One of the hardest decisions to make as an aged person was to sell my home and move to another place. Having lived in one place for some for some 50 years! However the large garden and the hilly nature of the area was the impetus. Having made the decision, I then asked myself two questions:
To where do I move?
How can I maintain my independence?
My thoughts were that I would move near to one of my three siblings in Queensland, New South Wales or Victoria, but remain independent.
Victoria won and I moved to the country town of Benalla.
One consideration in choosing Benalla was that it was only 2 hours approximately from the city. I could maintain contact with old friends and also could access the medical specialists who had treated me.
A further consideration was that I was able to maintain my indepence by living in an independent unit a Retirement village where my sibling lived. The Village also caters for ongoing Low and High Care needs if required at a later stage.
This Village is populated by people who come from the town intself or the surrounding areas. They all knew each other before coming to the Village. I was unknown to all but my brother. Has this been a problem? No. There were advantages.
They passed on knowledge about Benalla. Where to shop for the best products and deals in the town, or which nearby town may be better for certain items. They encouraged me to join groups such as Probus or the Evergreens, sporting clubs, theatre offerings, learn to fly or take an interest in horse racing.
I have become involved in a number of ways:
I have been accepted and settled well.
Mardi Scharp
February 2017
To where do I move?
How can I maintain my independence?
My thoughts were that I would move near to one of my three siblings in Queensland, New South Wales or Victoria, but remain independent.
Victoria won and I moved to the country town of Benalla.
One consideration in choosing Benalla was that it was only 2 hours approximately from the city. I could maintain contact with old friends and also could access the medical specialists who had treated me.
A further consideration was that I was able to maintain my indepence by living in an independent unit a Retirement village where my sibling lived. The Village also caters for ongoing Low and High Care needs if required at a later stage.
This Village is populated by people who come from the town intself or the surrounding areas. They all knew each other before coming to the Village. I was unknown to all but my brother. Has this been a problem? No. There were advantages.
They passed on knowledge about Benalla. Where to shop for the best products and deals in the town, or which nearby town may be better for certain items. They encouraged me to join groups such as Probus or the Evergreens, sporting clubs, theatre offerings, learn to fly or take an interest in horse racing.
I have become involved in a number of ways:
- Volunteering to operate the Kiosk each Monday at the main building
- Becoming a member of the Independent Living Units Committee
- Organizing the many activities carried out at the Hub with another member on a rotational basis.
I have been accepted and settled well.
Mardi Scharp
February 2017
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