Sheltered accommodation

[mary1947 2,079]

Sorry folks I'm on my soap box again.

2020 New Year some person or person unknown went and flattened a green BT box at the end of the village, now this may not seem much to you but in these boxes their or billions and billions of wires, so 2020 all or most of Jacksdale had gone silent. Now I can hear some of you say Jacksdale were is that well at last with the help of BT engineers we are now back on the map. you can just see us we are that little red dot next to Eastwood. 

HOO_RA we are now back with internet and home telephone. Plus we are in a complex of over 60s bugalows so we have those little orange strings to pull if we need help. These did not work either, but we did have a nice message though the door from our manger telling us about internet telephone, smoke alarms,  and pull cords not working. At the end of the letter it did say if you required help please telephone this number ??????? u'mmm was this a joke.

Never ever thought i would miss my internet or phone.

ps we did mention the contents of the letter to our manager saying that we had already had two 999 calls and if any of us did not had mobiles  what would they have done  Answer from her TELL THEM THEY SHOULD HAVE A MOBILE IF NOT BUY ONE OR TELL THEIR FAMILY TO GET THEM ONE.   Was this allso a  joke?

[Beekay 5,134]

Know how you feel Mary. We live in sheltered housing too and it's not easy when your phone's down.

[catfan 14,793]

Sheltered housing, me too, can't beat it.

[LizzieM 9,507]

I hope I never get PUT in a sheltered housing complex, I certainly wouldn’t make that move through choice. Mary, you say it’s an ‘over-60s complex’ ....... my husband and I are well past 60 but can still run a home and garden without the necessity of a pull cord to call for assistance. Unless there are physical or mental disabilities involved then why go into such a place?  I think some people wish themselves old, we’ve still got a lot of independent life to live. I apologise if I’ve upset anyone on here, it’s my personal view.

[Beekay 5,134]

There's nothing wrong with sheltered housing Lizzie. Some of us didn't have a choice. We were in tied accomodation that went with the job. When I retired, there was no possible way I could afford to buy down here. My GP suggested where I live after my heart surgery, 3 years before retirement was due. He said I didn't need the stress of being on call 24/7, the sort you get with living on site. On approaching the council, they just offered sheltered housing but we were well down the list on a points system. We have  now been here 14 years and have no regrets. We are not bothered by the site manager unless we ask. Our complex is for people who can live independently and cope on their own. There's two of us so we are able to look after each other. We are both 76 and have all our faculties, although 'er indoors does use a stick to help with her balance.

[LizzieM 9,507]

I can understand your GP’s thinking there then Beekay and I know that your lovely wife has mobility issues and as I said this is my personal view and it will all depend on whether our health and mobility remains good as to our decision to move from a house to another type of accommodation.  At the moment we’re just considering fitting bannisters on our staircases (for some silly reason we have two staircases) as I think that one of these days one of us will fall down the stairs!  One of our friends fell down his stairs the other day and is in QMC as a result. 

[catfan 14,793]

We moved in to a similar place last Sept & only regret we did not do it years ago.

Love it.

[Beekay 5,134]

Just for the record Lizzie, we weren't PUT in sheltered housing, we chose to go there. Where we live are 36 apartments, us being number 36. They are in fact Alms houses and are a charity. This is NOT as it sounds. We pay a substantial amount each month that is classed as a contribution and not rent. This includes heating and water charges, everything else we pay for, eg.,electricity, poll tax (or whatever it's called) telephone etc. We have decent neighbours and all get on well and look out for each other. As we are at the end of our small block of six, it's like being in a little semi-detached, with lounge, two bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and hall. We've often thought about returning to Nottingham but wouldn't know where we'd want to live. We were on the waiting list with Gedling borough council, but gave that up after the 4 places that were offered us were the real pits. Tina's cousin would go and visit on our behalf and she kept us informed. The council would send a letter saying a place was available in Carlton for example, could we call in and pick up the keys for a viewing. I did explain that we are over 200 miles away and couldn't drop what we were doing and come up. I posted on here about possibly coming up but was advised by one or two not to bother.

[LizzieM 9,507]

Beekay, I meant that I hope our kids never decide that  we need to move from our own home into a ‘sheltered complex’. If eventually I need to go into a nursing home then so be it, I might even be appreciative of such accommodation ....... one day. 

A friend’s parents lived in the John Robinson Alms Houses near Home Brewery  for many years, her father was an ex-employee. It was a nice cosy house and they were happy living there, they had a little vegetable plot too which they enjoyed.  

