Welcoming our First Residents to Georges Estate

On October 5^th 2021, we opened the doors to our newest aged care home in Penshurst, Georges Estate.

A 111-bed purpose-built residence designed over two levels, Georges Estate features in-home and community aged care services for local clients living in surrounding communities. After COVID-19 restrictions and delays in the Sydney region, in October we were finally able to cut the ribbon and welcome our first residents to the home.

It was a privilege to meet our residents and an honour to host a morning tea where we could get to know them, their families and loved-ones and show them around their new home.

The morning was of special significance as we welcomed our very first residents, Maureen Kneipp and Raymond (John) Kneipp into Georges Estate. A warm and friendly couple who have a wealth of life experience, we enjoyed learning about their love story, their family life and what brought them to Georges Estate.

Maureen and John met while they were living in the suburb of Marrickville almost 67 years ago. After getting married in 1958, they bought their first house in nearby Earlwood, where they lived until their first child was born. Their next move was to a house in Narwee where they had three more children (including twin girls); with four children in tow, they quickly realised they had outgrown their home, leading them to buy a larger home in Peakhurst Heights in 1970. A year later, they had another child and then again in 1973; a grand total of six children, three girls and three boys. Being a family of eight, influenced their lifestyle. Maureen focused on family life at home while John held three jobs at one time, working a day job in the city as an accountant, nights at the Massey Golf Course and filling in at the horseraces on weekends.

Maureen kept the wheels turning at home with military precision and thrived on organisation, reflected in one of her favourite sayings; “A place for everything and everything in its place,” which stood the couple in very good stead. It’s a mantra she lives by to this day, (just ask John or her children about the consequences of leaving shoes, clothes, tools, newspapers or empty plates and glasses lying around).

Once their youngest child was in high school, Maureen re-joined the workforce to ensure the children didn’t want for anything. She was incredibly houseproud and always coming up with new ways of enhancing the home. When the children were young, John spent many hours building rockeries, painting, wallpapering, moving furniture and climbing up and down ladders to ensure all his wife’s plans came to fruition. Most importantly, he made sure she had enough space to store her numerous pairs of shoes (what a keeper!). Once the children grew up and left home it was time to downsize with a move back to a single storey home in Mortdale. Maureen continued to come up with new ways to express her passion for home design, but John now had the luxury of paying someone else to do the work while he pursued his love of golf to reduce his handicap. However, like the majority of golfers, he mostly enjoyed lingering on the 19th hole. John also has a great love of sport – he’ll watch any sport if Australia is playing. He also likes horseracing and can negotiate his way around a form guide better than Gai Waterhouse.

Maureen and John were blessed with eight grandchildren and during their retirement, it was evident that family came first, as they spent many hours babysitting and helping when needed to enjoy their role as Grandma and Grandpa. This wonderful couple have just celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary and will continue their journey together at Georges Estate.

They believe the home will provide them with the perfect environment to remain together, sharing their life and love. It’s love stories like theirs that make a house a home.