What Residents Love About the Astra

/ Bondi Beach Astra/
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We are often told by residents that moving to the Astra was the best decision, and that they love it here. In this article we give you some reasons why, in their own words:

“We have loved being part of the lively community at the Astra over the last 17 years and enjoy the many benefits of being part of an independent living Retirement Village. Security is important to us, as is knowing we can call for assistance any time. While we still live busy lives, we love to participate in the wonderful social events throughout the year with lots of music, dancing and feasting. Of course a great attraction for us buying here was the beach location with its magical views and access to public transport. We are looking forward to many more years here.” Rob and Penny

“One of the big pluses is ‘location, location, location’ with the tremendous pleasure to be got from being near Bondi Beach and the happy vibe of people enjoying the beautiful seashore. Also, the friendliness of the residents and staff at the Astra.” Gillian

“22 years ago, I was looking to buy a unit in Bondi Beach. I was so fortunate to find exactly what I wanted at a price I could afford. I have never regretted my decision. For someone who lived their whole life on the land, it was a total sea change.” Noni

“After living in Bondi for decades, nine years ago, increasing crowds, noise and pollution forced a decision to move. Lucky for me I found the Bondi Astra Retirement Village and literally moved round the corner. It was a short distance but a world of difference. I was able to stay in Bondi, keep my independence and enjoy secure, peaceful living with the option of support, friendship and lots of fun. Best decision ever!” Ann

“I love living at the Astra because of its wonderful location, across the road from beautiful Bondi Beach, lovely parks close by and with transport almost on our doorstep. The Astra is a close, caring, and friendly community.” Darryl 

“My father came to live in the Astra 14 years before I did, and it was because he was so happy here that I decided to move here too. Dad was so happy to be back in the area of his childhood and to be able to enjoy the beach once again. He became involved in all the activities at The Astra and even instigated some. He was very popular and I was lucky to be included in the evening socials. The Social Club helped me organise both his 80th and 90th birthday parties and we invited all residents, friends and family. So, when I moved in after his death, I already knew everyone. Like Dad had done before me, I regularly meet friends in the City for lunch, movies, ballet, concerts and theatre, and travel to family celebrations for birthdays and other celebrations. All of which is possible because of the close access to excellent public transport. When Dad gave up the surf he became a regular in the Astra pool and I use it regularly too as well as the Gym. When this lockdown is over I look forward to resuming the excellent barbecues, lunches and socials we all enjoyed prior to Covid. Also, I will start meeting family and friends once again. The Astra is a wonderful place to live, because of its excellent management, beautiful location, proximity to many shops and cafes and frequent public transport, plus very friendly and pleasant residents.” Maureen

“How lucky I am to live in an elegant, Art Deco icon, overlooking the Sands of the beach, sitting above the trendy Trattoria Restaurant, spending my Retirement years in an Amazing, vibrant environment, at the ASTRA.” Cleo

“I love the location of the Astra, fabulous view from my open-space unit, and within minutes I can be walking along Bondi Beach and swimming. Help from Paul and Anna in the office is a big bonus. They are always willing to assist, whether it’s a technology issue, maintenance problem, receiving postal deliveries etc… The Astra community is friendly and sociable and I enjoy catching up with them at village events from time to time.” Alison

“I lived in Bondi for some years before retirement, at which time I decided to relocate to the Astra, where I bought a unit. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. Where else could I walk literally across the road to a wonderful iconic beach, or to a bus taking 7 minutes to get to Bondi Junction or a bit longer into the City? How many other Retirement Villages enjoy the solitude of such establishments while being slap bang in the middle of a busily energetic shopping area with a vibrant cafe/restaurant culture? The best of both worlds! Added to this, importantly, are the caring, competent management of the village who do their best to make for a convivial comfortable atmosphere. I'm very glad I live at the Astra.” Andrew

If you are interested in finding out more about living in this historic, beautiful place please contact us and we will be happy to answer any questions you have. When we are able to safely conduct tours around the village, and hold events again, we would also love to introduce you to some of our friendly residents so they can tell you in person why Bondi Beach Astra is such a great place to live.

