After living through the experience of Covid-19 many of us are re-evaluating. Do we still want the same things that we wanted
in a pre-pandemic world?
David Kelly, Village and Sales Manager at Blueheath at The Bower observed an increase in enquiries as restrictions eased at the end of last year. While some retirees said they were following through with plans they made prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, others explained that they were considering the benefits of retirement living for the first time after the prolonged periods of isolation they experienced, feeling cut off from friends and family.
Kelly was naturally concerned for his residents in 2021 as COVID numbers increased however he also saw how it brought his residents together. “It was heartening to see the way residents supported each other during the pandemic. A move to a retirement village is about choosing to be part of a like-minded community and the lockdown brought out the best in people and the best of our community.”
Blueheath resident Janine Barnes was relieved to be part of the Blueheath community during the pandemic. “I felt extremely lucky. I had peace of mind knowing that I could call on the village manager if I needed anything and as a community we all looked out for each other. Then there were little acts of kindness – like a neighbour dropping off some essentials or helping me get set up for online shopping, and the village delivering us an ice cream every Friday which has become a lovely tradition and still continues today.”
The opportunity to be part of a like-minded community was something that particularly resonated with Nev and Dianne Rees “We lived in Navy
communities throughout our careers. Each move brought a new set of friends with similar interests and values so while it was sad to be
moving on, we knew that we were moving to another welcoming community where we would find our tribe. Essentially, that’s what appeals to us
about retirement living at Blueheath and we’re loving it!”