Going to an aged care facility can be a big adjustment but what happens when one partner has greater carer needs than the other? 

At both Adventist Aged Care’s Kings Langley and Wahroonga sites, our Residential Aged Care Facilities and Independent Living are co-located to provide tailored care to meet both partner’s needs – from Independent living, through to Residential Aged Care including Respite all within the one Village setting. 

For Arthur and Cheryl Piper, this has allowed them to get tailored care to match their different levels of independence while still remaining close by. 

We caught up with Arthur and Cheryl to find out the benefits of this arrangement. 

Why did you come to live at Adventist Aged Care? 

Arthur: Cheryl got sick halfway through last year and spent quite a bit of time in hospital, and then was diagnosed that she’d have to go into a nursing home. My daughter, being an occupational therapist, and myself looked around to see what we could find, and this happened to come up and very happy it did. That was because Cheryl had to go straight into the nursing home, and I came to the village a little bit later. Cheryl broke her hip just before Christmas. She’s sort of half in the wheelchair and half out. Now, I go up to the facility and I have been picking her up in the wheelchair and then wheel her down [to my villa]. 

What do you like about living in Residential Aged Care? 

Cheryl: It’s really important because for the same reason you can keep in contact. Living here is good because you’re looked after. For me, up in the nursing home part, if I need something, I just call the nurse and press the buzzer and there comes a nurse. The meals are all served up on time. It’s really quite good they’re all very friendly and know your name, so that all works pretty well for us. It’s really quite good. 

What do you like about Independent Living units? 

Arthur: My daughter being an OT, I relied very heavily on her when Cheryl got sick, she always said, ‘If you’re going to go to a retirement village, make sure that you have both in the same vicinity. Because otherwise, you’ve got to travel a lot. This arrangement is so convenient. I was very impressed with it. Everybody’s very, very friendly, which I like, I’m continually getting biscuits or cakes or something or other. 

How do you manage caring for Cheryl and seeing each other? 

Arthur: While Cheryl is being looked after there, I don’t have to worry quite so much about that side of it, we can still come down together and have hot chocolate she can also come down and have tea with me whenever she likes. So, it works out very well. 

Cheryl: For me, I can come down here and have what I like for meals with him. 

Do you have any advice for others considering coming to Adventist Aged Care? 

Arthur: The nursing is very good. Everybody knows you by your first name and every time you see someone it’s ‘Oh, hello. How you going?’ All the neighbours here are all quite good.  Don’t be afraid to try it, because for us, it does work.” 

To find out more about Adventist Aged Care Independent Living and Residential Care or to arrange a tour of our facilities, contact our friendly staff by calling 02 8834 6100 for Kings Langley or 9487 0600 for Wahroonga sites, or visit our website.