YOUR LOCAL NEWS

Our page 1 story today is quite a nice little anecdote on how the aged care sector has changed over the past decade or so.

Well run retirement villages these days are not places to go to eke out an existence in the final few years, they are places where people go to live life to the fullest extent possible.

We all get older and less mobile. You don’t get many people playing rugby past the age of 40 for example - the bones just don’t handle it. My own ankle [and the physio’] reminded me I’m not 25 anymore when I confidently hopped off the bus with a 20kg suitcase in one hand the other day.

So, getting older is a skill and happiness comes from finding things we enjoy doing and are capable of doing and it comes from the people who come into our lives.

When we can no longer just whip down to the club for some good music, we need people to come to us and fortunately there are people like Les and Nancy who are more than happy to share their lives.

That is the definition of the word ‘community’ in my book. NEWS DIRECTOR: Daniel Hutchinson, daniel.hutchinson@stuff.co.nz; 027 809 6854. SENIOR REPORTER: Luke Kirkeby, 027 204 2913, luke.kirkeby@stuff.co.nz. SENIOR SALES CONSULTANT: Matt Holmes, 027 807 4632, matt.holmes@stuff.co.nz, CLASSIFIEDS: 0800 800 373 swn@stuff.co.nz or Lynda 07 888 7011, MISSED DELIVERY: 0800 339 000, DIGITAL EDITION: southwaikatonews.co.nz. FACEBOOK: facebook.com/ Southwaikatonews. DISPLAY AD DEADLINES: 4pm Thursday. ADDRESS: 45 Heuheu St, Taupo or PO Box 205, Taupo