I would like to emphasise how thorough and practical Carmel’s advice & experience is.
For my family, the steps she took us through were
* Getting a NASC assessment for my husband
* Discussing various options/criteria for his relocation & care
* Carmel exhaustively researched a list of at least 10 care home options
* Carmel and I visited our top 3 choices & then I revisited the #1 option
with our family (appointment arranged by Carmel)
* There are new business models on the market which Carmel has
comprehensively researched and summarised for us

Next Step Retirement Living has offered a service of genuine value.  
In a word, Carmel McLaughlin has been a Godsend!

"We found ourselves in a predicament of having to find a rest home for mum and
dad, finding somewhere suitable for one is difficult but finding somewhere for two
was a daunting task.
That was until I made the phone call to Carmel, within 1/2 an hour Carmel had
calmed me and reassured me that a solution would be found, and she was right. 
Six weeks later mum and dad were moved into Greenwich Gardens - as they wished
to be somewhere together. 
Thanks, Carmel, for something that seemed impossible, possible.

We were recently involved with our parents’ (parents in law) decision to move to a retirement
village.
I was very fortunate to be recommended to Carmel by my Driving Miss Daisy franchise
owner I drive for. They have known each other personally and have connected professionally both
offering services to the senior community.
We arranged an initial meeting with Carmel where her warm and caring personality shone
through immediately as well as her professionalism and extensive knowledge of retirement
villages. We felt confident from the start that we would be in good hands and felt a huge
sense of relief that we could be guided through what had appeared until now to be a very
daunting “journey” for all concerned.
Our parents met with her and agreed that we were very lucky to have crossed paths and
made the easy decision to engage her services.
Carmel has shown patience and understanding with our parents throughout this process
which we have come to realise is critical for such a major step in people’s lives especially in
their senior years. We saw at times how overwhelming the process can seem and
understandably so. Carmel made sure throughout that our parents were aware and
comfortable with how things were going and what was coming up next. She was also very
accessible to all of us so we could all play our part where needed.
Carmel was able to determine the most suitable village options that met our parents’ needs,
narrowing it down to 3 possibles. Visits were arranged by her, which she attended and our
parents then decided on the best one for them. Carmel managed the next steps from the
initial application visit with the sales manager to making the waiting list.
Between then and when they were offered an available apartment, Carmel was very
proactive with her communications with the village and we’re sure that helped with the
resulting offer.
Carmel also provided advice, assistance and contacts she has for the house selling phase
including estate agents, declutterers, movers and solicitors. During our ongoing
conversations it really hit home just how passionate and dedicated Carmel is in advocating
for her clients to achieve the best possible outcomes.
We can highly recommend Carmel’s services in assisting elderly clients to find the right
village for their needs and to make that journey as smooth and safe for them as possible!

Carmel made finding a suitable retirement village so much easier than us having to go from
village to village ourselves.
From the first introductory visit with us to then finding out what we required, Carmel
researched possible villages and visited a selection of them. She then narrowed it down to 3
suitable places and presented those to us. Appointments were arranged and we visited them
with Carmel and met with the sales people to view apartments. Carmel asked the important
questions of them that were relevant to our specific needs.
We decided on the best place for us then Carmel managed the process from there and we
were put on their waiting list. Carmel stayed in regular contact with the sales person to
ensure we were top of mind and reported back to us so we were aware of how that was
progressing.
An apartment was offered to us, Carmel took us and our adult children to a viewing with the
sales person where we were given lots of information and were able to ask any questions.
We are very pleased and will be moving into it in a few months.
For us Carmel has made the process so much more relaxing and it has been an absolute
pleasure working with her.