Social Highlights of the Year So Far...

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At Bondi Beach Astra we love to get social. And until June we were making the most of our relatively COVID-free environment, holding events and activities each month for residents to attend. With a range of different people from different backgrounds, we try to cater to a range of different tastes. Here are our highlights from the first half of the year:

Jazz lunch - we were absolutely thrilled to welcome local jazz band Sax Appeal to our lounge for a live music event, with a Ploughman’s lunch. We had such fun and it was a wonderful atmosphere. Good food and wine, great music, and dancing to cap it all off, this was mentioned in our recent resident surveys as being one of the best events we’ve had.

Gin tasting - also a winner on the resident satisfaction scale was our gin tasting afternoon. We had to postpone this in 2020 as lockdowns and restrictions hit, but it was worth waiting for. We had four gins to taste, along with varied and numerous mixers and garnishes, and a cocktail menu. For those drinking and not drinking alike we had a lovely selection of snacks, cold meats, flat breads and sweets. Even non gin drinkers were delighted by the interesting flavours of the different gins we had on offer - and a big shout out to the Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin, which won the most votes for best gin!

Special afternoon teas - this year we partnered with the Residents Committee to put on one big afternoon tea a month, with a special theme. At one we raised over $600 for the Cancer Council; at another we had a posh high tea with sandwiches, petits fours and bubbly. Fabulous!

Speaker talks - throughout the year we’ve had speaker talks from both residents and people in the local community. Helene Gonski’s visit was a particular highlight, with residents and visitors enjoying an insight into this special lady’s wonderful life. 

Astra Book Club (ABC) - once a month we run a book club, encouraging us to read more widely and to share our thoughts about, and experiences with, each text. We have read authors from Australia, the UK, the US, Europe and Africa, with themes as widespread as colonisation, the LGBTI+ community, feminism, historical fiction, murder mystery, the Gold Rush and the dictionary! The lovely thing about a book club is you don’t read in isolation, and even if you don’t agree with the opinions of your fellow readers, it is still interesting to hear what they have to say. Members of ABC love it, and we all get a lot out of our monthly meet ups.

Foodie fun - from the resident-run Australia Day BBQ, to pancakes, strawberries and cream, and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, our community loves to get together over some good food. It’s the perfect opportunity to chat, have fun and get to know your neighbours better. It’s always a highlight when tasty food is on the menu.

You too could be a part of this vibrant, fun-loving community! Our full social calendar is truly one of the best parts of living at Bondi Beach Astra, according to many of our residents. To see what you’re missing out on visit our Blog and What’s On pages, and if you have any further questions about life in a Retirement Village, please contact us.

6 Common Hesitations When Choosing a Retirement Village

/ Bondi Beach Astra/

We speak to many people about retirement living, and over the years we have noticed some trends in common hesitations to taking that final step. We also know that many people we speak to who live in a Retirement Village tell us it was the best move they ever made. So here is a list of common hesitations that regularly come up in our conversations with people considering downsizing to Bondi Beach Astra, and our reasons why we think you should still think seriously about making the move:

  • I’m not retired yet. You do not need to be fully retired to move into a village, just over 55 years old. At Bondi Beach Astra we have a number of residents who are still partially working and of those that aren’t, many volunteer on a regular basis. Still more play a vital role in actively helping with their grandkids.

  • I’m not ready yet. This may well be the case, and we would never presume to know your circumstances as well as you do. However, we do believe that it is never too early to start thinking about what you will do in the event that you need to downsize, move to be closer to family, or require more help around the home. It certainly can’t hurt to have the conversations now to prepare yourself for when you do feel ready. Retirement Villages are not aged care facilities, they are vibrant, active communities of like-minded individuals. They provide greater security and opportunities for social connection than non-retirement housing alternatives. It is worth considering Retirement Villages for many very good reasons, but please don’t count them out because of a perception that they are full of inactive and unsociable seniors. The majority of Retirement Village residents are lively and active members of the community, making the most of their retirement years.

