BURWOOD EAST
Ryman Times
Summer 2019
Village project creates a buzz Residents take to the stage to share stories
Smoking ceremony
Introducing Tim
Meet Shirley and Val
A note from Michelle & Lina... Welcome to the first newsletter for Burwood East Retirement Village. It is very exciting to share our ground work progress with you and announce construction has started. Our sales office is located on site and is open seven days a week. The entrance to our office is located at 65 Old Burwood Road and we look forward to welcoming you for a cuppa and chatting about what we have on offer. In August more than 200 people attended our initial public meetings (see page 4) about our retirement village. Residents from Ryman’s existing Melbourne villages came and spoke to the audience about the decision they’d made to move into their respective homes. There are plenty of people that have already made a commitment to Burwood East. We’ve had an amazing response to our plans, with 44 apartments already sold.
We are continuously forming more partnerships and links within the Burwood East and surrounding communities. Since we opened it has been a busy time! Michelle travelled to the United Kingdom in September to celebrate her husband’s grandmother’s 100th birthday. Her children, Megan and Ben, enjoyed their first trip to Europe. Meanwhile, Lina was busy on site and enjoys her days off spending time with her two beautiful granddaughters, her family and friends. We look forward to hearing from you soon and we would love to show you our newest plans showcasing the latest bathroom and kitchen designs. Kind regards,
It’s been a privilege to assist people in choosing their new home and giving them the reassurance that Ryman will always have their best interest at heart.
Michelle Shaw & Lina Benedetti Sales Advisors
Ph: 8849 8799
Independent apartment plans available now!
Burwood East Ryman Times | 2
Welcome to our community Burwood East Retirement Village will be a community in its own right, with some wonderful amenities that you can make use of. As well as our amenities, there will be plenty of events, speakers and groups that you can get involved in.
Play bowls with friends.
Have morning tea with your friends, group or club in our cafĂŠ.
Enjoy our complimentary happy hour.
Take a dip in the indoor heated pool.
Get together with the blokes in the Men’s shed.
Attend shows from visiting bands and performers.
Burwood East Ryman Times | 3
Community meetings prove to be popular Information describing every aspect of Ryman Healthcare was laid out for people attending our public meetings on Tuesday 6th August and learning about our new Burwood East retirement village, but some of the most compelling testimony came from those most qualified to judge. Residents from Ryman’s Weary Dunlop and Nellie Melba villages took to the stage to share their own personal story with over 200 people considering the same move. Nellie Melba resident Bob Barclay, one of the first people to move into the Wheelers Hill village with his wife Veronica, told the audience he knew just how important the decision before them was. “Two years ago, I was sitting in the seats where you are today, going through exactly the same thing you’ve been hearing today,” Bob said. Not one to leave things to chance, Bob visited Weary Dunlop retirement village to speak to residents there directly, “and I did not find one person who was not happy”.
“It was a great opportunity to talk to many people there and they in turn really made my mind up that I needed to look at a [Ryman] retirement village.” He and Veronica had numerous meetings with Nellie Melba’s sales staff to find out more, then started to crunch the numbers. “It was a great opportunity to talk to many people there and they in turn really made my mind up that I needed to look at a [Ryman] retirement village.” “Our financial advisor was dead against retirement villages based on other clients she has who were in retirement villages,” Bob said. “We gave her the information we had [about Nellie Melba], she read through it all and she said there’s nothing wrong with this, if I was in your position I’d do it myself. “So that was a good way of finding out exactly, from the financial perspective, what we should be doing.”
Burwood East Ryman Times | 4
They then took a contract to their lawyer for his expert advice. “He went through it and said there’s not one thing in there that’s to be questioned. It was one of the best contracts he has seen in respect to any retirement village.” Having now lived at Nellie Melba for 12 months, Bob said he and Veronica could not be happier with their decision. “It’s great because we’ve formed so many friendships amongst everyone there. “So, you’re really not moving away you’re just moving in with a different lot of people, which has been great.” “We are a community within a community. But also, while the friendships you develop there and the relationships have been great, at the same time you’ve still got your friends from the wider community you came from.
“So, you’re really not moving away you’re just moving in with a different lot of people, which has been great.” The two public meetings, held at The Whitehorse Club not far from where the village is being built, were led by Ryman Healthcare CEO Gordon MacLeod and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Debbie McClure. Gordon and Debbie outlined Ryman Healthcare’s 35-year history in retirement living and care, detailing aspects of what life in a village offers. Pictured [top]: Nellie Melba resident Bob Barclay talking about his experiences.
Burwood East Ryman Times | 5
Burwood East Ryman Times | 6
Meet Shirley and Val For Shirley and Val Debeljak, leaving the Burwood East home they’ve lived in for 55 years was not a decision they took lightly. But when they heard Ryman Healthcare was building a new retirement village just a short distance away, they knew the time was right. “We thought if something happens to one of us into the future the other one can stay in the apartment and visit because it’s all in the one complex” “It was a big decision,” Shirley said. “We have this big, roomy, six-bedroom house but it’s getting too hard now to maintain really.” The couple also have one eye on the future. While they’re thrilled to have secured a beautiful two-bedroom apartment with a north-facing terrace at the village, the option of aged care on site was a big drawcard. “We thought if something happens to one of us into the future the other one can stay in the apartment and visit because it’s all in the one complex,” Shirley said. “That’s probably the main reason we thought, ‘Well, we’re going to be right for the rest of our life’. It’s peace of mind having that.” Now they’ve signed on the dotted line, they’re counting down to moving day next year.
