An elderly resident believes Wagga should adopt a retirement village approach in the community to help negate isolation.
Before enjoying the retired life, Wagga’s Brian Mitchell owned two milk bars where he worked with this family and worked in disability support services.
Mr Mitchell decided to retire together with his mother and father 15 years ago, moving into Ingenia Gardens Wagga Wagga.
Having decided to head to a retirement village relatively early in life, Mr Mitchell has no regrets.
“Mum and Dad have passed away but I’m still here by myself and I love it,” he said.
“My disability made things hard so we all retired together.”
Mr Mitchell said the importance of staying active and getting involved was highlighted by the recent death of 77-year-old John Ash.
Mr Ash was found dead in his Ashmont home on Tuesday, discovered by a real estate agent.
Police believe he may have been deceased for more than a month before he was found.
“All the residents keep an eye on each other here,” Mr Mitchell said.
“I like to make sure people have enough food and if they have any problems try to fix it.”
While Mr Mitchell recognises it can be harder to get involved outside of a village community, he said it was all about immersing yourself in activities.
He also donates to Red Cross each year, supporting services like Telecross for those who can’t afford any assisted living, where volunteers put in daily phone calls to help check in on residents.
It’s a sentiment echoed by Right at Home’s Mitchell Pascoe who provides in home care and assistance to those who need it.
“People tend to leave getting into the system until it’s too late because they want to conserve their pride,” he said.
“It’s usually out of fear their independence can be taken away which is not the case.
“People need to realise there is assistance out there.”
Mr Pascoe said Tuesday’s tragedy has highlighted the importance of knowing when to ask for help.
“If someone is receiving home care people can be visiting daily,” he said. “They can pop in at different times of the week to make sure they’re there and to ensure everything is OK.”
