Three serviced apartment residents of Keith Park Village have been affectionately dubbed ‘The Golden Girls’ by fellow residents and team members due to the firm friendship they have formed.
Anne, Nola and Bette say they ‘just clicked’ and have now become inseparable since settling into Ryman’s Hobsonville village.
But it was quite a different story when they first arrived.
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Anne, the first to move in, had spent 10 years living independently at Ryman’s sister village in Botany while her husband was in dementia care.
After he passed away, Anne’s daughter suggested she move out west to be closer to them in Riverhead. Reluctantly, she agreed to it.
“Coming here I was so anxious because I didn’t know anyone,” she says.
After being in hospital for a brief stint, she returned to the village to find Nola had since moved in.
“She sat opposite me at lunch and I thought to myself, ‘I hope she’s nice…’”
Anne needn’t have worried! “We just clicked. We have been through similar experiences in life.”
A widow for over 30 years, Nola had shared Anne’s anxiety about moving in too.
“I’m actually a Wellingtonian. I came up to Auckland and was with my daughter and son-in-law in Kumeu for two and a half years,” says Nola.
“I left behind all my friends and clubs I belonged to. I hadn’t had good health reports, and they said they couldn’t do anything for me. I felt like I was just waiting to die.”
Activities Coordinator Jess joins Anne, Bette and Nola for crafts.
However, Nola has since proved all the medics wrong and instead is living life to the fullest, and she thanks her new friends for that.
“Since I came here, I’m having a ball. I suggest everyone comes and makes an appointment!”
Three months after Anne and Nola met, Bette moved into the village and the three immediately gelled.
Says Bette: “My daughter had brought me in and along the corridor came Nola who said hello and introduced herself.
“She said, ‘We’ll look after you’, and she did, from the minute I came.”
“She’s the mother hen, and we’re her chicks,” laughs Anne.
It didn’t take long for the ‘Golden Girls’ nickname to be attached to them, inspired by the much-loved American sitcom of the same name.
“We’ve also been called the Three Musketeers and even Charlie’s Angels,” says Bette.
There are plenty of activities that they enjoy doing together, including craft on Monday, exercises on Tuesday, then Monopoly and bingo on Wednesday and an outing on Thursday.
“If it’s not a nice day, we go down to the café,” says Anne.
“We have a routine for lunch too,” says Bette. “I sit at the table with the men, then move over to Anne and Nola’s table and we’re usually the last ones to leave.
“We talk about everything and we talk about nothing!” laughs Nola.
“We solve the problems of the world,” adds Bette.
A game of Monopoly with friend and fellow resident Neil is always fun for Nola, Bette and Anne.
The trio is quick to stress that their friendship isn’t exclusive. Fellow residents Murray and Neil often join them in the café or for Monopoly, and all of them have grown very attached to Activities Coordinator Jess, who will join in for a game of pool or a walk around the village gardens.
Then there’s Housekeeper Connie, who works her magic on their apartments.
“She’s delightful. We always say we walk into the room after she’s been and it’s sparkling,” beams Bette.
The extra help with cleaning is just one of the benefits of serviced apartment living, say the ladies.
“The girls who look after us are wonderful, they’re so caring and they do everything for us, the lovely meals, cleaning your room, you never wash sheets or towels,” Bette says.
“I love it now, I wouldn’t change it for anything,” adds Anne.
The biggest difference they’ve noticed?
“We all feel secure,” says Nola.
“And the company,” adds Bette.
“Yes, the companionship,” nods Nola. “We all have got our aches and pains…”
“…but being together is a good distraction,” says Bette. “You realise we’re all in the same boat.”
“And the beautiful apartments!” says Anne. “It’s better than I imagined, I love it here.”
“We often say it’s like living in a five star hotel,” says Nola.
“You walk in here and there’s a lovely atmosphere, and everyone is so nice and friendly,” says Anne.
With all of them being closer to family now, they have got to know each other’s children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren.
And the verdict from the families says it all.
Bette sums it up: “Everyone notices how happy we are, our families, they’re so happy for us. It takes the worry off them. They know I’m here and are so happy.”