“We’re looking forward to the apartment because it’s going to be less work for us. We’ll be able to use all the facilities that they’ve got there – they’ll have a swimming pool, gym, library, billiards table and a bowling green. They’ll have a men’s shed, too, so Val can potter around in there.” And, like all good real estate decisions, the location is perfect. “It’s ideal for us because it’s only a couple of kilometres from where we live now, it’s in the local area we know so we can go shopping at Forest Hill or The Glen and still meet up with our friends from the area. “You’re staying in your own community.” “It’s ideal for us because it’s only a couple of kilometres from where we live now” Shirley said “Ryman’s philosophy” made the decision to commit to the new retirement village much easier. “They were really good in any communication we’ve had with them. “They’re very open and transparent, and Ryman encourage people to get legal advice and to not rush into it.” So, Shirley and Val weighed the pros and cons, didn’t rush into it, and made the right decision for them. Now, they can’t wait.
Burwood East Ryman Times | 7
Burwood East begins on the right foot In May we held an Aboriginal smoking ceremony and ‘Welcome to Country’ at our Burwood East site. The traditional Aboriginal ritual, led by senior cultural heritage officer for the Bunurong people, Shane Clarke, was followed by the ground breaking. Regional Construction Manager Martyn Osborn said the Bunurong people were invited to perform the cleansing ritual and Welcome to Country because the company wanted to properly acknowledge the traditional owners of the land. “We want to ensure that the project gets off on the right foot and acknowledging the Bunurong people and their connection to the land we’re building on is really important,” Martyn said. “This is going to be the workplace for hundreds of people, then the home for many more for years to come, so we want to make sure everything is done right.”
In New Zealand a traditional Maori blessing is performed at each of Ryman Healthcare’s sites before construction begins. The smoking ceremony was attended by staff from Ryman’s development, sales, and community relations teams. After the ceremony, Martyn and Burwood East’s Project Manager, Tim Haworth, broke ground nearby. “This is going to be the workplace for hundreds of people, then the home for many more for years to come, so we want to make sure everything is done right.” The village will include 114 aged care beds, 96 serviced apartments, and 174 independent apartments. It will be home to more than 400 people.
Burwood East Ryman Times | 8
Burwood East Ryman Times | 9
Burwood East Ryman Times | 10
Staff profile
Introducing Tim
Tim Haworth wants to make his mark. After more than a decade leading apartment construction projects in central Melbourne, the project manager for our new Burwood East retirement village is excited to be building something more enduring. “We’re building an entire village – a community – and that’s what I keep reminding myself,” Tim says. “It’s going to be here forever. Some apartment buildings that were built in the city, even just 15 years ago, they can be pulled down [now]. “But this is going to be here for 50, 100 years, it’s going to be here for a long time, which I like because you can leave your mark a little bit. You know it’s going to be there for a long time.”
“And when I did my research on Ryman it seemed to be a great place to work. One thing that appealed to me was how long you could potentially spend at the company.” “We’re building an entire village – a community – and that’s what I keep reminding myself” Another thing that appealed was the location. Tim was born and spent his first few years of life in nearby Mont Albert, and has been back living there the past few years. He’s a local, and is excited about building something important for his own community.
With 14 years in the construction industry, 11 of those in site management, Tim was drawn to the long-term career opportunities at Ryman.
And, Tim says, Ryman’s focus on high quality materials and workmanship means “you feel like you can build something that you’re proud of”.
“Aged care was a big factor because that’s a solid industry that’s just going to continue to grow.
“Quality is so important because it needs to stand the test of time.”
Burwood East Ryman Times | 11
Your peace of mind with Ryman – we always put our residents first. Which is why we offer some of the most resident-friendly terms in Australasia. We know how important it is to have certainty about your living costs. That’s why we offer some of the most resident-friendly terms in Australasia. Ryman Peace of Mind Guarantees for independent and serviced apartment living: •
Our deferred management fee is capped at 20% – one of the lowest in the retirement sector.
•
Our base weekly fee is fixed for the entire time you occupy your apartment – guaranteed. It will only increase if you add extra care options.
•
There are no hidden costs. This means no waitlist fees, no standard refurbishment fees, no surprise costs when you move in, and no administration fees.
•
Care options to suit your needs. We offer independent living and assisted living in a serviced apartment. We also provide aged care (also known as low care and high care), and specialist dementia care, within the same village community.
Michelle Shaw & Lina Benedetti Sales Advisors Ph: 8849 8799 Talk to Michelle or Lina for information about independent or serviced apartments.
65 Old Burwood Road, Burwood East
rymanhealthcare.com.au