Our parents' and grandparents' generations were brought up to believe in the work ethic all 40 years plus of it; and a good job was one you kept for life. Employment security followed by a pension.

It is said that 60% of working men die within 5 years of retiring often leaving a spouse behind to struggle on half a pension or no pension at all. Jobs are no longer secure, and if you are really unlucky, neither is your pension.

When you are young, you never really think of your future, other than your plans for earning money, maybe buying a house, having a family or possibly lots of travel. If someone were to say to you "you must save for your old age" you would say, “but I want to live my life now and think about old age when I get there!”

All too soon though, you are there, and life becomes stressful as you worry about retiring; will you have enough money, will your mortgage be paid off; will you keep your good health. Sometimes our pensions don’t actually cover our living costs. If we are not lucky enough to own our own house, then we worry about how to pay the rent. A few of us look at the possibilities of moving relocating….maybe our money will go further if we can find a cheaper country to live in.

It seems too, that the family ethic is not as strong now in the west as it once was. The older members are not taken into the fold and looked after by the younger generation. We are all too busy ’living’ and grandparents quite often live alone - the rest of the family only appear when illness threatens.

One person who knows all about this subject having worked in the health and retirement sector for over thirty years, is Mary Cornelius-Reid.

“I came into the Nursing Home business way back in 1972. With a young family, I decided I needed a change of direction from my position as a Night Sister in the National Health Service. At that time there were very few private nursing homes- a few old fashioned convalescent homes, and some private clinics with their own operating theatres. There was one local place run by an old matron, whose race horses, it is said, often subsidized the staff wages!

I decided there was a great need for an improved service for elderly people so I gave up my job and set about looking for a suitable property to turn into a nursing home. I concluded I needed a large house with land. The only suitable property in the area where I lived, was a grand Elizabethan house with beautiful, if somewhat neglected grounds. As we drove up the drive on our first visit, the daffodils were in full bloom and there were geese and ducks on the banks of the river. I was enchanted; this was more like it. As part of the property there was a small lodge house with the old butler and nanny still in residency and a large stable block coach house. The whole place had a shabby and sad feel to it. It was too large for the present owner to cope with – her family had all grown up and left. Ironically, she was just the sort of person I would cater for in the future.

Somehow I managed to persude the bank to lend me the money to buy and before long, myself and the children…along with the local builder and plumber, had moved in! Basins were installed in the bedrooms. Meters of wire were concealed under carpets to give a bell system. Wallpaper was hung and painting performed by an army of friends whilst I went in search of extra furniture. After four months hard labour my first 2 patients moved in - I fear they did better than my children who lived with me on the top floor (attic) with just the bare necessities!

Slowly the numbers of Patients grew and after a few years we built an extension accommodate the growing demand.

One day a local doctor asked if I’d be interested in setting up another nursing home at Amesbury Abbey – quite a proposition. This was a 50 bed, Grade I Palladian mansion built by Henry VIII, in a sorry state of disrepair complete with sitting tenants and a vast leaking lead roof. What on earth made me take it on? I guess the challenge and the price. I’m terribly ambitious and always like a bargain! At £200,000 I couldn’t resist the Abbey’s charms and its acres of parkland with the river flowing through it. Imagine what I could do with this…

With an ever-increasing elderly population I had begun to think of a ‘sheltered housing’ complex in the grounds. Back then it was an entirely new concept. So many elderly people were finding their homes too much - the difficulty of arranging help and gardeners. They were looking at nursing homes despite not really being in need of that level of care. But there was no alternative. In addition, many of them did not want to part with possessions, collected over a lifetime, or their cars, which represented their independence.

I felt I could help these people and offer them a middle road with my sheltered housing concept – each resident basically ‘owns’ their own accommodation under the umbrella of my care.

Financially, the cash a resident invests in our sheltered housing is secured and is repayable in full within 6 months (UK) or a year (Portugal) of vacation. Certainly, given today’s property climate, there are no worries of depreciation or problems with selling the property on which can cause such stress. Our minimal quarterly service charge covers heating, building insurance, a silver service four course luncheon every day, a warden and trained nursing staff on call 24 hours a day, plus housekeeping and external maintenance.

From a health and social perspective there is the security of knowing there are fully trained nursing professionals and a warden discreetly on hand at all times and sheltered housing residents are given priority should they need to move to the nursing home. The flats are all custom fitted with plugs and other appliances in easy to reach places and are decorated only after consulting with the incoming residents. Family, friends and pets are always welcomed and we have dedicated rooms for visitors to stay. There is a physiotherapy department, very popular with outpatients, a hairdresser, keep-fit classes, not to mention bridge clubs, wine evenings, concerts and fundraisers which all create a wonderful sense of community and family.

Quite a few of my residents are single, more ladies than gentlemen!! But we have couples as well. When anyone is ill, the nurses or nursing home are nearby. If sadly, one spouse has to move to the nursing home long term it is a great joy and comfort to the partner to know they are close by, can frequently visit and have their loved home for the day, allowing a fairly normal life to continue whatever befalls.

I added a third nursing home to the group and a thatched cottage sheltered housing complex at Sutton Manor, the old residence of Arthur Rank the film director and began looking for a new challenge. Having had a small holiday home in Portugal I realised the need existing there. At the time, 12 years ago, no equivalent to what I offered was available. If it worked in England, I thought why not in Portugal with its wonderful climate? I bought an old ‘quinta’ or farmhouse complete with the estate grounds dating back to 1880. I expanded my sheltered housing idea to create a whole village, built in traditional Portuguese style with all the facilities a normal village would have, hall, church, restaurant, hairdresser, doctors etc.

It has not been without its own trials and tribulations but Pahagueria is my pride and joy. I am proud of its individual character properties, in a sharp contrast to the en masse high density retirement housing complexes I see springing up elsewhere. I am proud too of the quality of care and facilities available; our waiting list for the nursing home is lengthy. But it is the knowledge that I have created somewhere where retirees can make a new home, in a wonderful community, and grow old gracefully (or disgracefully!), with complete independence and fabulous surroundings knowing that they need never move again and will be cared for in their own environment as long as they wish.

I am fortunate to have a family who are all involved in ‘the business’. My son David started working in the gardens when he was small and now assists me in managing the UK operation. My eldest daughter has pursued a very successful career as a consultant and often acts in an advisory role for us; her husband helps with the sales and marketing as does my youngest.

My sheltered housing venture really has been a success. I am able to give so many people security to enjoy life for much longer than they would living alone. We are able to ensure that retirees maintain their cherished independence in dignity, and for as long as possible.

Mary Cornelius-Reid A.M M.B.E (for services to the community)
Monte da Palhagueira won the Daily Telegraph sponsored Homes Overseas Award’s Best Retirement Development and The Reader’s Choice Award.

For more information contact see: www.amesburyabbey.com

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