Western News: November 12, 2020

WESTERN NEWS Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Thursday November 12 2020 9
Anthony Wilding village offers john so much
John walks out of his
serviced apartment door
into a wonderful plant-filled
atrium, which is a part of
Anthony Wilding Retirement
Village he particularly enjoys.
There is a vibrant feel
within the atrium, which also
houses a large pond and
water feature. Here in this
Halswell village the residents
and staff go about their daily
business, there are things to
do and people to meet.
John really enjoys the
social aspect of serviced
apartment living, and the
choice of an apartment suits
him. He is in the heart of the
village, gets a cooked midday
meal each day, plus he
has freedom to go and do
what he wants.
John visits his wife Joan
most days who, having
suffered a stroke in 2010, lives
in specialist care in Cashmere.
The couple originally
relocated to Christchurch
from Motueka in 2011, following
the Canterbury earthquakes
and Joan’s health issues.
While they were living
together at Anthony Wilding,
they enjoyed being together in
a townhouse, but when Joan
needed specialist care John
felt the time was right to move
into an apartment where he
could more easily mix and
mingle with fellow residents
and staff.
“Everyone knows each
other. The staff here are
excellent – you wouldn’t get
a better lot of people...
you just can’t fault them.
If you’ve got a complaint or
a question, you get excellent
follow up,” he says.
John is originally from
Timaru and spent his
childhood on the farm where
his parents worked. He too fell
into the management of farms,
prompting an eventual move
to Mahana and the Nelson
region where he farmed sheep
and later in crops. He helped
grow and tend to tobacco
vines, before moving into
kiwifruit and apples after the
tobacco industry underwent a
shakeup from the early 1980s.
He and Joan brought
up three children, with their
daughter Paige now living
in Christchurch, their son
Michael, living in Birregurra,
outside of Geelong in Victoria,
and their other son Tim
working as a travel agent in
Richmond, near Nelson.
When they first moved
into Anthony Wilding in 2011
they immediately joined in
the social events such as
the weekly Happy Hour. As a
couple they settled into the
village well. “You make friends
with everybody, and then you
get to talk to everybody.”
That was before Joan
required more specialised
health care and moved to
Cashmere. Staff still regularly
ask after Joan. “The staff
have been just so kind.”
John loves to keep in
contact with family, and his
apartment walls are adorned
with photos of his family and
grandchildren. He is up to
date with how each of his
grandchildren are progressing
through university.
He also likes that he can
take his car out of the village
each day for a visit Joan, to
keep in touch with the wider
community and do some
shopping. “We get our midday
meal (included in the fee)
in the dining room, but we
get our own breakfast and
tea,” he says.
“We can go down and get
morning tea in the dining room
at 10 am or afternoon tea if we
want to. Plus, there’s always
activities going on.”
John enjoys the easy life at Ryman Healthcare’s Anthony Wilding Village.
Sales Advisor Susie
Alayne says now is a great
time for prospective residents
to come into Anthony Wilding
to take a look at the quality
facilities on offer in the village.
“It’s been fantastic the amount
of interest that’s been around.”
The village has a bowling
green, a pool and a spa,
library, gym, hair and beauty
salon, bar and shop. Both for
independent and serviced
apartment residents, we
offer a fixed weekly fee
for the entire time you
occupy your townhouse or
apartment – guaranteed.*
*Some conditions apply.
ADVERTISEMENT
SELLING
NOW
In Halswell
Serviced apartments available now.
Priced from $335,000.
Call Susie for more details.
ANTHONY WILDING
RETIREMENT VILLAGE
5 Corbett Cres, Halswell,
338 7696
rymanhealthcare.co.nz
1749