Looking for a place to live in your later years, for you and your partner or a loved one, is usually a frustrating and worrying time. Selling up the family home and downsizing precious possessions can cause heartache and then of course, the family pet (if any) is of the greatest importance. Having watched the development of Sunrise Supported Living over recent years, we were interested enough to take a closer look and to find out more about the supported living available to us. Having read all the advertising and the reviews on Sunrise, we made our first inspection. Clutching Buddy, an over active 10 month old Chihuahua, it was with some trepidation that we sat down to a meeting with management. Deciding on the accommodation that would suit us was easy enough as there was plenty of choice. There was much more storage space than I expected. The units are well designed and fitted with electrical appliances, larger doorways for walkers or wheel chairs, waist high wall switches and other features to cater for physically challenged clients (like myself). I did lament about where I could store all my art and craft goodies. It was suggested that we install a storage cupboard. We did exactly that and I am delighted with the results. Being an avid gardener I had been worrying about how much I would miss my garden and interest in propagating plants and studying the environmental effects on them and their adaption to drought and coastal conditions. Little did I know that the gardens of Sunrise would be such a sight to behold. Years of attention by horticulturists was really showing magnificent results last spring. Shade plants were a sight for sore eyes with flowering orchids better than any orchid show, Ferns, flowering shrubs. Rows and rows of Lavender, Rosemary, magnificent Magnolia flowers and too many others to mention here, were most impressive. How do they grow like that I wondered? Taking a look at the new buildings on the construction sight I asked about the rainwater on the huge roofline and found that all this water is harvested to tanks and reticulated through the garden via under ground drip lines. this initiative is a wonderful environmental exercise. Watering during the night time saves evaporation of this precious water which in turn allows further use of excess water for some household usage. Now that I live here, I just can’t help myself when I see a little weed emerging or a vine that needs a hand to clutch onto its frame. I just have to do what a gardener does. I don’t think anyone minds. No need to worry about leaving your previous garden though, you have all the garden you could ever need here, with gardeners to do all the work for you. Buddy being a tiny 1.5kg. Dog is a happy friendly little therapy guy who brings smiles to the faces of most of the residents and staff each day. He gives free kisses and cuddles to those that would like them and he loves his walks (on a lead of course) around the village and out along Chapmans Road past the local Community Park and into Lumpy’s Garden Nursery. If you have the energy, walk a little further and enjoy the semi rural surprises along the way. Being a gated community, Sunrise has A1 security with well lit surrounds. Security screens on windows and doors give me a great sense of safety at night. Along with the 24 hour Nursing Care and a Vital Call System within reach, there is no lost sleep at night for us. Residents are able to participate in as many “ in house “ activities as they wish as well as maintaining their “outside” community interests. Where else can you find Lifestyle and Nursing care in the one place? A place where couples are able to stay in their own unit and receive nursing care if needed, allowing them to stay together in their latter years and still have social contact and the quality of life that they wish to enjoy?
