An envious lifestyle with views, amenities and elegance on tap

The Catholic Weekly. July 23, 2006.

 Beauty Point Retirement Resort, built on a majestic promontory overlooking the Georges River, offers a lifestyle often sought but rarely achieved.

Surrounded by natural bushland, Beauty Point Resort’s superb location overlooks the St George and Sutherland Shire offering panoramic views and beautiful sunsets. And it is in close proximity to major shopping centres and commercial and community facilities.

Among the resort’s charms are its casual elegance and welcoming atmosphere.
Beauty Point has been designed to fulfil every expectation while allowing its residents to maintain an independent and active lifestyle.

The emphasis is on quality from the professionally designed interiors to the facilities and superb location.

Services include spacious one and two-bedroom apartments, highest quality brand name fittings and inclusions, elegant ‘restaurant style’ dining room, prepared meals delivered to your apartment, a bar and luxurious community lounge area, respite and personal care centre, housekeeping and laundry services, hairdressing salon on site, a billiards room, carpet bowls, library, convenience goods shop, craft classes, residents’ carpentry, a village bus for shopping and outings, a indoor heated swimming pool and spa, 24 hour emergency care, a meeting room, an auditorium and the village chapel.

Beauty Point owner George Jabbour says the “level of personal care” offered to the residents is what distinguished Beauty Point from other self-care retirement villages.
“To my knowledge the level of care we provide is higher than any other self-care village in Australia,” he said.

“We’ve achieved our national accreditation within the five-year period; only 40 per cent of villages in Australia have achieved that so far.

“Nobody else gives you free personal care 24 hours a day seven days a week.
“People tend to live longer because they’ve got security and their health is monitored.
George added: “To get views like this you need to move away up to the North Coast, which for many residents is far away from their family.”

Beauty Point manager Lisa Papahristos says the “warm atmosphere” that greets residents is what attracts them to the resort.

“The good thing is when people buy into this site and come in and see me or other members of staff, we’re the people showing them through on their initial visit,” she said.

“And we’re the people who are still here after they move in, and so that close connection is maintained throughout.

“Although the personal care side is not the primary focus of a retirement village, it’s security, it’s knowing that if things do start to go a little wrong we’re here to fix it.

“We are 24-hours a day and the staff sleep on site.

“They know that any emergency any time were are there in two or three minutes and that’s peace of mind for the residents and their families.”

Lisa says the aim of the resort is to create an “independent lifestyle” for the residents.

“Everything is a choice - they’re not forced to do anything at anytime,” she said.

“Their home is their castle and we can’t walk through that door uninvited.

“If, for example, a resident’s fridge breaks down they can ring us and I will organise a repairman.

“The family aren’t being called from work or being called from all these different places 24-hours a day. We’re here to do that for them.”

Lisa says Beauty Point has become a “tight community”.

“It’s all about maintaining an older person’s decision making and independence,” she says.

“All of these things are maintained much longer and they are not depending on their kids, they’re not feeling like a burden.

“They are treated with respect and, in a lot of cases, love.

“It’s about maintaining their dignity for as long as possible.”

She added:”Residents can have people stay with them for up to three months.

“While they’re visitors here the resort is open to them, just like their home at home is open to their visitors.

“There’s nothing we run here that family members and friends are not entirely welcome at.”