{"id":5482,"date":"2026-07-09T03:23:35","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T03:23:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.villages.com.au\/?p=5482"},"modified":"2026-07-09T04:00:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T04:00:09","slug":"how-serviced-apartments-in-a-village-give-everyone-peace-of-mind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.villages.com.au\/retirement\/how-serviced-apartments-in-a-village-give-everyone-peace-of-mind\/","title":{"rendered":"How serviced apartments in a village give everyone peace of mind"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"5482\" class=\"elementor elementor-5482\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2cbede3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2cbede3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4d5ebb1\" data-id=\"4d5ebb1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1a6f331 elementor-drop-cap-yes elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1a6f331\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;drop_cap&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.15.0 - 20-08-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>M<strong>any retirement villages offer serviced apartments, which may suit your changing needs and circumstances.<\/strong><\/p><p>Serviced apartments, as the name suggests, give you or a loved one access to a range of services to assist you with day-to-day tasks such as cleaning, laundry and meals.<\/p><p>When you live in an independent living unit, you or a loved one take scare of all your daily chores and household tasks yourself.<\/p><p>When Margaret Patterson first walked into her serviced apartment at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au\/operators\/retireaustralia-1920\">RetireAustralia<\/a>\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au\/sa\/eyre-peninsula\/lincoln-grove-retirement-village-4354\">Lincoln Grove Retirement Village<\/a>, in Port Lincoln, a city on the Lower Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, she didn\u2019t need long to decide.<\/p><p>She stepped inside, looked out over the bay, and said: \u201cThis is it. This is going to be my home.\u201d<\/p><p>Four years on, she\u2019s never doubted that decision.<\/p><p>\u201cI\u2019m very, very happy here,\u201d Margaret said. \u201cHonestly, it was the best thing I\u2019ve ever done.\u201d<\/p><p><strong>An independent life <\/strong><\/p><p>Margaret\u2019s life before Lincoln Grove was full of movement. With her husband working across South Australia as a livestock coordinator, the family relocated frequently.<\/p><p>\u201cWe moved to probably at least 15 towns,\u201d she recalls. \u201cYorke Peninsula, the coast, the southeast. We were always moving.\u201d<\/p><p>Raising five children along the way wasn\u2019t always easy.<\/p><p>\u201cIt was hard on the kids, changing schools so often,\u201d she says. \u201cBut we learnt to make friends wherever we went.\u201d<\/p><p>Later, Margaret and her husband made the decision to move into an independent living unit at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au\/sa\/eyre-peninsula\/lincoln-grove-retirement-village-4354\">Lincoln Grove Retirement Village<\/a>, thinking ahead for the future. When her husband passed away and her own health needs changed, Margaret began to consider her next step.<\/p><p><strong>Making the move to a serviced apartment <\/strong><\/p><p>For Margaret\u2019s daughter Cherine, the transition into a serviced apartment was something that unfolded gradually.<\/p><p>\u201cWe talked about it for a couple of years,\u201d Cherine says. \u201cIt\u2019s a big decision, and it had to be Mum\u2019s.\u201d<\/p><p>After the COVID-19 pandemic, things became more challenging. Social connections were harder to maintain, and everyday tasks were becoming more difficult.<\/p><p>\u201cWe could see things were getting trickier,\u201d Cherine says. \u201cBut Mum needed to feel ready.\u201d<\/p><p>The turning point came unexpectedly. When a particular apartment became available, Margaret came to take a look.<\/p><p>\u201cShe walked in, saw the view, and that was it,\u201d Cherine says. \u201cShe just knew.\u201d<\/p><p><strong>Support that feels natural <\/strong><\/p><p>One of the biggest shifts for Margaret has been learning to accept support after a lifetime of independence.<\/p><p>\u201cWhen you\u2019ve raised five children and done everything yourself, it\u2019s a big change,\u201d she says.<\/p><p>But at Lincoln Grove, that support is offered in a way that never feels intrusive.<\/p><p>\u201cOne of the staff said to me, \u2018Margaret, please use me. I\u2019m here to help,\u2019\u201d she recalls. \u201cI thought that was just beautiful.\u201d<\/p><p>Living with ongoing health needs, Margaret says the environment gives her confidence to stay social and engaged.<\/p><p>\u201cI feel so comfortable here,\u201d she says. \u201cIf I go out, I can get a bit nervous. But here, I can join in everything, and if I need to, I can just go back to my apartment.\u201d<\/p><p>For Cherine, that sense of security has made a significant difference.<\/p><p>\u201cI can go away and know she\u2019s safe,\u201d she says. \u201cThat peace of mind is huge.\u201d<\/p><p><strong>Independence, with support close by <\/strong><\/p><p>Despite the additional support, Margaret says she still feels a strong sense of independence.<\/p><p>\u201cIn my own way, I feel independent,\u201d she says. \u201cI don\u2019t feel like I\u2019m being a burden to my children.\u201d<\/p><p><strong>Cherine agrees. <\/strong><\/p><p>\u201cIn some ways, Mum has more independence here than she would living on her own,\u201d she says. \u201cShe\u2019s supported, but her choices are still hers.\u201d<\/p><p>That balance, between help and autonomy, is what makes the difference.<\/p><p>\u201cYou\u2019re supported, not taken over,\u201d Cherine says.<\/p><p><strong>What families need to know <\/strong><\/p><p>For families considering a move like this, Cherine encourages people to look beyond common misconceptions.<\/p><p>\u201cIt\u2019s not a nursing home,\u201d she says. \u201cI always say to people, come and have a look first.\u201d<\/p><p>She also highlights the importance of understanding what you\u2019re investing in.<\/p><p>\u201cThe investment is in your parents\u2019 wellbeing and lifestyle,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s about this stage of life being as comfortable and supported as it can be.\u201d<\/p><p>Margaret agrees, with a practical perspective shaped by her own experience.<\/p><p>\u201cDo your homework,\u201d she says. \u201cUnderstand what\u2019s involved. But if you\u2019re looking for support, this has been perfect for me.\u201d<\/p><p><strong>A place to belong <\/strong><\/p><p>At 90, Margaret continues to enjoy life surrounded by people who care. She celebrated her recent birthday at Lincoln Grove with family, laughter and a few surprises, including a special video created by her grandson that brought treasured memories to life.<\/p><p>Reflecting on her time at Lincoln Grove, her words are simple but certain.<\/p><p>\u201cFor me, it\u2019s been perfect.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d952e94 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d952e94\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-efcedc7\" data-id=\"efcedc7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8e002eb elementor-button-success elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"8e002eb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-md\" href=\"https:\/\/thedcmgroup.createsend1.com\/t\/y-e-faqid-l-v\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Back to Newsletter<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many retirement villages offer serviced apartments, which may suit your changing needs and circumstances. Serviced apartments, as the name suggests, give you or a loved one access to a range of services to assist you with day-to-day tasks such as cleaning, laundry and meals. When&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[70],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5482","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-retirement"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5482","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5482"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5482\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5518,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5482\/revisions\/5518"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5482"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5482"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5482"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}