Stories

Following a chat with four ladies who are residents at Coventry Church (Municipal) Charities and have all become great friends since moving in, it became clear from the outset how happy they are with their choice of accommodation to see out their senior years. Two of the ladies interviewed have been residents for six years and two of the ladies have lived there for just two years.

All had their own reasons for choosing Sheltered Accommodation; difficulties coping with the day to day running of a large property, maintenance costs and the insecurity that living alone brings. One had no choice but to move due to her husband becoming an invalid and their existing property being unsympathetic to his needs. With no way of making amendments to their property to accommodate his needs, she felt that sheltered accommodation was the best option for them as a couple and together they chose Coventry Church Charities. Six years later she is absolutely delighted with her decision and enjoying life to the full.

Before moving into the Almshouses they all felt extremely vulnerable in many ways and were looking for a way to carry on living independently in a secure environment. After moving into they all said they feel safe and secure with no real worries to speak of and all love the fact that once they have paid their contributions everything is covered.

The ladies have so much fun together and have built great friendships with other residents. They have varied activities going on all the time from Scrabble Night on Wednesday and Bingo on a Friday. They also arrange regular events and trips throughout the year for those residents who wish to partake and also do a considerable amount of fundraising for charities. When talking about their busy social lives it’s clear to see that these ladies are enjoying every minute of their senior years and did comment that they don’t know how they ever found time to go to work in years gone by.

When it comes to the location of the Almshouses the ladies all love being based in the city centre as they have everything they need on their doorstep. The grounds are stunning with Three glorious gardens for the residents to enjoy. Residents have the option of having their own plots in the gardens to grow vegetables or flowers and there is a seating area for those who enjoy the outdoors. Each of the properties has guest room on site that residents are able to take advantage of if they have visitors and family and friends are always welcome.

One of the reasons residents feel safe and secure is the caring attitude of the staff including the office staff and the maintenance man and whilst they continue to live life to the full and independently they are very aware that should an emergency arise they have the support of the staff and the community at Coventry Church Charities to help them.

There is a real sense of community in the Almshouses and a strong sense of friendship among residents. When asked if they would recommend Sheltered Accommodation at Coventry Church Charities they all said yes without any hesitation.