Mike & Libby’s story: retirement living that ticks all the boxes.
“You don’t know what you might need in the future, so we wanted everything we might need on our doorstep. We’ve certainly got that at HBH!”
In their mid-70’s and still working, the couple had always planned to move to a smaller, more secure living situation. “We don’t want to burden our children as we get older,” says Libby. “We have a son who lives in Wales and a daughter who lives in Auckland, although not nearby, so this was always a part of our plan.”
Once they decided it was time to move, they didn’t need to look far. “We had visited friends living in retirement villages over the years, so we had a pretty good idea of what the various options were like. HBH was always the village that resonated with us and seemed like it would be a good fit,” says Mike. When they saw an ad in the local paper last year advertising two apartments at HBH, they paid a visit to take a closer look. “We looked at both vacant apartments and signed up for ours that same day,” enthuses Libby. The couple then started the process of selling their own home and downsizing in readiness for apartment living.
Libby says it was a quick and easy decision as HBH ‘ticked all the boxes’. “We love living in Howick and wanted to continue to do so. While other villages have been built in the area over recent years, HBH is still the only one that’s located in the heart of Howick,” says Libby.
The fact that HBH offers wide spectrum of care, including rest home, hospital and Day Programme, was also an important factor. “We know people from other villages who come to the Day Programme” says Libby. “You don’t know what you might need in the future, so we wanted everything we might need on our doorstep. We’ve certainly got that at HBH!”
“It’s lovely living in a smaller community”
Mike and Libby also appreciate the smaller size of HBH Howick Views. With only 42 apartments, it hasn’t taken them much time to get to know their neighbours. “We had such a warm welcome when we arrived and it’s lovely living in a smaller community amongst similar, like-minded people,” says Libby. “We love the relaxed feel of HBH. You can pop down and get the paper in your dressing gown and no one bats an eyelid – it’s just as it should be when you’re at home.”
While HBH’s charitable status wasn’t the only benefit of living at HBH, it was a factor. “We like the fact that HBH is a values-based organisation that prioritises values, care and people,” says Mike. “As residents, we’ve now seen this in action – in the dedicated staff, the amazing support they provide, the wide range of care options and the overall atmosphere. HBH is definitely about people, not profit.”
Libby and Mike both lead active lives and remain fully involved in the community. They work locally and in the City and continue to do all they did while living in the family home, without having to worry about the maintenance, security or general upkeep of their property. Libby says the maintenance staff at HBH couldn’t be more helpful and take care of everything from “hanging pictures to changing the shower curtain”. They couldn’t be happier.