When Gwen Webb turned 100 last Friday (15 May) she smashed the record for the number of centenarians living in the Care Facility at Kerikeri Retirement Village. There are now six, with a grand total of 607 years between them.
A seventh centenarian, 103-year old Nell Graveson, still lives independently in her cottage at the Village.
“We were thrilled to welcome Gwen to our expanding ‘100 Club’,” said Kerikeri Retirement Village chief executive Hilary Sumpter.
“Our role in supporting these amazing people is to enable them to live the life they want and to ensure that they still have purpose. This lot are ‘First World War babies’ and I believe their stoicism is what sees them still here and happy today.”
Ms Sumpter said there was a general trend in aged-care towards increased longevity. She expects in the not-too-distant future to see two generations of families in retirement villages and care homes.
“With the advent of so many people living so much longer we start to see new medical conditions appearing, and often several medical conditions at once, so we have to adapt our care to meet the needs of these very special people.”