  • I want two or three bedrooms. If this is what you need, then of course many of our one and two bedroom apartments won’t be suitable. However, most of our residents have friends and family who they meet up with regularly, and many will have people to stay in their apartments. Our apartments are a variety of sizes and shapes, to fit different needs for different people. Before you reject the idea of a one bedroom property outright, consider whether it is actually necessary to have the extra bedroom. For example, will the hassle of cleaning a room you don’t use to its potential for much of the year be more or less than the hassle of having a flexible living space that could accommodate visitors? Remember that downsizing has its advantages – smaller apartments are easier to clean and upkeep, having fewer things could make you feel less stressed and more able to focus on the important things in life, and of course downsizing usually comes with a lower price tag.

  • It’s too expensive. Again, we can’t speak to each individual’s circumstances, but generally Retirement Villages are cheaper than non-retirement living options. Equivalent Bondi Beach non-retirement properties are on average 42% more expensive. To reduce costs by more than 3% further, if you buy a long-term lease (which most Retirement Villages offer) rather than a strata title, you won’t have to pay stamp duty on your purchase. Moreover, the Deferred Management Fee is set up to ensure that you have more capital upfront on purchase, then pay a percentage on re-sale to cover ongoing costs associated with the time that you have lived in a village. For many people this is a model that is well-suited to them at this stage of their lives.

  • Bondi Beach is too busy, and the crowds are too young. It is true that Bondi Beach is one of Australia’s most visited areas. However, many of our residents love the vibrant culture and opportunities that come with living in a small community that has international renown. They don’t want to live in a sleepy quiet town where nothing ever happens! Bondi, for them, has just the right blend of amenities, environment, activity and community, and they like to be around people of all ages. This may not be for everyone, but if you are considering this area you should definitely come for a visit and see for yourself what they love about Bondi Beach.

  • Where are the men? This is a question that gets posed a lot on Facebook, and sometimes in person too. Well, just under 30% of Bondi Beach Astra’s residents are men. We do have men who are active in the community and also on the Executive Committee, but on average more of women attend social events than men which accounts for the difference in photos on our blog and social media pages. We encourage residents to bring friends and relatives with them to events when they can, and anyone is welcome to visit the village. Retirement communities in general tend to have more women than men, and we are no exception, but actually living here you might find that there are more men around than you had previously thought!

We always love to chat with people about their options, so please do contact us for more information. We are on the phone, email, and online. We look forward to hearing from you.

What is a Retirement Village?

/ Bondi Beach Astra/

Many people think that Retirement Villages and Aged Care are the same thing. I work in a Retirement Village and still my friends and family ask me on a regular basis “how are things going in the care home?”

But there are some key differences. You must be able to live independently to live in a Retirement Village. That doesn’t mean you can’t be reliant on people for help or care, but it does mean that generally you need to be able to look after yourself and move around independently.

Essentially, a Retirement Village is a community of homes and facilities designed for over 55 year olds. There is not even a requirement that you must be fully retired to move into a village. Anyone who is over 55 and able to live independently can live in a Retirement Village.

There are a number of benefits to moving into a Retirement Village. Most villages offer shared facilities – Bondi Beach Astra has many facilities for residents to use including a gym, indoor pool, common lounge and kitchen, courtyard with BBQ, and communal computers. Many villages also often offer added security, a community environment, and customisable services. At Bondi Beach Astra we have a daytime concierge (Village Manager) to help with any resident issues, a 24/7 emergency medical alarm system for any help outside of office hours, and we run regular community events and activities.

It has been shown in numerous studies that being social and connected is good for your health and happiness and may even help people to live longer.

Downsizing into a Retirement Village may benefit both financially and physically. Having a smaller space to keep clean and tidy is an upside for many people choosing to downsize at this point in life and may be generally more convenient. A smaller living space often means lower utility costs, and with more disposable income from having sold your larger house, you may be able to better plan for the future.

