Co-located aged care and retirement living gives couples the opportunity to continue to enjoy each other’s company
Together, just around the corner: how co-located care keeps couples close
When one partner needs more support, many couples face a hard choice: move apart, or give up the life they’ve built together. At Garden Village, it doesn’t have to be that way. Our retirement living and residential aged care are on the same grounds, so couples can keep sharing their days, their meals and each other’s company, even when their care needs change.
Two Garden Village couples show what that looks like.
Betty and Eric: lunch together, at GVs Cafe
Betty and Eric know a thing or two about fresh starts. After many years running a farm in Cobram, Victoria, they retired to beautiful Port Macquarie and spent 18 happy years at Governors Retirement Resort before moving to Garden Village.
Today Eric lives at Westerweller, where he recently celebrated a very special milestone, his 90th birthday, with a joyful gathering of family and friends. Betty lives just nearby in one of Garden Village’s independent living units, where she’s been busy putting pen to paper on a memoir of her life story.
Betty says she couldn’t be happier with the move. Being close by means she can visit Eric every day, and the two of them enjoy lunch together at the GV Cafe. It’s a simple routine, but it’s the kind of everyday connection that matters most.
Julie and Derek: an easy walk between homes
Julie and Derek moved to Garden Village Cascades in 2018 and enjoyed independent living in our vertical retirement living residences. In recent years, Derek moved to Wintergarden, where he receives additional support.
Julie continues to live at Cascades, and the two enjoy regular visits between Wintergarden and Cascades. Derek has the care he needs, Julie keeps her independence, and their time together remains part of daily life.
Why co-located aged care and retirement living matters
- Staying close. When care and independent living share the same community, a partner is a short walk away rather than a drive across town. Visits can be spontaneous, frequent and relaxed.
- Keeping shared routines. Morning coffee, lunch at the cafe, a stroll around the gardens: the small rituals couples have built over decades can carry on.
- Independence for both partners. One partner can receive the support they need while the other continues living independently in their own home, on their own terms.
- Peace of mind. Knowing your loved one is being cared for by a team just around the corner brings reassurance to partners and families alike.
- A familiar community. Friends, neighbours and staff stay the same. Moving into care doesn’t mean leaving behind the people and places you know.
Planning for every stage of life
Nobody can predict exactly what the future holds, but choosing a community with a full continuum of care means you won’t have to start over if your needs change. As Betty and Eric, and Julie and Derek, have found, it means you can face each new chapter together.
Find out more
If you’d like to learn more about retirement living and aged care at Garden Village book a tour with our friendly team. Call 6582 8923.
