This year has certainly seen its share of struggles. With Christmas a mere few days away, Australians are once again faced with border closures with the recent announcement of rising COVID-19 cases across greater Sydney. The latest outbreak will no doubt be separating families at a time where family is everything making support, kindness, and community more important than ever before.
The tragedy of the 2019/2020 Bushfires that swept across the country set the tone for remainder of 2020 bringing the world to its knees and changing life as we knew it. It was during this time that we saw society change and adapt in ways we never thought possible. If there was a silver lining it would be the innovation and grit displayed by so many, particularly small businesses. It would also be the unity in communities across the country to help support those who needed it most. The exact same can be said for the Elements community.
We are so proud of our team and our residents for handling all that 2020 threw at them, with grace, patience, and perseverance.
Through Covid
Maintaining a sense of community throughout the unforeseen struggles of 2020 was a priority for the Elements Village. With the bushfire horrors of 2019 and the adjustment of COVID-19 life in 2020, the Elements team were quick to implement all the necessary changes to village life to keep our residents safe.
At Elements we were able to implement a range of strong protocols that kept our residents and team safe whilst keeping disturbances to daily routines at a minimum. Social isolation was avoidable as single residents engaged in our buddy system which gave them a friendly face to frequently connect with and maintain an active lifestyle alongside with daily strolls. Villagers were able to mix up the scenery between our award-winning gardens and the Daisy Hill Conservation Park right next door.
To accommodate for changes in centre opening hours and social distancing we made necessary adjustments to the residents shopping trip schedule. This ensured to safety of all villagers whilst they were able to complete their regular outings.
Tech Savvy Villagers
Over three years ago we introduced iPads to increase efficiency of communication within the village. This came in extremely handy throughout COVID-19 as residents were quickly able to adapt to communicating via Zoom and Facetime meetings. Amazingly residents were also able to order repeat subscriptions and attend scheduled health checks right from the comfort of their own homes!
COVID friendly facility
Unfortunately, COVID-19 meant our beloved community centre events had to be put on pause to maintain social distancing regulations. In the meantime, we implemented a COVID safe plan so that social events could recommence when directed by the Chief Medical Officer. Although, that didn’t stop us from finding a way to still roll out some Elements traditions. As restrictions began to ease, Chiou See decided she would cook and deliver dinners to the residents every Wednesday, one street at a time. This is just another way which the Elements family strived to maintain togetherness whilst abiding by COVID restrictions.
Despite the many necessary changes, Elements residents were able to live their day to day lives with minimal disturbances. Best of all, each member of our community was still able to enjoy face to face contact, chats, and company with fellow neighbours throughout this unpredictable journey.
In addition to providing a beautiful home for our many wonderful residents, creating, and maintaining a safe, supportive community is the upmost priority for our team. Elements is our sanctuary and we have been overwhelmed by the resilience of our community and the commitment to helping us keep Elements safe and healthy for everyone.
We hope that as a community and as a nation, we can get through the latest setback as we have done throughout the year. Our thoughts go out to the many families who will be separated at Christmas time. We hope that despite any hardship and disappointment, you can still find joy at this time of year.
A beautiful, easy living retirement village nestled in the Daisy Hill State Forest, Springwood, Brisbane, Queensland. Our stylish 2 or 3 bedroom apartments, including garden option, offer single level access and luxury retirement communities with neighbours close by but with privacy assured.
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