We would love to talk to you further about any questions you may have, to help you decide whether living in a Retirement Village is right for you. Please give us a call on 02 9365 3344, email us at sales@bondiastra.com.au or have a look at our FAQs. 


Resident Lockdown Activities

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We’ve been doing it tough here in Sydney the past couple of months and sadly, for those of us at Bondi Beach Astra who like to come together and socialise, we have been unable to meet up in person and run events and activities. However, we asked a few residents what they had been up to in lockdown to keep them sane and here are some of the responses:⁠ ⁠

“This is Choc, a beautiful, very friendly Cocker Spaniel, he lives next door to the Astra and I have been taking him for a walk across the road to the park every day since lockdown. He is a wonderful companion and he looks forward to his walks as much as I do.”⁠

“A friend told me about this method of drawing. You get a picture of a face and put it upside down, then draw it upside down. It’s fun.”⁠

“Went for a walk to Watsons Bay in glorious weather. Moved quickly past Camp Cove, (too many people) and circled South Head. Photos are view from Watsons Bay, Lightkeepers House, 1858 with North Head east and city west.”⁠

“One of the positives I have found with lockdown is that I am taking the time to send emails to family overseas and friends here whom I haven’t contacted in a while. Connecting again.”⁠ ⁠

We even had a response in poem form:⁠

"LOCKDOWN⁠

Locked-in days slipping into weeks, months⁠

Brief distractions of culinary and cleaning routines ⁠

Walks in the haunts of paperbarks ⁠

Magnificent, majestic⁠

Birthday celebrations postponed⁠

Next month? Next year?⁠

Remote conversations with friends⁠

Mourn the Covid casualty of a cancelled holiday ⁠

Stream megabytes beyond allowance⁠

Make a virtue of virtual⁠

Pen family Christmas gifts ⁠

Memoirs perhaps unread⁠

Until the author is no more⁠

Lulled into acceptance⁠ Of this surreal, liminal time."⁠ ⁠ ⁠

Things to Do in Lockdown

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In the latest edition of our village newsletter I came up with some ideas of things to do in lockdown, and so I thought it would be fun to share them here too:

  • Spend time outside. Just to get outside and breathe the fresh sea air, walk along the front, or even walk to the shops, makes such a difference to a day of otherwise being stuck at home. You are allowed to exercise outside with one other person, so long as you keep your distance. If it's your sort of thing, take advantage of the sun on warmer days and go for a swim. Take some time whenever you go out for a walk to go down a street you haven't been down before. Just to keep things interesting!

  • Read a book or a magazine, or listen to an audiobook. I personally love my subscription to Audible, which gives me one audiobook a month and also access to lots of free listens (www.audible.com.au)

  • Grow something - how about sowing some seeds, or tending to some herbs? I am currently trying to keep some basil alive at home, with mixed success!

  • Buy or make a present for, or write a letter/email to, someone and send it, to let them know you are thinking of them.

  • Take new photos or organise your existing photos. Take photos on your phone when you are out and about, or of interesting things you see at home. Make sure you look at them afterwards and smile, and maybe play with the editing features on your phone if you're in the mood. Organise your physical photos in albums/frames or your digital photos on your computer. I have thousands of photos that I've been meaning to organise better on my computer...

  • Spend a short time each day spring cleaning or tidying your house - and if you find anything of value that you don't need anymore, why not sell it on Gumtree?

  • Make something

    • Food

    • Craft (I've just re-acquainted myself with my sewing machine and started sewing a quilt!)

    • DIY - fix up something in the house that you've been meaning to get to

  • Share book or TV suggestions with friends. And if you like to chat online, organise for a video chat with your family or friends.

  • Plan a holiday or something to look forward to when restrictions ease. This may seem counterintuitive, but I think it can be a positive thing to plan and have a goal to look forward to.

I’m sure there are many more things out there that you can think of to do in your lockdown. The important thing is to have something to keep you occupied if you are struggling, and that you continue to be as physically active as you are normally. Set yourself goals, but make sure they are realistic, and definitely don’t beat yourself up if you don’t achieve them all. And most importantly, have fun, stay safe and take care.

