Before deciding to make the move to Nellie Melba retirement village, Hector and June certainly ran the rule over Ryman Healthcare.
They sought first-hand testimonials, researched the company on the internet as well as getting it checked out professionally, and they've investigated other alternatives, only to come to the same conclusion.
Having discussed the idea of moving into a retirement village for a number of years, the couple discovered, much to their amazement, that they both agreed wholeheartedly that Ryman was the way to go.
June says the confirmation came when they visited the display apartment at the company's Weary Dunlop village in Wheelers Hill.
"When Hector said 'this is nice' I couldn't quite believe it – we never agree on anything you see!"
READ MORE:
- Nellie Melba: The retirement village that teamwork built
- Questions to ask when looking at retirement villages
Their son-in-law's parents have lived at Weary Dunlop for more than three years and have been "perfectly happy", she says.
"Any problems they did have, Ryman fixed them up straightaway."
Appreciating the "positive vibe" and great feedback, June and Hector put their name on the waiting list to join their in-laws.
Then they heard about Nellie Melba being built in nearby Brandon Park and thought that would be an even better fit.
"The shopping centre is better than Wheelers Hill, it's right next door to Good Shepherd Church, and with June not getting around so well we wanted to get a ground floor flat so we didn't have to deal with lifts and stairs and things," Hector says.
"A key thing for us that Ryman undertakes is that as you need to move to a higher care situation, that is available on site so you don't have that major upheaval.
"We've also heard a few horror stories from our various friends who've moved into places and the owners have sold out and then the new owners come in and change things.
"We have got confidence that Ryman is here to stay."
They said the other big factor was that Ryman was "more people-oriented".
The couple, who have been married for 53 years, and have four children and six grandchildren, built their house in 1963 on Glen Waverley's busy Blackburn Road.
Hector's favourite pastime is playing 9 holes of golf at Glen Waverley Golf Club with a group of friends while June is involved in an array of voluntary activities, including knitting blankets for homeless people.
June hopes to find a few fellow knitters at Nellie Melba: "We might be able to get a little knitting group going."
And while Hector hopes to "keep a bit of golf happening" there is one thing he is relishing the idea of: "I try to keep the grass cut but I'm not really a handy kind of guy, so I'm looking forward to not having to do that for the next 20 or so years!"
