How does a family of more than two-hundred members live harmoniously in close proximity? Stick around and I’ll talk you through the harmony in the village I live in.
Like any family of more than two members (should that be, more than one member?), there are bound to be problems. Is that how it is in Mountain View Retirement Village?
Put more than two hundred seniors together – and personalities will overlap, overtake and sometimes erupt. We have residents from a wide range of careers, ethnicity, life-experiences and personalities. What levels the playing field is that we are (mostly) all retired.
In the world of retirement, we are all equal. There is no boss – we are Retired.
Some retire better than others.
Because some of us have been defined by our career, we sometimes carry our career position over into our post-career retirement lives. This can be problematic if two (or more) supervisor/authoritarian types clash over a leadership role. Luckily this is rare in the village, and it usually settles down, reasonably well.
If we think about the average family, we see the intermingling of personalities, the clashes and the celebrations. When we look at life here in the village – we see it all. The personalities, the celebrations and the clashes. Our extended family is no different to yours.
We don’t need a formal definition of each of the personality types that make up our community. We see them in action every day.
- The Workers are in the kitchen before every function – baking and cooking. They are there again at the end of the function – washing, drying and sweeping. And they keep the craft shop supplied with home-baked biscuits, slices and saleable items. They voluntarily give their time freely.
- The Carers are taking their neighbours to medical appointments, or are shopping for them. They check in on an older neighbour to make sure they are okay. And they invite new neighbours to functions and make them feel welcome.
- The Decision-makers are on committees. They attend meetings, make and communicate decisions – all in a voluntary capacity.
- The Supporters attend functions and meetings, and read all communications from the committees.
- The Supervisors are the ones who haven’t adjusted as well to retirement, or possibly even life. They usually don’t get involved, but are happy to tell those who do, how they should do it. And they’re even more willing to criticise any attempts by anyone else to make our village a better place to live. Fortunately, we don’t have many Supervisors in our village, so they tend to just lurk, grumblingly, in the background. And life goes on.
This is what our family looks like.
We have our differences, and like any family, those differences sometimes clash and erupt. It happens – but it is the exception, not the rule.
When we walk around the village, we see happy retirees. There will always be someone sitting on their front porch to say “Hi!”, as we walk by.
We can sit in the library, or by the pool, and chat to a friend or a stranger. Or we can sit in the Community Centre and put a few more pieces in the communal jigsaw puzzle, read a book, or enjoy a coffee – or two.
We can get active in Tai-Chi, Bowls or walk around the lake to keep fit.
Quilting lesson in progress…
Boredom is a word we don’t hear in the village. If we are not into the physical exercise routines of Aquarobics, Line-Dancing or Tai-Chi, we can learn quilting or take an Art class. And Trivia on Monday nights keeps the brain-cogs turning.
Kerrie Will Do It!
Like any family, we have our ups and down. But we are there for each other when it matters most. Many of us don’t have family close by, so if something goes wrong, it’s nice to know we are not alone. As long as we reach out and get involved, there will always be someone looking out for us. And if we don’t reach out – Kerrie will.
I reckon our beautiful Kerrie knows everyone in the village, so you can expect a knock on the door if she knows you’re not well. And she will be there to arrange available services to make sure you get through the tough times. Kerrie isn’t shy about calling an ambulance if you need it, but most of the time, her bubbly, caring personality and quick-wit are enough to make you feel better.
Our Village Manager is there for the tougher situations. David oozes Calm and Serenity, and is the best person to be in the middle of tough personalities when they (rarely) overlap and erupt. Remember, just like your family, we have our sibling rivalry and family disputes. It’s called L-I-F-E! But David helps us weather the occasional family storms.
And that’s what keeps the harmony in the village, and makes Mountain View Retirement Village a great place to live.
Up here on the hill, life goes on
And there is harmony in the village… most of the time.
Why don’t you come and see for yourself? We’d love to see you.
Drop us a line in the comments section, and we’ll make sure the kettle is on when you get here.