The benefits of Serviced Apartments

Lynne's retirement journey

Lynne has lived a life surrounded by people. From working in the office of a school with about 500 children, to having a large family of her own and taking in international students after her children moved out, it is fair to say that she is more than used to having a bit of chaos around her.

So looking back, it is not surprising that her first venture into retirement living was a bit of a culture shock. In 2007, she moved into a villa in Evelyn Ridge, one of our retirement communities with gorgeous views of the Yarra Ranges.

A street in Evelyn Ridge retirement village

The Evelyn Ridge retirement village is known for its beautiful views of the Yarra Ranges

“It was exciting because everything was new. We felt as if we were pioneers on a very exciting adventure,” Lynne remembers of her years there.

But after seven beautiful years at the village, Lynne decided she wasn’t fully done with family life. "I started to envy the stereotypical Italian grandma who sits in her son or daughter's house with the shawl over her head and nurses the babies. She shells the peas, and life just goes on around her. I wanted that.”

After discussing these thoughts with her family, three of her adult children had spare rooms, so she finished up having a bedroom in three houses. Lynne says “I would just stay a couple of days here, and then I’d move on for a couple of days, fitting in with school pick-ups or helping in other ways with each family."

Curiosity paved the way to her new lifestyle

Moving from one household to another, Lynne was content with not having her own home and helping out where she could. Her first glimpse of Serviced Apartments came through her friend, Jan, another resident of Fiddlers Green. After a village concert, there was an open invitation to view the Serviced Apartments that are conveniently connected to the function room in the community centre, where the concert was held.

"We knew what a villa looks like because I've visited Jan often enough and I'd had a villa of my own at Evelyn Ridge. But I often wondered: "What's up that ramp?"

Intrigued by the chance to catch a glimpse of the apartments, Lynne and her friend came on the tour - albeit more driven by a bit of cheeky curiosity than actual purchasing intent. "I asked all the right questions of the sales lady and sounded interested, but I really wasn’t looking for accommodation at that stage," she remembers with a giggle.

But little did she know, her casual curiosity would pave the way for her new home.

A path in leafy green Fiddlers Green retirement village

Fiddlers Green is known for its beautiful and lush gardens

Finding a new home at Fiddlers Green

Although Lynne enjoyed helping out with her grandkids and being around her own children, she did eventually start to feel it was time for a new chapter. While she pondered what could be in store for her, she remembered the visit to Fiddlers Green, and the rest is history.

Upon moving into the Serviced Apartment, Lynne found her new life packed not with luggage but with liberation: "The lovely thing about moving into the Serviced Apartment is you no longer need an ironing board, an iron, a washing machine, or 15 salad platters. You don't need saucepans. You don't need cake tins. You don’t need 50 sheets or 100 towels. I found the downsizing to an apartment very liberating. From a big house to a more compact home – it was quite a relief!"

"I found the downsizing to an apartment very liberating."

But that's not all. The Serviced Apartments are purposely designed to make life easier for residents, including drawers for storage in the kitchenette, space-saving closet interior, and spacious showers.

"The showers here are very good because they’re such a generous size. If a shower chair is needed or help with showering is necessary, there’s ample room,” Lynne says.

The many benefits of Serviced Apartment living

One of the many perks of Serviced Apartment living that Lynne appreciates is that all the services provided: From cleaning to maintenance to cooking, everything is done for her. And because delicious meals are served, with no planning or preparation required by her, there is no need for grocery shopping.

They are also nutritious, with lighter dinners guaranteed for better digestion and all dietary requirements catered for. The cook, Raj, even welcomes any feedback or wishes from residents about what to see on the seasonal menu.

A sound financial decision

Lynne's move turned out to be not just a lifestyle choice but also a wise financial decision. With many of her children living in the area, she wanted to stay close and live in Berwick. But upon crunching the numbers, she realised staying in the sought-after suburb was going to be an expensive endeavour - unless she moved into the retirement village.

"I know that a lot of people think they can't afford retirement communities, but if you are smart and you make yourself aware of all that is available, you definitely can. Centrelink has a financial person to whom I spoke via phone in company with my accountant. We just talked about what would be the best way to accommodate my finances, and for me personally, the pay as you go contract option was the most beneficial."

Pay As You Go gives you the freedom to experience retirement living without having to sell your home or other assets beforehand. With this option, you’ll pay a security deposit, a non-refundable establishment fee and monthly instalments. When leaving the village, your security deposit will be returned with no extra fees or costs. You won’t need to worry about capital gains, loss of your property, or have any selling pressures. Find out more about our contracts here.

Together with this option, as well as rent assistance and a home care package, Lynne now actually comes out on top at the end of the month. “I’m in front! How good is that!” she smiles. “It’s legal, I’ve declared everything with Centrelink and assistance is available. Living in a Serviced Apartment is so convenient, affordable, stress-free and enjoyable with time to pursue interests and hobbies rather than being tied down to running a household.”

Serviced Apartment resident Lynne smiling into the camera

Timing is everything

The reason why Lynne is in front is not because she is lucky, but because she was organised. "Think about it before you need it," she urges.

“People need to be aware of what’s available. Some may say, “Oh well, I’m not needing that YET! But the ‘yet’ can come mighty fast – if arthritis or other ageing annoyances increase - or all circumstances can change overnight in the event of a stroke. We need to be encouraged to think ahead and have a contingency plan already in place.

"Think about it before you need it."

Learn more about Serviced Apartments.

For more information about the lifestyle and support offered at our retirement villages, call our customer service team on 1800 550 550.

If you think your family or friends might enjoy this article, please share it with them.