Meet Norman and Debbie Lincoln – one of the first couples to call The Royce home.
Norman and Debbie Lincoln both grew up in Western Sydney and bought their first (and only) home in the local suburb, Oxley Park, 44 years ago. They were just 18 & 20 years old. I spent some time with them to understand why they retired and why they decided to choose The Royce as their new home.
Do you come from a big family?
Yes, we do, Norm has 1 brother and 2 sisters, and I have 1 brother & 1 sister. We also have 3 wonderful grandchildren (2 grandsons, aged 6yrs & 1yr and 1 granddaughter, aged 3).
When did you retire?
We both retired around 10 years ago mainly because I was having chemotherapy for cancer. Debbie retired to look after me. Retiring has been the best thing for us both – my health has improved dramatically and we now have time to do more of what makes us happy. We enjoy travel and spending time with our grandchildren. I think the highlights so far are being well enough to go to Mexico for our son’s wedding and watch our grandchildren grow up.
Has there been a pivotal point in your life?
Norm’s health has made us realise that life is precious and when you get a chance to do something special take the opportunity and enjoy it. It has also made us realise that planning for our own future is a priority.
Can you tell us about some of the places you have travelled to?
When we married our goal was to travel to each state in Australia before travelling overseas (which we now have done), our first trip overseas was to Vanuatu just after we retired. Since then we have travelled to Mexico, Peru and Bolivia, Hawaii, Tasmania and New Zealand. We still have a few places left on the list including Norfolk & Lord Howe Island.
Do you have any hobbies?
We are both still active and enjoy golf and walking and Debbie has a passion for Family Tree research; she’s really very good at it.
What attracted you to The Royce?
The lifestyle was the main attraction as well as no maintenance and a secure environment. The Royce is also in a great location – close to shops, food outlets and public transport. The other thing that attracted us to The Royce was having the aged care home next door. Having experienced the emotional ups and downs when Debbie’s mother developed Alzheimer’s and searching for a suitable facility for her to live in – this was a huge factor in purchasing our apartment.
How important is the social aspect for you both?
Very, we had begun to feel quite isolated in our previous home and we didn’t have much of a social life. The thought of living somewhere where there would be like-minded people to talk to and socialise with, as well as having people around if we needed was something we were really looking forward to.
How have you found the experience so far?
I think we were the 3rd or 4th residents to move in. It was a very exciting day! A highlight of our retired life so far. The most stressful part of the whole experience was selling our house. We had never sold a place before and were overwhelmed by the process, but once we settled, we were thrilled knowing that we were moving into a beautiful apartment. We were made to feel like part of the Tulich family from day one. We haven’t felt this relaxed in a very long time.
Do you have a favourite place to go in the evening?
At the moment we love being home in our own apartment of an evening, sitting on the balcony having a drink before dinner. But our plan is to eat out at all the eateries within Panthers and the local community so we can recommend our favourites to family and friends when they visit.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The Royce feels like a dream come true. It is such a beautiful community in a great location, with amazing staff who are always happy, smiling and willing to help without question.
What are you most looking forward to living at The Royce?
Waking up every morning with a smile on our faces knowing that we now live in a beautiful, spacious apartment. We are looking forward to meeting all the residents, sharing stories over a cup of tea or coffee at Café Royce.
Thank you for sharing your story Norman and Debbie.