[nonnaB 4,894]

10 hours ago, LizzieM said:

I can understand your GP’s thinking there then Beekay and I know that your lovely wife has mobility issues and as I said this is my personal view and it will all depend on whether our health and mobility remains good as to our decision to move from a house to another type of accommodation.  At the moment we’re just considering fitting bannisters on our staircases (for some silly reason we have two staircases) as I think that one of these days one of us will fall down the stairs!  One of our friends fell down his stairs the other day and is in QMC as a result. 

 

Lizzie since my operation I am getting the sense of losing my balance and its happened a couple of times when I've had to take an extra step to keep me upright. We have bannisters to help and handles etc in the bathroom but we put them in when mother came here to help her. we didn't remove them either when she went into the care home so really I'm glad I left left them all.I dread to think that I may get unable to help myself in the future.

[philmayfield 6,115]

I fitted banisters in my parents’ house. When we moved there I took them down. I’m beginning to realise that was a mistake!

[catfan 14,793]

Ours is called a 'retirement village'. 

Situated next to a lovely park. 

[trogg 2,010]

After visiting numerous "nursing homes"  during my working life it is my ambition to die the day before being forcibly placed in one of them. As for sheltered accommodation I will have to visit some to determine my view of them, as time goes on the effort of maintaining my home becomes harder and the idea of less work sounds good to me. 

[Jill Sparrow 10,304]

My one remaining aunt, almost 90 years young, lives in an Anchor Housing complex in Southwell. Flats are available to rent or buy and residents can have as much privacy as they wish but there are plenty of social occasions in the communal areas.

 

My aunt not infrequently gets together with her 101 year old neighbour for a glass of sherry and a chat.  There comes a time, I suppose, when we can no longer cope with the properties we bought in our younger days. Nursing homes? I've seen a few of those. No thank you.

[LizzieM 9,507]

7 hours ago, catfan said:

Ours is called a 'retirement village'. 

Situated next to a lovely park. 

No good for us then, we’re still working and don’t consider retirement just yet, we wouldn’t know what to do with our waking hours.  A good friend of ours will soon be 90, has a very sharp mind, is physically fit, looks much younger and is still running a successful business.  Luck of the draw maybe. 

[mary1947 2,079]

22 hours ago, LizzieM said:

I hope I never get PUT in a sheltered housing complex, I certainly wouldn’t make that move through choice. Mary, you say it’s an ‘over-60s complex’ ....... my husband and I are well past 60 but can still run a home and garden without the necessity of a pull cord to call for assistance. Unless there are physical or mental disabilities involved then why go into such a place?  I think some people wish themselves old, we’ve still got a lot of independent life to live. I apologise if I’ve upset anyone on here, it’s my personal view.

Lizzie you are not put in Sheltered Housing it's your choice, Maybe Sheltered is the wrong choice of words, we had worked all our lives and even with private pension we could not do what we wanted, so after looking at our friends bungalow and looking at the pros and cons (me being diagnosed with PD) most of us in sheltered housing are classed as independent living. We can call the manager if needed but she only comes round once a month, we have gardeners and window cleaner's we can decorate as we like, we have put our pull cords out of the way, but they are there if you need them, if you look at the new complexes they are not cheap but  it's you choice, we sold our house gave both the boys and grandchildren a large sum then went of to see the world (twice)

[Beekay 5,134]

8 hours ago, catfan said:

Ours is called a 'retirement village'. 

Situated next to a lovely park. 

I live in the South Downs national park, Catfan. 30seconds from my door and I'm in open countryside.

[catfan 14,793]

Out the front door in to Woodthorpe Grange Park.

[MargieH 7,599]

A beautiful location.... I'm pleased you're so happy with where you live.  

[mary1947 2,079]

Hi Trogg

it's up to you what you do, must say though we have never regretted it, a nursing home is completely different situation just the same as residential home .

We have our own front door and at the back of our bungalow are our own patio doors, we have a small area with a fence around it and decking this is our space, which is about 6ftx 12ft so you see it's nothing like a nursing home. 

We are in an Anchor property which you can look up on the internet, they have now joined with hanover housing you have an assured tenancy and they have property all over, which if you want to move area you just put your name down for where you would like to go. They have flats, bungalows, complexes' and more, just take a look at there web site. Oh by the way due to old father time there will be two bungalow,s empty in  our small complex. 

[mary1947 2,079]

2 hours ago, LizzieM said:

No good for us then, we’re still working and don’t consider retirement just yet, we wouldn’t know what to do with our waking hours.  A good friend of ours will soon be 90, has a very sharp mind, is physically fit, looks much younger and is still running a successful business.  Luck of the draw maybe. 

Good for you to still be working but sooner or later Lizzie you have to ease up and smell the roses, i worked till retirement then my mum had dementia my husband and I looked after her as long as we could, before this we had also looked after my mother in law.

Life's to short it's made for living. 

but it's your choice.