Graham and Suzette Harrison and Pam and Ross Lyons have been friends for 40 years, having met through the Amway business back in the ’80s. They remained close throughout the years, raising children, and celebrating life’s milestones together.
Theirs is an enduring friendship that has seen them now living as neighbours, with both couples signing up at The Village Coorparoo on the same day almost 10 years ago.
Their interest was sparked as they watched the community being constructed. As the fifth and final stage was being built and sold, the Lyons and Harrisons toured the building with Sales Manager Ric Cohen and decided then and there to sign up for units in Building 5 on the very same floor.
Ross jokes it was actually a strategic decision.
“We’ve stayed friends with them so they can push our wheelchairs for us when the time comes,” he laughs.
Both couples agree their floor is like a regular street in the suburbs.
“There are 15 units on our ‘street’ and our neighbours are lovely people of all different ages,” Pam explains.
“We do a lot of socialising around The Village but we don’t really visit each other’s ‘houses’, so you do have your privacy.”
In addition to providing social activities such as barbecues and Saturday night card games, The Village Coorparoo gives both the Lyons and Harrisons the security and peace of mind to pack up and travel whenever they wish.
“Pam and I own a motorhome, which we store offsite,” Ross explains.
“So every month we take off. Having a unit here means we can simply walk out and lock the door. I don’t have to worry about cleaning the pool or mowing the lawn. Now, somebody does that for me, which is a big advantage.
“And if we get a parcel delivered while we’re away in Adelaide, it goes to reception and they send me a message to let me know it’s arrived.”
Suzette says, “Our daughter and son both live in Canberra, so we often go down there to visit. Like Ross said, we just lock the door and when we come back, everything’s exactly as you left it.”
“Most of us leave a key with a neighbour as well,” Graham says. “You know, some people have dogs and whatnot. I give Ross a key so he can water my tomato plants, and I sprinkle a bit of water on his. We’ll be selling them soon,” he laughs.
There’s an added layer of security that comes with living at The Village.
“It’s the security of knowing that if something happens to one of us, the other is going to be surrounded by likeminded people. You’ve basically still got a family around you, even if your immediate family lives elsewhere,” Graham says.
“A lot of people leave it too late to move into retirement villages because they’re trying to stay in their home as long as they can, and sometimes that’s a little bit too long. You can sometimes miss out on the best part of enjoying life in a retirement village like this one.”
Pam points out that the community support among The Village residents is often underestimated.
“We had one young man on our floor who needed help to get to the physiotherapist. So, the residents on our floor decided to make a roster so we could take turns taking him to his appointments.
“But we don’t live in each other’s pockets. Everyone is very respectful. Sometimes you can go for a week or more without seeing each other, and then you’ll pass each other at the lift and say, ‘What are you up to today?’”
Theirs is an enduring friendship that has seen them now living as neighbours, with both couples signing up at The Village Coorparoo on the same day…
