What happens when you’ve been together for decades and the time comes when you need rest home or hospital care?
For Masterton’s William and Helga Ackerley it wasn’t a problem, the pair moved together to Enliven’s Kandahar Home.
The couple first met by chance at a coffee shop in 1982. Thirty-seven years later, the married couple say their love is as strong as ever.
“My Hughie [William] is a wonderful man. He has a beautiful heart and gentle eyes,” says Helga.
The pair, who recently moved to Enliven’s Kandahar Home, say they did it to ensure they could stay together for the rest of their lives.
“My eyesight was getting worse to due to my diabetes, I wear two hearing aids and my mobility isn’t what it used to be,” William explains.
“It was getting really hard for Helga to look after me, so we decided to see if we could move somewhere we could have more support.
“Things have been much easier since we moved to Kandahar and we hope to be able to live together like this for many more years!”
At Kandahar Home, William enjoys access to 24-hour practice assistance and clinical support. He’s also able to take part in the home’s stimulating, tailored activity programme, which offers arts and crafts, music therapy, intergenerational activities, themed parties and van outings.
Helga, meanwhile, enjoys hassle-free living at one of Kandahar Home’s retirement rental units, where she lives independently with the knowledge that help is close by if she needs it. She enjoys the fact that the household and property maintenance is taken care of by Enliven staff, and that she can take part in all the activities on offer at the home.
Best of all, her husband is just metres away, getting the support he needs, in a place she can visit any time she likes.
“I visit Hughie every day and we love going for walks around Masterton,” Helga notes.
The couple are very involved in home life, and remain connected to community groups too.
“I’ve met a lot of very nice people here [at Kandahar] and we go the Wairarapa Spinners and Weavers Guild every second Wednesday and work together on crafts. We’re always busy!” says Helga.
Enliven’s Kandahar Home, located on Roberts Road, Masterton, offers independent retirement rental units, rest home and hospital care, as well as short-term respite. Sister site Kandahar Court offers specialist dementia care. To find out more visit www.enlivencentral.org.nz or call the friendly team on 06 370 0447.
