Nola, who has now lived at Oak Tree Martin Street for four and a half years, admits she was initially hesitant about the idea of retirement living. “Before making the move, I’d only ever heard negative things—things like, ‘you’ll lose all your money,’ or ‘you don’t really own your house,’” she recalls. “My husband was even more determined not to make the move than I was, but his health was deteriorating, and we realised we didn’t have much of a choice.”
However, once Nola began exploring options and doing her research, her perspective shifted, and she realised how beneficial the Oak Tree lifestyle would be for them. “I initially put down a deposit at Taylor Street, but Martin Street just seemed like a better fit for us,” she explains. With her husband’s health declining, the upkeep of their large house and garden had become overwhelming. “We needed to downsize but still wanted something spacious, and Oak Tree Martin Street turned out to be the perfect fit!”
Since moving in, Nola has found a great balance between community life and her own independence. “A lot of the people here were already acquaintances, so it’s been lovely reconnecting with them,” she says. “But I’ve also kept my outside interests. I’m still able to do my own thing—I sew, which takes up quite a bit of my time. I also enjoy lunches, morning teas, and going on holidays.”
Being able to travel with peace of mind has also been a huge benefit for her. “I have family in Melbourne and Queensland, so I visit them a couple of times a year. It’s nice knowing I can just lock up and leave,” Nola notes. And her beloved companion, a Jack Russell cross named Harry, is well taken care of by her neighbours whenever she’s away. “The fact that Oak Tree is a pet-friendly retirement village was really important to me.”
Looking ahead, Nola is excited about a big adventure she’s planning. “Next year, I’m hoping to take a train trip from Melbourne to Perth with one of the other ladies from the village,” she shares enthusiastically. For Nola, life at Martin Street has been about finding the perfect blend of security, independence, and connection—exactly what she had hoped for in this chapter of life!