News

Remuera Gardens was delighted to welcome beloved broadcaster Judy Bailey for a special Q&A marking Real Living’s 40th Anniversary. With warmth and humour, Judy shared insights from her career and her journey of “evolving” in later life — encouraging everyone to stay active, curious, and connected. Judy is a big fan of retirement villages herself, describing them as wonderful communities where you can find your people and your purpose.

Older New Zealanders are increasingly targeted by scammers — with 30% of people over 60 affected, according to Consumer NZ. To help residents stay safe online, Real Living and ANZ are hosting an Online Safety Session at The Avenue Apartments on Thursday 30 October, led by Kirstie Clune. The event will share practical tips to recognise and avoid scams, supporting Real Living’s commitment to keeping residents safe, confident, and connected.

We’re beyond thrilled to be celebrating 40 years of Real Living tomorrow — and even more delighted that our exclusive Q&A with the “Mother of the Nation” has officially sold out! We’re in for a truly memorable morning at Remuera Gardens, as we welcome one of New Zealand’s most cherished television personalities for an inspiring conversation about life, ageing, and finding joy in every stage of the journey.

At Real Living, we take pride in celebrating the many cultures that shape New Zealand — and our vibrant villages. Last week, Remuera Gardens came alive with colour, music, and joy as we celebrated Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights — a beautiful tradition symbolising the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. Our incredible team put on a stunning display of Indian culture, complete with a fashion parade and dance performances that delighted residents and their families.

This year, Real Living proudly celebrates 40 years since opening its first village, Pakuranga Park, in East Auckland. What began in 1985 as a bold new idea has grown into four vibrant, family-owned villages — Pakuranga Park, Epsom Village, Remuera Gardens, and Warkworth Oaks. Guided by a founding vision of dignity, purpose, and companionship, Real Living has remained proudly independent and deeply connected to its residents, creating communities where people truly belong.

Who caught yesterday’s interview on The Breeze with Epsom Village? Robert and Jeanette had a lovely chat with our Village Manager, Lillian, and our superstar maintenance officer, Les. Les was featured in the Unsung Heroes segment of the programme, recognised for everything he does for our residents at Epsom Village and for always going above and beyond in his role. If you missed the programme, don’t worry — we’ve put it all together here for you to enjoy.

Congratulations to the team at Remuera Gardens! We’re proud to share that our care facility, Kensington House at Remuera Gardens, has been selected as a finalist in the Excellence in Care Awards 2025 – Innovative Delivery Award. Our Holistic Dance Exercise Programme has earned this recognition, with the winner announced at the NZACA Conference, 29–30 October in Christchurch.

Can you believe this is what Pakuranga Park looked like 40 years ago? Back in 1985, the idea of a ‘retirement village’ in New Zealand was still groundbreaking. Today, Pakuranga Park is a close-knit community of 400 residents, where staff know everyone by name. Guided by the values of Caring, Integrity, Gratitude, and Community, our team creates a village where life feels rewarding and truly connected.

At Real Living, we love spending time with our residents — so when the opportunity for a commercial photoshoot arose, we knew our talented people had to be involved. To promote the new Avenue Apartments at Remuera Gardens, 40 residents from across our villages stepped into the spotlight and had a fantastic time becoming “actors” for the project.