Chalmers Home resident Ian Gundesen has a long history of owning race horses, ever since his days farming in Kaponga.
His love of racing and horses has continued since moving into the Enliven rest home in July last year.
He currently owns a fifth share of the horse Image of You, located at the Te Akau stud near Matamata, and had the opportunity recently to visit the horse.
“She was looking terrific and the staff there gave us a guided tour of the 40 horses in training, with 30 expected to arrive shortly.
“I feel very fortunate to have a horse in their care and hopefully this young filly will provide us with our moments of glory when she races.”
The trip to Matamata was a big journey for Ian, who is in a wheelchair.
Ian experienced a cardiac block when he was gardening at his home in late 2017. He consequently blacked out, fell more than three metres over the property boundary wall and landed on his neighbour’s concrete path.
Ian broke his clavicle and crushed two vertebrae and is now tetraplegic. It was just under two years after the incident that he moved into Chalmers Home.
“I couldn’t have picked a better place to be,” he says. “The manager Jenny Darby and her team are wonderful and very supportive. We have a lot of laughs!
“I now try to enjoy every day, having missed what could have been certain death.”
Enliven’s Chalmers Home provides rest home and hospital level care, as well as short-term respite and health recovery care, and an engaging day activity programme. To find out more about Chalmers Home call the friendly team on 06 758 5190.
