RETIREMENT LIVING
TESTIMONIALS
Parklands Retirement Haven, Urangan
My husband passed away 5 years ago and I have been thinking about moving (with much pleading from my grand-daughter) from the South Coast of New South Wales to Hervey Bay.
I moved into "Parklands" about 3-4 weeks ago, and I am loving every minute of it. I haven't been able to take advantage of all there is (and there is so much) yet, as I have been so busy getting things unpacked and into place - making curtains etc.
Before I moved from my home in New South Wales I had so many "what ifs". After much prayer - decided to move in - and all the "what ifs" have disappeared. I love my villa, it is so easy to care for and everything is in the right place.
Everyone is so helpful.
Thank you Torbay for making my life so wonderful.
Val Isreal
1st April 2011
Torbay Aged Care and Retirement Village, Torquay
WHY I LIVE WHERE I LIVE
Having lived in a modern villa in Torbay Village Torquay for the past 14 years, I know that moving into Torbay was the right decision to make. My husband died only five weeks after moving in, and immediately I was surrounded with wonderful caring staff who ensured that I was able to cope with life on my own, and also encouraged me to join in the many activities which were made available in the village.
My life took a new direction, joining the choir, acting in various shows arranged by the Activity staff, assisting with the monthly Torbay News letter and helping in a volunteering capacity wherever I could.
I know I will never need to look elsewhere when it is my turn to need either low care or high care; it is available right here in Torbay.
Torbay Retirement Village, it is my home,
No further do I need to roam
To find a home safe and secure,
With friendly staff and help ensured.
A choir to enjoy, trips to the Brolga, activities galore,
The monthly Calendar of events lists a whole lot more,
Water Aerobics, Tai Chi; a shopping bus twice a week,
Ensures you will find and enjoy whatever you seek.
Trained Staff are on duty 24 hours a day,
A call button brings aid without delay.
When health is a worry, help is at hand
Torbay Village is one of the best in the land.
back to top Marie McDonald
TORBAY LIFE
My husband and I (does that phrase sound familiar?) had a choice of living out our lives in the family home or seeing out the days in a retirement village. It was a choice we didn’t wish to make, nor did we ever think we ever needed to make it and, so for several years, we refused to believe we were actually growing old until we became slaves to every housewife’s nightmare, housework, a word husbands don’t believe exist. They’re under the impression they’re married to Mary Poppins.
However, we both wanted a gentler lifestyle. In other words living conditions that suited our ages; approaching 70 we thought the retirement village life might be the answer.
Much to our surprise and delight we found it was the answer at the Torbay Village, Torquay.
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Maureen and Henry Gay
OUR THOUGHTS AND REASONS WHY WE ARE IN TORBAY
When Russell was 64 years old and I was 61, we lost our small dog with cancer, within 4 days we decided to sell our home and go into a retirement village.
In talking to many friends and visiting retirement villages in Hervey Bay, we came to Torbay as it was the only retirement village in Hervey Bay with on going care at that time.
We settled in very quickly, as there are plenty of activities to get involved in, as we were still active and able to be involved in most of the programs operating in Torbay.
At the time of writing this article we are living in an independent living villa.
At first our family were a little concerned at our choice to move in a retirement village, however now both daughters are very happy with our choice as we have been here for 8 years.
In summing up, the on going care and life style being the main reasons we chose Torbay Village Torquay to live out the remainder of our days.
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Margaret and Russell Clarke
MY TORBAY EXPERIENCE
In 1995, mindful of my approaching retirement in 2002 from the University of Wollongong and wanting to retire to a warmer winter climate, I investigated about thirty coastal retirement villages from Port Macquarie north to the border and, finding the Gold Coast too crowded, from Brisbane north to Bundaberg. Of all the retirement villages I inspected, Torbay Village seemed to me to be one of the best, especially as it was one of the very few retirement villages to offer a full range of care—so that most possible future needs and contingencies would be fully met by Torbay: what happens when (not if) I have to surrender my driving licence?—Village bus transport to shops provided; what happens if I were to become less able to manage housekeeping and cooking for myself?—hostel accommodation with cleaning and meals provided; what happens if (worst of all) there were to be an onset of dementia?—care in the dementia wings in the Village; and (finally) how easy would it be for my executor to wind up my estate?—Torbay resumes my villa, promptly paying what is due. Torbay, in the buzz phrase, ‘ticked all the boxes’. Hervey Bay also ticked all the boxes: sunny and warm throughout the year (but not too hot in summer); plentiful adequacy of shops and medical facilities; good transport links; and a very pleasing overall environment.
Accordingly, I put my name down on the waiting list for a villa and in 2002 I moved from Wollongong to Hervey Bay to enjoy a carefree retirement—especially relishing the ability to travel for long periods without the worry of property maintenance during my absence. In my years so far in Torbay, each passing year has strengthened my opinion that I made exactly the right choice of retirement village. I have made many friends in Torbay where we enjoy a most convivial lifestyle (fortnightly barbecues around the pool, the monthly potluck dinner in the Hall, and birthday and other parties galore in the Clubhouse), and I have seen at first hand the excellent way in which some of my friends, when the need arose, have been looked after by Torbay (especially through after-hospitalisation care in their villa). Furthermore, during this period Torbay has gone from strength to strength in terms of expanding the facilities offered, being able to fund this expansion because of Torbay’s sound financial management.
One aspect that had not occurred to me was the matter of computer-internet glitches: as a professor at the University of Wollongong I had been accustomed to having these dealt with by the IT specialists employed by the University for that purpose (and so without charge to me). I was delighted to find that at Torbay such glitches were always promptly and efficiently dealt with by Torbay’s own IT specialist (and so without charge to me!) Another box ticked!
Dudley Jackson