Retirement Visionary: A Journey of Personal Growth and Community Impact
Caroline Henning is a woman who wears many hats. Along with being the Village Manager at Erskine Grove, a RAAFA retirement village in Mandurah on the southwest coast of WA, she also has a music side hustle. Always seeking new challenges and opportunities for personal growth, Caroline’s passion for development led her to take on the role of Village Manager at Erskine Grove after leaving local government.
For the past three years, Caroline has worked tirelessly to get to know the 300 residents of Erskine Grove on a personal level. She believes that understanding their individual goals and aspirations for retirement is key to ensuring their happiness and well-being. To help residents clarify their desires and focus on achieving their goals, Caroline introduced the concept of a Vision Board, a visual representation of one’s goals and aspirations.
Caroline’s love of music inspired her to host her first “Vision and Beers” session at a local microbrewery. The event was a hit and ended with an impromptu jam session that Caroline says was “no accident,” as she is a muso herself. The success of this event inspired Caroline to explore the benefits of group sessions with residents and staff at Erskine Village. She believes that a Vision Board can be a useful tool for creating a fulfilling and purposeful retirement.
“Taking time out to develop a personal purpose and vision in a group session is not only beneficial to the residents,” Caroline says. “But I’m also learning more about the residents and their passions and desires.”
Caroline’s approach has been well-received by the residents of Erskine Grove, and they appreciate her efforts to get to know them on a personal level. “Caroline is always there to lend an ear and help us figure out what we really want,” said one resident. “She’s become more like a friend than a manager.”
Caroline’s dedication to the personal development of others has not gone unnoticed. In fact, she recently shared her experience with the process and her residents with DCM Institute. Here are a few of her lessons learned thus far:
- Joining in to help someone else bring their vision to life can be fun and challenging. After personally attending a series of introductory silks acrobatic classes, helping a friend to achieve her goal to fly through the sky like the singer Pink, Caroline says she will definitely not be joining the circus.
- Seniors understand how to self-analyse and create S.M.A.R.T goals, reflecting on the past while staying in the present.
- Adjusting the time of the sessions to suit the group is important, as this work can be exhausting for resident participants. One hour is enough for these guys.
- Taking time out to decompress and reflect afterward is vital.
Caroline’s passion for personal development and dedication to the residents of Erskine Grove make her a valuable asset to the retirement community. Through her use of Vision Boards, Caroline is helping residents achieve their goals and find purpose in their retirement years.
Vision Boards: Can I complete this activity at home?
Yes, you can work on this at home and create your own vision board: Theme ideas: Health, Family, Love and Friendship, Spiritual & Knowledge, Service & Generosity, Travel, Prosperity. The most important thing to note for this entire process is there is no right or wrong way to create a vision board. There is also no such thing as a bad vision or goal. This process is entirely personal. Envisioning your future and your goals allows you to answer the question “What do I want?” Let yourself listen to what you want, not what they want.
For more information on Vision Boards, click here.