This is part of a series of sponsored stories by ZB’s Kerre Woodham in which she examines life in Metlifecare villages through the eyes of residents – how they came to be there, what shaped their choice of village and their life in residence. Today: Kerre meets Margaret, who embraced village life and found a new sense of community and joy.
A warm village welcome that inspired Margaret to start a club.
When Margaret Nicholls turned 70, she knew she wanted her next chapter to be full of life and connection. When she heard about Pōhutukawa Landing, she jumped at the chance to be part of something special.
“I saw an advert for expressions of interest in a retirement village,” she says. “We were invited to a restaurant at the Beachlands marina – heaps of people went – and I put my name down straight away. I didn’t particularly want a villa, but when I saw the apartment plans, I said, ‘Oooooh! I want that one!’ And I got it.”
Margaret was the first to move into her apartment block and on the day she arrived at her new home, she cried. But they were happy, happy tears.
“I couldn’t believe how lovely everybody was!” she exclaims. “They brought up lunch for me and my friends and my bed was all made up. There was a great big hamper full of goodies – I was overwhelmed. I really was.”
Margaret wanted to pay it forward and be part of the welcoming experience when new residents arrived at her apartment block so she asked the management team to let her know when people were moving in.
“I’d send them a card and say ‘Welcome to the village. Would you like to come up to the top foyer on Wednesday afternoon just for a drink and to meet other people in our apartment?’ Initially there were just the three or four of us but as more people arrived in the building, we couldn’t fit in the foyer so we’ve moved to the Pavilion.”
The Pavilion is a shared space, a lovely building in the village garden that can be booked for dinner parties, meetings or get-togethers like Margaret’s Club 78, named after the street address of her apartment block. The members of Club 78 are a close team. They keep an eye out for one another.
Recently, Margaret had a minor health scare. She couldn’t drive herself to the doctor’s so one of her neighbours did and while Margaret was waiting to see the doctor, her friend messaged other Club 78 members and asked them to make sure there was milk in the fridge so Margaret could have a cup of tea when she got home.
“That just wouldn’t have happened on my own in my old house,” says Margaret. “I had excellent neighbours but they were working. And my children who live in Auckland are quite a way away. I had very good friends when I was living in Maraetai but it’s not the same as living in a community like this.”
Margaret says since she’s moved in, she feels she’s getting younger every year. “You know, scientifically, if you don’t want to grow old, you do all the things we’re doing every day: connecting with people, learning new things, keeping our bodies and minds active.”
And partying. The cool cats at Pōhutukawa Landing throw a party for any, and every, reason.
“We had a party for the 100th person to move in here. There’s 150 now, so we’ll have another party for that. Everybody dances – and what’s great is that when you see a lot of old people dancing, and you’re not one of them because you’re about 30 years younger, it’s a bit – well – weird,” Margaret confides. “But when you’re all in here together, in the middle of it, nobody cares. Everybody has a ball because nobody’s judging. You might feel a bit self-conscious dancing at other places, but not here. The line dancers get into it as well – everybody has a go – it’s fabulous. I haven’t laughed so much in my whole life since I came here.”
I met Margaret at Pōhutukawa Landing on a Wednesday so I had the opportunity to meet some of the members of Club 78 at the Pavilion after Margaret had showed off the beautiful communal facilities within the village. Eventually I had to head home to the city but I left the group, who were sharing a drink and a laugh, thinking how wonderful it would be to call Pōhutukawa Landing home. Margaret is a fantastic advertisement for retirement village living.
“There’ll come a time when I won’t be able to drive, when I can’t get out and about and do all the things I do now outside of the village, but my life won’t be empty. Because every day, there’s something to do and someone to have a chat with, if you want to. I am so happy – I had a lovely life before, but here, my life has just got better and better.”
For more information: metlifecare.co.nz