8 Pillars for an Exceptional Life continued: Growth
Following on from Marcus Pearce’s book Your Exceptional Life, this month we are reflecting on the pillar of Growth. Marcus reminds us that an exceptional life is not about focusing on just one area, but continuing to nurture many parts of who we are – including our health, relationships, purpose, interests and personal development.
Growth does not stop at a certain age. In fact, later life can be a wonderful time to learn, reflect, try new things and share wisdom with others. Growth might look like joining an activity you have not tried before, reading something that sparks a new idea, learning a new skill, having a meaningful conversation, or simply approaching each day with curiosity.
At Alumuna, we see growth in many simple and beautiful ways. It may be a resident sharing a story from their life, offering encouragement to a neighbour, participating in a group activity, or being open to a new routine. These small moments remind us that growth is not always loud or obvious – sometimes it is gentle, personal and deeply meaningful.
This month, we encourage everyone to think about one small way they might continue to grow. Perhaps it is learning something new, reconnecting with an old interest, asking a question, attending an activity, or taking time to reflect on what brings joy and purpose. Every small step matters.
As Marcus Pearce’s message encourages, the rest of life can still be rich, meaningful and full of possibility. Growth is one of the ways we continue to make life exceptional — one day, one conversation and one new experience at a time.
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I’ll remember. Involve me and I’ll learn.” (Benjamin Franklin)
Maintenance and Grounds Update
Our 2026 Preventative Maintenance Program has commenced and this year we are also completing external cleaning and external window cleaning as part of the service.
Works have well and truly commenced on our new stage developments, and our roads are beginning to take shape. Interest in the released blocks has been overwhelmingly positive as we now have 6 of the 7 released blocks with expression of interest on them.
We hope any disruption is being kept to a minimum, however, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Also, just a reminder regarding the use of electric heaters as we really get into the cold weather. Electric heaters put immense strain on our solar power and we appreciate keeping the use of these to a minimum. As we did last year, power usage will be monitored and any usage over the cap will incur a charge on your account.
2026 Resident Satisfaction Survey Summary
Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the Resident Satisfaction Survey. Your feedback is very important and helps us understand what is working well and where we can continue to improve.
Participation rate: 22 of 34 residents submitted completed surveys (64.7%).
Overall, the survey results were very positive. We were pleased to see that 22 residents said they are satisfied with the operations of the village, with no “No” responses recorded for this question. This is a wonderful result and shows that many residents feel positive about village life.
What residents told us is working well
The strongest feedback came through in the areas of:
- Property maintenance
- Ground care
- Support from administration and management staff
Many residents rated these areas as “Very satisfied”, especially in relation to:
- the quality of maintenance in village facilities and units
- the presentation and upkeep of the grounds
- the courteousness and helpfulness of staff
This tells us that residents value a well-presented village, responsive support, and friendly day-to-day interactions with staff.
Areas we will keep improving
While the overall results were encouraging, the survey also showed some areas where we can continue to improve.
A small number of residents gave lower ratings for:
- communication from staff
- speed of administration service
- services provided
- activities offered
This feedback is helpful and gives us clear direction about where we can focus our efforts. We understand how important good communication, timely support, and enjoyable activities are to daily life in the village.
What happens next
We will use the survey results to help guide future planning and improvements. In particular, we will continue to:
- maintain the strong standards in maintenance and grounds
- look at ways to improve communication and responsiveness
- review services and activities to better meet resident needs and interests
Feedback responses
We know that activities are an important part of village life. At this stage, we are reluctant to provide a fixed monthly activities calendar, as plans may change due to unforeseen circumstances. Residents are very welcome to call through to reception at any time to find out what activities are on for the day 03 5883 9600
As we continue striving to provide a Community Centre for Alumuna residents, residents are reminded that they are able to make use of the FRC activities room. Please liaise with Zoe regarding availability. Zoe is also always happy to work with the social committee in planning activities for Alumuna residents.
Our Open Day was held in October 2025 and was a huge success. We are in discussion for the 2026 event. More information to follow.
Thank you
We sincerely appreciate your time, honesty, and feedback. Your input helps us continue building a village community that is welcoming, supportive, and enjoyable for everyone
(Zoe Stringer, Alumuna Community Manager)