The value of extra help

There’s little doubt having the right Community Manager can make an enormous difference to a resident’s enjoyment of the place they call home.

Crucial to the smooth operation and future success of the community, it falls to the retirement Community Manager to control the day-to-day operations of the community and to provide a range of accommodation, and recreational and social activities for the residents in their charge.

The best managers, however, view the happiness and wellbeing of all residents as being a critical component – if not the most valuable aspect - of the work they do.

Robertson Park Retirement Village Community Manager Laurence Nathan agrees, and says being able to provide a welcoming home for residents is the most rewarding part of his role.

"As a Community Manager, I see it as my role to provide a secure, comfortable and stress-free lifestyle for residents," Laurence says.

"Knowing that I can come to work every day and provide a welcoming, neighbourly and caring place for residents to call home, there's no better feeling."

Unlike in a typical residential block where residents must fend largely for themselves, there are many advantages to living in a retirement community where a Community Manager is there to tend to the myriad of tasks residents are unwilling or unable to do.

Aveo Group Sales Manager Marilyn says managers in a retirement community are there not just to ensure the pool is at the correct temperature or the lifts are working, but actually to act as the residents’ go-to person for any type of service they may require.

By virtue of scale, Aveo Community Managers have the flexibility to be able to access a large number of domestic services providers, while offering residents a centralised one stop shop when it comes to meeting requests that will make residents’ lives a little easier, she says.

This could include anything from getting the menu in the onsite restaurant amended to cater for a specific health issue or having your groceries carried inside, to  arranging for the installation of appliances or having your sheets and personal items laundered. 

“From a resident’s perspective, this means that instead of having to source a private cleaning company, for example, they can speak to their Community Manager who will secure a professional cleaner who has already been vetted and pre-approved to carry out the task at hand.

“In some communities, the cleaner or other service provider may already be on staff,” Marilyn says.

Nervous residents say this type of service offers peace-of-mind when it comes to their security as it means that instead of having to grant access to a different cleaner each visit, they see the same face week in and out.

But it’s not just maintenance or domestic service issues that a Community Manager can assist with.

Another way in which Community Managers are able to help support their residents is by centralising the provision of personal care or allied health services, Marilyn says.

While services will vary from state to state and between communities, generally speaking most Community Managers will also do all they can to assure their residents’ physical and mental health is kept top of mind, Marilyn says.

“If the Community Manager notices that a resident has developed a bit of a limp, they’re not going to ignore it and go on their merry way. Instead they are going to come up to you and ask if you’re okay. They’re going to check with you to see if something is wrong with your hip, then they’re going to enquire whether you need a physio, arrange for the allied health professional to come in and see you, and then inquire as to what else they can do to help.

“Your Community Manager is able to facilitate whatever you need, the support is always there.”
 

Choosing an Aveo retirement community means you can maintain your independence but still enjoy all the benefits that come with as standard in a supported living environment.

If you've been considering your living options, there's never been a better time to retire in an Aveo community. Click below to discover your nearest Aveo community.