The Senior Article: Retirement Communities are a Healthy Choice

/ Bondi Beach Astra/

According to an article in The Senior, “Research conducted by consulting company Grant Thornton in 2014, shows that [retirement] village residents visit their GP less often and spend fewer days in hospital than their peers in the general community. They also enter aged care five years later on average.”

If that wasn’t enough to encourage you to think about a move to a retirement village, “The DCM Longitudinal National Resident Survey conducted in 2020 found that 43% of residents experienced improved mental, physical and financial wellbeing since moving into a village or resort. Additionally, 50% experienced improved happiness and life satisfaction three years after moving in, 83% felt safer in a village, and 90% would not move back to their previous home even if home care were provided.” You can read the full article here.

Wow! That’s a pretty strong case for retirement village living. We always say that the best people to talk to when thinking about moving into a village are the residents. They know what it’s actually like to live in a place, what the social environment is like, and how easy it is to do all the things that they want to.

We would love to show you around and introduce you to some of our friendly residents when lockdown has ended and restrictions have been eased. Please contact us to book a tour now.

Gin Tasting

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

Well we waited a year to have our gin tasting event, and thankfully this year managed to get it in just before there were any locally acquired cases in Sydney. And you know what? I think it was worth waiting for! We had four beautiful craft gins to taste, all Australian made, along with a wide variety of mixers and garnishes. Cheers to our wonderful gins: Ink Gin, Antipodes Pink Gin, Manly Spirits Coastal Citrus Gin and Four Pillars Shiraz Gin.

I turned the lounge into a pop up bar and put on my bartender hat for the afternoon, making cocktails as well as helping residents to pick things to go with their chosen gin. There were elderflower cocktails, lime cocktails, ginger cocktails and warm mulled apple cocktails to taste – so good! Plus a veritable feast of cured meats, veggies, cheese, flat breads and sweets to compliment the drinks. Even a gin and tonic cheese, which was universally enjoyed! We had tasting score cards for the different gins with space for comments - “refreshing”, “delicious”, “couldn’t resist” and “want more” were just some of the things people wrote! The Four Pillars Shiraz came out on top with the most positive comments of all.

We had a really great turn out and it was lovely to catch up with friends for a couple of hours. Thanks to everyone who helped us make this such a fabulous event - it will go down in Astra history as a great success and give us a happy memory to hold on to while we are all stuck at home for the next few weeks.

Sax Appeal Jazz Lunch

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

On a rainy miserable Thursday in early June we had the best pick me up in the form of local jazz band Sax Appeal coming to play for us over lunch. What a fun time was had by all! After the food was eaten a few of us got up to dance, while everyone else enjoyed the wonderful music, had a wine or two and chatted with friends.

Thanks so much to the beautiful band for putting on a great show for us – it was uplifting and joyous and always great to hear live music in the lounge. All the residents who came loved it. Hopefully we can put on more live music events in future, when the COVID situation improves. We feel very lucky to have enjoyed this event before we had any new cases in Sydney. Thanks Sax Appeal!

To find out more about the band, visit their website, or Facebook page.

Cancer Council Biggest Afternoon Tea

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

Our second big formal afternoon tea was a great success, as we gathered together for food and drinks in support of the Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea fundraiser. We had such a great turn out for the event, and everyone enjoyed eating our beautiful goodies and having a glass or two of bubbly to get into the party spirit. As well as refreshments, we had a raffle with prizes totaling over $400, and a lucky door prize. After we had eaten we were treated to some live music and a singsong with Cess playing on the piano. Thanks so much to Darryl for masterminding the event, and to Eva for baking some fabulous treats for us. Thanks too to Lore and Elena who helped on the day. Last, but definitely not least, massive thanks to the Bondi Tratt, Chapter One and to Sam and Bondi Beach Astra for providing some amazing raffle prizes. Congratulations to our three raffle winners – we hope you enjoy your prizes. Thanks to everyone who bought raffle tickets and who donated to the cause.

