After decades in the NSW coastal town of Berry, Peter found himself at a crossroads.

He had lived in a large five-bedroom family home where he and his late wife had raised their children. But over time, life had changed. His wife passed away eight years ago, and after caring for her stepfather for several years, Peter suddenly found himself living alone in a house that felt far too big.

“At 74, I just thought it was time to simplify things,” he says.

One thing that really appealed to Peter about Oak Tree Retirement Village Moss Vale was its location. “It’s conveniently situated,” Peter says. “You can walk into town in about 10 or 15 minutes, there’s a bus stop nearby, and the village bus runs regular trips into town as well.”

The local RSL Club sits just across the road, and many residents head over together during the week.

“It’s nice having everything close by,” he says.

Just as importantly, Moss Vale sits comfortably between Peter’s children, with his daughter in Canberra and his son in Sydney. “It’s easy for me to visit them, and they can come here as well,” he says.

Considering the next step

Peter wanted to make sure he chose the right kind of move.

“I didn’t really see the point of just downsizing to another smaller house or unit,” he says. “I’d seen retirement villages before, and they started to make more sense.”

A friend who had already moved into a retirement village in Bowral helped him understand how the lifestyle worked. “She showed me around and explained how it all ran,” Peter says. “That gave me a bit of an idea about what to expect.”

A home designed for easier living

When Peter visited Oak Tree Retirement Village Moss Vale, he had the chance to look through several villas.

“I liked that they were well thought out and purpose-built for retirement living,” he says. “They’re designed so everything you need is easy to access and simple to live in.”

With Oak Tree able to hold the home with a $1,000 deposit while he prepared to make the move, Peter felt comfortable taking the next step.

“That made it easier to move forward with the decision,” he says.

Finding connection in the community

Peter has now been living at Oak Tree Moss Vale for about six months and says settling in was easier than he expected. One of the first ways he met other residents was through the weekly Friday happy hour in the community centre.

“You go along for a couple of hours, meet everyone and have a chat about family and whatever’s going on,” he says.

There are also weekly exercise classes on Mondays. “Jane runs those, and she works us pretty hard,” Peter laughs. “Then afterwards everyone sits down and has a bit of a natter.”

For Peter, the balance of social activity and independence is just right. “If you want to do things, you can. If you don’t, you can just stay in your place. It suits everybody.”

Predictable living and peace of mind

One of the biggest advantages of retirement village living, Peter says, is the certainty it brings. “I pay a weekly amount, and Oak Tree takes care of the big things,” he says. “I know what my costs are going to be.”

That peace of mind is something he didn’t always have when owning a house. “Things can go wrong out of nowhere,” he says. “I once had to get a tree cut down in the back garden and it cost about $5,000.”

Now, life feels much straight forward. “I’ve got my little place, a bit of garden to potter around in if I feel like it, and everything else is taken care of.”

A simpler way to enjoy life

Although Peter has moved away from Berry, he still keeps in touch with the friends he made there. “It’s only about an hour away,” he says. “I can still go back to see friends or head to the bowling club whenever I want.”

But these days, he enjoys the freedom that comes with having fewer responsibilities. “You wake up in the morning, and you don’t have to worry about fixing the roof or organising tradespeople,” he says.

“Maybe I’ll play golf today… maybe I won’t.” Either way, Peter says life is easier.

“Everything has worked out pretty well,” he says. “I’m in a great location, and I’m enjoying life.”

To find out more about what living looks like at Oak Tree Retirement Villages, visit oaktreegroup.com.au or call 1300 367 155.