Jean Drewett – Manor Gardens resident - Barnwood Trust

Jean Drewett – Manor Gardens resident

The best environment for a full life

80-year-old Jean Drewett lives in a two-bedroom bungalow in Manor Gardens – and, she’ll happily tell you, she wouldn’t live anywhere else.

Jean moved to bungalow with her husband ten years ago as his health was deteriorating. He died in 2003. But Jean still enjoys reasonable health, apart from ‘a bit of arthritis and asthma’ – and she is still very active.

Jean rode a moped until she was 79, when her daughters expressed concerns about her safety and encouraged her to give it up.

This shows something of her independent spirit, which flourishes at Manor Gardens.

Just the right measure of support

Jean has five daughters living nearby who are all ‘very caring’. She also visits friends locally and in Cheltenham, goes to U3A, a hard-of-hearing club and the Golden Fellowship.

Jean is very friendly with all the residents; ‘I greet them and have a little chat’ she says, and Jean also has a close friend called Eileen who lives two doors down, and the two ladies share days out and holidays.

Jean also loves tending her small garden, and listening to birdsong, and describes Manor Gardens as ‘absolutely beautiful; a beautiful place to live.’

Help when you need it

Whilst Jean is very self-reliant, she still likes the reassurance of knowing there are members of staff nearby:

‘You can’t ask for better carers really. I know when I am poorly they pop in and see if I’m alright.’

Overall, Manor Gardens offers Jean the ideal balance of being independent and being cared for:

‘You can have who you like in your bungalow... you can use the guest room, [but] you haven’t got the responsibility of doing maintenance on the outside... it is all done by the Trust... I love being here’.

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