Veronica's story
For Veronica, that moment came after she lost her husband. Living alone in a small village, miles from family, she thought she could carry on as before. But as time went on, life began to feel different. “I told myself I was fine,” she says. “I kept busy, pottering about, meeting friends now and then. But as time went on, the days started to feel very long, and the quiet really got to me.”
Her son Nick and his wife Susan had noticed it too. Living miles away, they were concerned about how isolated Veronica had become. They could see she was managing the practicalities but struggling with the loneliness. “They didn’t push me,” Veronica recalls. “But they started to suggest that maybe I’d be happier living closer to them. They wanted me to have people around and be somewhere where I didn’t have to manage everything on my own.”
At first, the idea felt impossible. “I couldn’t imagine leaving,” Veronica explains “I’d lived in that village for over 40 years,” Veronica explains. “It wasn’t just my home—it was my life. The thought of leaving my friends, my routines, my garden... it was overwhelming.” But Nick and Susan encouraged her to keep an open mind and suggested visiting a retirement community near them.
“I went, but I wasn’t expecting much,” she says. “I thought it would feel clinical, or that everyone would be much older than me. But when I walked in, it felt... alive. There was a buzz, people laughing and chatting, the smell of coffee. It wasn’t what I imagined at all.”
Something shifted for Veronica that day. She started to think about what life could be like if she made the move. “It wasn’t just about the practical side of things, though that mattered—no stairs, no worrying about the boiler breaking down. It was the thought of having company again and being closer to Nick and Susan.”
The decision wasn’t easy, but once she made it, Veronica never looked back. “I’d forgotten how much I missed being around people,” she says. “Now, I’ve got friends I see every day. We share meals, go for walks, and have a laugh. It’s not the same as my old village, but in some ways, it’s even better.”
Veronica’s family has seen the change too. “Nick tells me I seem more like myself again,” she smiles. “And knowing they’re just around the corner, well, that’s a comfort for all of us.”
For Veronica, the move wasn’t about giving up her independence. It was about choosing a life where she felt more connected, supported, and happy. “Sometimes, you just need to take that first step,” she reflects. “Because staying put isn’t always the best way to stay in control.”
