Ansis & Lisa Rozenbergs are very familiar with what’s involved in maintaining a rural home and property. The couple has resided in Oliver Paipoonge, near Rosslyn, for a number of years, in the family home where they raised their sons.
“For us, it wasn’t a question of why we should move, but why not – we are in general good health, we’re still able to maintain the home we’ve resided in for many years, and we enjoy our current home and property to the fullest. But when we were recently faced with the decision to pass on our family home to our son, we felt it was time to consider our retirement plans and options more seriously.”
That led the couple to get in touch with the team at Pennock Village, as well as several other local housing residences available. They explored their options thoroughly, touring various residences to further solidify their decision, to find what felt right for them; ultimately they chose a future at Pennock Village.
Lisa first learned about Pennock Village through the local Evergreen Pharmacy in Rosslyn. After investigating the website and furthering their research on what the project entailed, they reached out to schedule a meeting to further address their questions, uncertainties, and overall curiosity.
“Meeting with James [the project lead] was the reassurance we needed to add Pennock Village as an option towards our future. James shared the development’s vision, its timelines, the floor plans, and the extensive amount of research and studies that had been done. He was easy to speak with – we felt we could share and entrust our story & plans with him.”
Shortly afterwards, Ansis & Lisa signed up for the Priority Waitlist, which later led to an opportunity to purchase one of the first four available Garden Home units of Pennock Village’s Phase One development.
Location played a major influence in the couple’s decision. Being avid walkers, bikers, skiers (Ansis), and seasonal campers, outdoor physical activity plays an important part in their daily routines. It was important that they could remain active in their present hobbies, within close proximity to their current home, which also meant remaining close to their two sons and their families.
“We’ve both experienced moving a parent, several times. The time, preparation and involvement it took was very hard on the family. We don’t want to burden our sons with these same issues, years from now. We want to prepare and plan our future accordingly. We love the fact that this place will be suited to our needs until we are 90!”
Part of Pennock Village’s extended plan is to include an assisted living option, all part of an ‘ageing-in-place’ model. Ansis & Lisa are also enthusiastic about the overall layout of the Garden Homes. Lisa, who was formerly employed for both CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) and in the healthcare industry, is familiar with the barriers within a home that can present potential dangers for disabled and aging individuals.
“I studied the floor plans excessively, and was very impressed with the design of the Garden Homes. They are well-planned and smartly-designed, providing all the essentials on the main floor, along with a fully-finished basement – something that many senior residences don’t offer. It’s smaller than what we’re currently used to, but the fact that upkeep & maintenance will be taken care of certainly makes up for that. If there’s a problem, it won’t be a hard fix.”
That, and Lisa adds that the hassle of locating reputable, dependable contacts for larger maintenance jobs, is becoming more difficult. Driveway sealing, roof repairs, furnace maintenance and septic treatment are just a few of the larger maintenance jobs which they can’t tackle themselves.
“As a retiree, you’re on a budget. It’s peace-of-mind to be able to avoid the larger, more costly maintenance work associated with a rural home. There’s also the opportunity to travel for a longer amount of time without worry, knowing your home is attended to.”
Ansis & Lisa are optimistic in their future at Pennock Village. The extensive time & effort they’ve put in towards an open-minded investigation in planning their retirement & beyond, has proven rewarding. They have secured a future in what best fits their current hobbies & values. They will enjoy what time they have left in their current home, yet approach a new lifestyle with optimism and acceptance. They have found a home with Pennock Village.