Almost ten years ago, Harry and his wife made the decision to move into Oak Tree after realising their large, two-story home was becoming too difficult to manage. “We had a big four-bedroom house, but when my wife got sick, we couldn’t stay there anymore,” he recalls. “We started looking for something smaller, and when we saw Oak Tree, we thought, ‘We might as well have a look.’”

Since making the move, Harry has appreciated the ease and comfort of retirement village living. “When we first visited, there were only about ten or fifteen villas—it was still being built,” he remembers. “We looked at the plans, found a spot in the back corner, and thought, ‘Yeah, that’ll do us.’ We put down a deposit the next day.”

Harry admits that before moving in, he hadn’t seriously considered retirement living. “We were originally looking at apartments or smaller houses, but Oak Tree just made sense. It was the right fit for us,” he says. “Now, looking back, I know we made the right choice.”

After his wife passed away, the Oak Tree community became a source of support and companionship. “I probably would have just disappeared into nowhere if I had been living on my own in a house somewhere,” Harry reflects. “But around here, everybody’s your friend. It really got me going again.”

He has embraced a vibrant and active lifestyle, taking part in daily exercise sessions with fellow residents. “We have a little group that does exercises every morning—one day it’s exercise, the next day it’s yoga,” he shares. “It’s a great way to start the day, have a chat, and keep moving.”

The social aspect of village life has been one of the biggest benefits for Harry. “I’ve made some great friends here,” he says. “It’s a really nice community, and there’s always something to do if you want to join in. We have morning teas, barbecues, and all sorts of gatherings.”

“I go out for lunch with friends, and we do some family activities together. I’ve even got a big trip coming up – a cruise around Norway and Iceland with two ladies from the village! We’re visiting Scandinavia too. I used to travel alone, but it’s not quite the same. Now, I’ve got company.”

For Harry, the boutique size of Oak Tree Cardiff is one of the best things about the village.

“You don’t get lost in the crowd. In some places, there are hundreds of units, and you might only know four or five people. Here, everybody knows each other, and that makes all the difference.”

With daily social connections, regular activities, and the peace of mind that comes with knowing he’s surrounded by a supportive community, Harry is confident he made the right choice.