Deb’s story: “Knowledge means peace of mind”
When she joined, Deb’s greatest need was understanding what support was available to her and her husband and knowing how to access it if they needed to. “The first event we attended was a forum of all the transport providers in the area,” she explains. “It was so helpful to have them all under one roof and the opportunity to chat with a range of different providers about our situation. We used several of their services when we required additional support thanks to that event.”
Sadly, Deb’s husband passed away a few years ago and Deb then turned to Virtual Village East for different reasons. “I’ve always valued the five pillars of ageing well which underpin Virtual Village’s approach,” she says. “I think it’s important to have a balanced life and the pillars encourage you to reflect on which areas might need a bit more work or support to ensure you’re making the most of life.”
When her husband died, Deb realised that, as well as the impact on her emotional and mental wellbeing, there were also several practical things that needed to be addressed. This was compounded when she and her sister moved her mum to Auckland to live nearby. “I was suddenly faced with paperwork that need to be updated such as EPA’s and my Will – and had to make a lot of decisions in relation to both my own and my mother’s situation,” she says. Once again, attending a Virtual Village East seminar helped Deb gain a better understanding of the considerations to be aware of and the consequences of different decisions.
“The seminars are so helpful. The speakers are always on point and completely up to date with the latest thinking,” she enthuses. “I always leave with at least one or two things I hadn’t known beforehand, for example what a ‘living will’ is. Basically, it sets out your medical treatment wishes and can be sent with your EPA to your nearest hospital – mine is now with Middlemore Hospital, which has given me peace of mind.”
Deb reflects that one of the most valuable aspects of the Village is that it enables members to meet their specific needs. “For some people it’s the friendship, while for others it’s about improving their physical wellbeing. For me, it’s helped me gain more knowledge so I can make better decisions for my future. By curating topics and speakers to keep me (and other members) up to date with the latest information, Virtual Village East makes it so easy – it’s been amazing.”