
Nowadays a growing number of Kiwis are embracing this new phase of their life, with an estimate of close to 50,000 residents in retirement villages.
For many, life after 65 doesn’t have to mean being relegated to the sidelines to watch on as life goes on around you.
For those who want to continue working, travelling, and enjoying life outside of the home, life at Ryman Healthcare can mean new experiences and more time for the things you’re passionate about. Whether that be hobbies, time with family, or something new and unexpected!
Ryman villages are a key supporter of independent and serviced living options.
Here we meet four residents who are fully living life against the ‘retirement’ stereotypes, challenging the outdated view of a staid retirement.
Keep on dancing
For Keri, a resident at Miriam Corban Village in Auckland, continuing to live a full life and pursue her lifelong passion for dance is essential. She works outside the village, teaching dance and conducting exams. “Being able to continue your passions and doing what you do, I think that's important,” Keri says. “There's a few people that still work, life doesn't have to stop because you've moved into a retirement village. I don't plan to give up teaching. I'm out there, I'm doing something to keep fit.”
Keri says she was lonely before moving to Ryman, and she loves being part of the community. “I think it's the best thing I ever did. It's just as simple as that. Everybody's so fantastic and they welcome you and make it easy. My apartment is superb. The friendships are really nice. It's nice when someone knocks on your door and says, ‘Oh, here's a corn fritter for your dinner, or here's a bit of apple pie.’ I love it.”
Living at Ryman gives Keri’s family peace of mind, too, knowing she’s in a safe environment. Her grandchildren visit her and they walk to the park, the nearby pie shop, or to their netball games, and they’ve been working on a poem together. Inside the village, Keri plans to put on a variety show and share her love of dance with her community.
Hooked on life
For friends Neil and David, like Keri, living a meaningful life to the full is vital.
Neil and David met after moving to Ryman’s Bruce McLaren Village in Auckland and live in the same apartment block. The low maintenance living arrangements at the village give them both the freedom to pursue an active lifestyle. “The lock up and leave situation is so great,” says David. “The wife and I have a beach house and we spent so much more time there in the last six years than we had before because we’ve only got one house to look after. It gives you the freedom to move or travel.”
“You can still carry on with your sport and your hobbies as well,” says Neil. “I go fishing amongst other things. I also build and repair fishing rods. I’ve got that set up in the spare bedroom.”
Neil has been fishing for most of his life, and is a life member of the Auckland Freshwater Anglers Club. He spent 13 years with the New Zealand Fly Fishing Team representing Aotearoa around the world, so it is important to him to continue. “It’s just one of those things I’ve always liked, and I’ve always done, and I just carried on doing it.”
Learning doesn’t end at retirement either. “I’m not a fly fisherman,” David says. “I’m very much a beginner. Neil is teaching me a few things about fly fishing. It’s an interesting sport, I can see why Neil’s ‘hooked on it’ so to speak. I have fished in the past but only from boats. But in this short time, it’s been an excellent learning curve for me.”
In addition to fly fishing, David has also taken up paddle boarding and kayaking since moving to Ryman. There are a range of activities available in the village, such as golf and table tennis, which David plays. “That’s a good way to keep fit as well. And now I’ve got time to do those sorts of things.”
Both Neil and David agree that the reduced stress that comes with living at Ryman contributes to their overall happiness and wellbeing. “I think the security and lack of stress is beneficial for your mind and body,” Neil says. “It’s good for your general wellbeing. One less thing to worry about.”
“You see people come in and you can almost see them change, becoming more relaxed and enjoying life,” David says. “They ask, when’s the next quiz night? They’ve found something they enjoy, and you do see a change in them over a few months, quite a noticeable change.”
Supporting a full life
While some people over the age of 65 like Neil, David, and Keri make the most of their independence and freedom, others, like 97-year old Norman, need extra care to continue living full lives.
Ryman offers a range of living options, with independent living, assisted living in a serviced apartment, hospital, and rest-home care, and specialist dementia care.
When making the decision to move to Ryman, Norman’s daughter Joyce says, “he knew it was that time where he wanted to take that stress away from himself, from his children. Very big and brave and bold, I think. We always heard great things about Ryman, so we checked it out and it was like, ‘wow!’”
Norman takes part in village activities and walks in the beautiful gardens. He likes to take bus trips by himself.
At the same time, he and his family also enjoy the security of knowing all his needs are taken care of. “It's made our lives less stressful,” says Joyce. “There are eight of us kids, so we take turns on specific days to come visit him, and we can take him out anytime we want.
Especially for Chinese New Year, the August moon festival, and on his birthday. Any excuse to celebrate our Chinese traditions, we take him out and he loves it.”
A new life stage
In villages where neighbours become friends, Ryman offers independent and assisted living options.
For those who need more care and support, Ryman offers top-quality hospital, rest-home and dementia care, with kind and friendly expert staff. Families are welcomed and form part of the vibrant community at Ryman villages.
The many living options, support, and facilities at Ryman means that life can continue to get richer, regardless of aging.
Retirement no longer means living from the sidelines, it’s quite the opposite.
It provides the opportunity to delve into passions and hobbies, and spend quality time with the people most important to you, and Ryman is there to support Kiwis enjoy retirement life to the fullest.
Enjoy everything in one place so you can embrace life today without having to worry about the future.
For more information visit Ryman Healthcare's website
To receive Ryman’s free guide to retirement living click here to register
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