So far we have raised over $600, which is such an amazing result. Congratulations everyone!

Strawberries and Cream and Biscuits at Morning Tea

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

Last month was both Strawberries and Cream Day and Bake a Biscuit Day, and we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate both in a delicious end of the month morning tea extravaganza!! There were strawberries galore, with lashings of cream for those who wanted it. And I baked a range of biscuits for tasting – shortbread, ANZAC biscuits, chocolate chip cookies and ginger biscuits.

Thanks to everyone who came, and also to the rest of the residents who helped to finish of the biscuits throughout the course of the day!

Meditation Morning

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

We had a beautiful relaxing meditation morning a few weeks ago, run by resident expert Noni. She has been teaching meditation techniques for many years, and it was lovely to hear all about her experiences in different communities and cultures. She spoke initially about her life and work, and her relationship with these techniques. We then asked questions of her, as well as sharing our own stories. After this Noni took us through a short guided meditation. What a nice, positive and refreshing way to start the day.

High Tea Afternoon Tea

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What a fabulous afternoon tea we had this month! This was the first of our monthly bigger afternoon teas, where we hold a special event with a nice range of nibbles and some drinks and have the opportunity for a great catch up with friends in the village. This month we had a high tea theme; sandwiches, petits fours, fruit sticks, veg with dips, and a glass of bubbly to top it all off. The food looked absolutely beautiful (as well as being delicious to eat), and the atmosphere was vibrant and fun. It also happened to be Mary's 94th birthday, so we sang to her and made her feel special. It truly was an afternoon to remember. Huge thanks to Darryl and Eva for organising and preparing on the day, to Cess for providing some impromptu musical entertainment at the piano, and to everyone who came for supporting our new tea initiative. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon at the Astra – fun, food and drink, friends, a singsong and plenty of laughter.

Morning Tea Author Talk - Cleo Lynch

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

Thanks so much to resident Cleo for giving us a fascinating insight into her life and career in the NSW Department of Corrective Services, where she worked in a variety of roles including correctional officer, probation and parole officer and a trainer at the academy, over morning tea and cake last week. The talk was both interesting and inspirational, and it was lovely to hear some more life stories from members of our Bondi Beach Astra community. Many of our residents will know Cleo from her role as Residents’ Committee Chairperson for a number of years, but this event was a great opportunity for some of us to get to know a different aspect of her life and work. She was involved in so many different roles with different people, and many that were pioneering employment opportunities and social help for women. Thanks to Cleo for spending time to share her story with us, and to all those who came to take part in the event. I had baked some cake for morning tea, and we all had lots of opportunity to chat and ask questions over a cuppa and a cake after the talk. Several of us bought remainder books, with all proceeds being given to charity. What an extraordinary experience for us and an extraordinary story of an extraordinary woman.

Hearing Loss Talk

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

It was World Health Day at the beginning of the month, and in keeping with this theme we had a representative from The Shepherd Centre, Sam, come to talk to us about the effects of hearing loss and the work that her organisation does with young children. Sam was a great presenter and a lovely warm person and it was good to have her with us. She showed us lots of photos and gave an interesting presentation on hearing loss, the Shepherd Centre and Cochlear. She touched on the effects of ageing, and the links between hearing loss and dementia. We rounded off the presentation with a cuppa and a biscuit, and an opportunity for questions. Thanks to Sam for coming along, and to those residents who came down to hear what she had to say.

For more information on The Shepherd Centre, go to www.shepherdcentre.org.au

Storytelling with Helene Gonski

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

It was an absolute pleasure to have Helene Gonski come to Bondi Beach Astra yesterday to tell us about her life. She is from South Africa originally, but has been in Australia for over 60 years and raised her four children here. She has a degree in psychology and has worked as a relationship counsellor among other things. Since retiring she has been busy with many different activities in the community; knitting blankets to donate to the Wayside Chapel, singing in a local choir, writing up life stories for residents of Montefiore, running relationship courses, writing several books on grandparenting, and continuing to play tennis into her 90s! What an inspiration. Thank you to her for coming by and sharing with us, to resident Noni for introducing her and facilitating the event, and to everyone who came and asked questions and chatted together afterwards over a cuppa and a biscuit. Especially to those who braved the storms to come and visit – it was great to see you.

