What is a usual day like in
your role?
Pam:
There is absolutely no such
thing. It’s so funny – you wake up in
the morning with a vision of what
you’re going to get achieve that day,
and at the end it you think, “Oh, that
didn’t go to plan!” Generally speaking,
it’s about the ongoing upkeep of the
village itself, as well as overseeing
residents’ happiness and wellbeing.
I handle everything from apartment
maintenance, to meeting with our
emergency response attendants who
are on site 24/7, to discuss any issues
with residents’ health. We have a
chef so I’ll meet with him to oversee
the menu planning and dietary
requirements, as well as catch up
with the residents’ committee - the
list goes on!
Katherine:
Primarily, I look after the
sales of our Serviced Apartments and
Independent Living Units as well as
assisting Pamwith organising events
to welcome new guests keen to learn
more about the lifestyle on offer at
Vermont Estate. I am also continuously
working on building relationships
with local services and the wider
community to make sure they know
what a wonderful environment it
is here.
What do you love about your job?
Pam:
One of the highlights for me
is building relationships with our
residents. In a way, they become like
extended family. I like knowing what’s
going on in their lives, hearing about
their families or if they’re planning
another trip. I love the process of
seeing people move in, knowing that
what I do will provide happiness in
their retirement years. I’ve been in
this role for 12 months and this year,
my benchmark is to increase the
activities available. We already have
indoor bowls, craft and exercise
classes, bingo and more, but I want
to introduce more guest speakers and
more health activities such as
Tai Chi. We’re even looking at
promoting a writer’s group, book
club and coffee club – it’s all about
inspiring social engagement and a
sense of wellbeing.
Katherine:
It’s so rewarding being able
to meet residents, to show visitors
around the village–and to see how
happy our purchasers are once they
live here. The best feeling is selling a
property, seeing someone move in,
then hearing them say, “If only we’d
done this years ago.”
What are Vermont Estate’s
drawcards?
Pam:
I call it the hidden gem– the
location of our village is fantastic.
We’re one street from the main road
so it’s quiet and peaceful yet close to
the tram, buses, city and hospitals.
It’s a small village which really fosters
a sense of community spirit. We
offer both Serviced Apartments and
Independent Living Units, though if our
Independent Living residents decide
they want more help around the
house, they can move into a Serviced
Apartment under our Easy Move*
scheme. The Serviced Apartments
include meals, house cleaning once a
week and a linen and laundry service.
We recently introduced a guest stay
approach, available to residents and
external clients, who may have come
out of hospital and aren’t quite ready
to move back into their independent
homes. There’s also the option to
move into our Serviced Apartment as
a guest and trial the lifestyle, without
any obligation to buy.
Katherine:
Vermont Estate is a
wonderful, welcoming village. It’s
not surprising that the perception
of retirement living is changing. It’s
not about moving somewhere to
grow old – it’s about the social side,
enjoying happy hour, being in a
beautiful community of people who
are all at the same stage of life – not
to mention the freedom of being
able to lock up and leave, knowing
everything’s secure. Vermont Estate
is not just a retirement village – it’s a
lifestyle resort.
What has your role taught you
about yourself?
Pam:
I’ve learnt to be more
compassionate. Whether or not that’s
something that comes with age, I
have a better understanding of what
it means to get older. I’m here to
make things better, to connect with
the residents, to help themwherever
possible and to ensure they know
they’re respected, valued people in
society, with so much to offer.
Katherine:
It’s a wonderful time to
be working in the retirement living
industry. I am able to use skills
developed from previous experience
in marketing and sales to truly
help people discover a newway of
living. At the same time, I work in an
environment where I feel supported
and appreciated.
There are plenty of responsibilities and barely enough hours
in the day, but for Village Manager, Pam Pudney, and Sales
Manager, Katherine Clark, working at Vermont Estate offers
endless rewards.
* Terms and Conditions apply. Speak to the Vermont Estate Sales Manager for further information.
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