When it came to choosing just the right rest home Albert Judd, 92, opted for Levin War Veterans Home because of the spacious room with a garden view, as well as the level of care on offer.
“Everyone seems really well trained and pleasant,” says Albert.
Albert was born in Palmerston North into a family of 11. Three of his siblings had muscular dystrophy, so he had to earn his keep from an early age. He remembers selling ice creams from a cart as one of his first jobs.
Later he joined the Merchant Navy. A high point during his two years there was helping save the lives of his shipmates after his keen sense of smell helped alert him to a gas leak on board the ship.
Following his time with the Navy, Albert moved to the Rangitīkei region and worked as a ‘rabbit inspector’- an official who enforces regulations relating to the control of the population of wild rabbits.
In the 1950s Albert retrained as a nurse aid and worked at Lake Alice psychiatric hospital and then the Kimberly Centre until 1964 when he began a business growing narcissus for sale.
Passionate about the environment, Albert was involved with the Water & Environmental Care Associationan (WECA), environmental group at Waitārere Beach for 20 years.
Although Albert’s not as physically active as he used to be, his new life at Levin Home keeps him satisfied.
“They do their best for us, and it feels like family here.”
