For retirees looking for a welcoming community and an active social life, Greenacres Lodge is proving the perfect choice with new friendships quickly taking shape at the new development in Warlingham.
Amongst the new Owners enjoying the lifestyle on offer is 74-year old Sue Hanmore, who moved to the Lodge from Shirley in Croydon, after realising she’d begun to feel lonely living by herself after her husband passed away.
Sue said: “I stayed in our home for two years after my husband died, I didn’t like the thought of moving at first but I realised how lonely it felt being by myself all the time. The bungalow was too big for just me, and I felt like all of my savings were being spent on maintenance jobs that I wasn’t able to do myself. I needed something different.
“I watched Greenacres Lodge being built and thought it would be a very good fit for me. I’m a very independent person, but I also liked the idea of having people around me. I have a slight issue with my mobility, so I thought to myself, let’s take the plunge now while I’m still able to. I decided to purchase a one-bedroom apartment at the Lodge – it had all the space I needed and was a good excuse to have a clear out. I’ve treated myself to brand new furniture for the apartment, and it’s a wonderful new home. Even better, I don’t have to worry about planning for the future anymore, I’m here to stay and enjoy my retirement years.”
There is now just one apartment remaining at Greenacres Lodge, where the over 60s have been quick to snap up the properties available and enjoy the relaxed lifestyle on offer. Sue, who used to be a professional knitting pattern designer, has settled into life at the Lodge well and has been making the most of the varied calendar of events arranged by the Lodge Manager.
“I regularly go down to the Owners’ Lounge for a coffee and a chat, and have made some lovely new friends. It’s great to have so many people around you and there’s always someone to catch up with. Carole, the Lodge Manager, puts on a host of different events for us to enjoy too, and it’s a great way of getting everyone together. There is also a bus stop close by so I often head into Croydon to do my shopping. My sons live close by and love to come and visit. What I like so much about the security that the Lodge offers is that it takes the responsibility off my sons. I live closer to them now so not only do I get to babysit my grandchildren, but it’s also reassuring for them to know I’m not by myself anymore.”
After Sue lost her husband a few years ago, she contacted the charity Silver Line, a free confidential helpline providing information, friendship and advice to older people. Earlier this year, she received a special letter from the charity founder and Churchill Retirement Living’s ambassador Dame Esther Rantzen DBE to thank her for her interest in the charity.
Sue added: “I think the work that Dame Esther Rantzen DBE and The Silver Line does is invaluable. I contacted them myself when I lost my husband. It is so unbelievably hard losing a loved one, but the Silver Line was a great help. I have since become an advocate for the work that the helpline does and have donated to the charity. I was also lucky enough to receive a lovely letter from Dame Esther thanking me for my donations. I am in such a wonderful place in my life now that I would love to get more involved with the charity myself to help others in a similar position to me, and who might not be lucky enough to have a caring family around them as I do.”
Greenacres Lodge, on Limpsfield Road, offers a range of one and two bedroom apartments exclusively designed for the over 60s. The apartments boast spacious rooms throughout and are an ideal combination of design and functionality. The fully fitted, stylish kitchens include a built in fridge and freezer, hob and an oven, which is located at an easy-reach height. All of the properties benefit from illuminated light switches for added convenience. Owners also enjoy ultimate peace of mind from a fitted camera entry system for the highest level of security and a 24 hour emergency call system.
With less to worry about, Owners have more time to do the things they enjoy, including taking advantage of the host of other benefits on offer, such as having family or friends to stay in the development’s well-appointed Guest Suite, and enjoying a chat with neighbours, or attending one of the many events, in the Owners’ Lounge. The development is ideally placed to take advantage of the excellent shopping and leisure facilities of Warlingham.
To find out more, please call 0800 458 1856 to book a viewing appointment.