St Patrick's Day Lunch 2021

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

It was a bright green day at Bondi Beach Astra on 17th, as we celebrated St Patrick’s Day. Decorations covered the lounge and it was lovely to see lots of residents come down to enjoy the décor, food and ambiance (we had Irish tunes playing in the background). Food was organised and cooked by Paul and I and was an Irish take on the Ploughman’s lunch. The soda bread was fresh from the oven and the wide range of salads, pickles, British cheeses, sliced meats and fruit were much appreciated by all. At least there was very little left over, which is always a good sign! 😉 And we washed it all down with some Guinness and Irish cider. It was great to see so many dressed in a variety of shades of green, and there were even a few silly wigs, glasses and hats on display. All in all it was a fabulous event, well-attended and enjoyed, and some even stayed behind after food to work off the calories with a few games of table tennis...

Storytelling with Resident Noni and Helene Gonski

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It's World Storytelling Day on Saturday and we are planning a fabulous storytelling event at Bondi Beach Astra next Monday, 22nd March. Resident Noni will be interviewing special guest Helene Gonski (psychologist, relationship counsellor and author of several books) about her life. We will begin at 3pm in the lounge, and all are welcome to attend. If you would like to come please send us a message in advance to sales@bondiastra.com.au so we don't exceed our capacity allowance on the day. Can't wait!!

Astra Book Club

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Want to expand your literary horizons? With a cuppa and a biscuit in hand? Our Astra Book Club (ABC) takes place on the first Monday of each month at 10:30am in the lounge. Each month we pick a book to read, and at our next meeting we discuss it – good, bad or indifferent! Themes, characters, literary style, biases and emotions are just some of the topics we tackle…and of course we are a group with different backgrounds and opinions which makes for interesting and varied debate. We are always open to visitors, to suggestions for books to add to the list of future reading material, and to trying out new mid-morning snacks!

Why Sam Loves Being a Village Operator

/ Bondi Beach Astra/

Sam’s family company runs the Bondi Beach Astra Retirement Village. Here, in his words, are the best bits about running a retirement village:

"Running a retirement village is not something that I envisaged doing when I was at school or university. It just kind of landed in my lap but it’s a good fit because I’m all about enjoying life and having fun with friends. And that’s simply what a retirement village is all about. It’s kind of like a university college for over 55s. Plenty of parties, socialising, chatting, smiling and laughing.

No work, all play!!

Since I’ve been managing the village, my main goal has been to support the residents wherever possible because I had elderly parents and I could see firsthand that things we take for granted, for them get harder or take longer or sometimes just change, which can be confusing. Once this aspect is covered, I’ve enjoyed building up the social side of the village to build a bond between the residents themselves, then widened it to include us (the village operator), the Owners' Corporation and the building itself which we all are immensely proud of. We have managed to connect also with the Bondi Beach community and now I’m trying to reach further. Who knows where this will stop!

I worked out pretty early that the emotional and social connections that are forged in the village are so important for a successful retirement. And let's face it, there’s no second chance at retirement. Once it’s over, you can’t have another go at it, so you have to get it right.

Most people readily acknowledge that as we age, our bodies break down if we don’t use them, but because it’s not as visible people forget that so do our minds. And there’s no point living without a sound mind… The village comradery forms an important basis for both good mental health and good physical health. So much better than living alone in the family house (struggling to maintain it) or an impersonal strata unit block (with strangers for neighbours that you never see).

The health benefits from the laughs and cheers around a ping pong table can’t be underestimated and it’s obvious why so many residents say to me “This move was the best move I made. I wish I’d done it sooner. I am so happy”. I admit I am biased but I have to agree with them: It probably is the best move they made!!!

Actually, that is probably the best part of my job; hearing that…"