"Our greatest pleasure is being able to go to the beach every day."

The Olsens discover that escaping the family home in Brisbane for an apartment at Alexandra Headlands gave them freedom and support they did not know existed.

Dennis: "We built a new house in Griffin, a suburb of Brisbane. It took six months to build and we lived there for five years, during which my health started to decline. The garden became more and more of a challenge but we did not want to face up to a change, because we had put our heart and soul into it."

"At the same time, my wife developed chronic diabetes and then her kidneys failed - she now has to spend three days a week on dialysis. We didn't want to leave the house, but eventually we just looked at each other and said, ‘Why are we fiddling around, why don't we just make a decision?' It took a couple of years just the same."

"We investigated retirement living options around Brisbane, however my sister lives at Caloundra and we discovered that Nambour Hospital has a great big new ward for dialysis. We love the beach and my father was a builder up here so I knew the area. So that was that."

"All the units here at Tantula Rise are beautifully appointed and up-market - they are up-market, full-blown apartments. We have two bedrooms plus a big balcony where we do a lot of barbecue cooking, and then there is a central living area that we flow out into. We often entertain our grandchildren out here because it's so spacious and full of life."

"We thought being in an apartment would be too close to other people but that is not the case; we still have our privacy. And then there are the benefits; we really appreciate the protection of the emergency call button for instance - it gives you peace of mind knowing there are people there at an instant, and they care."

"My wife is so happy here. She has RSL's support crew and all the other people around that help. Medical support is really important to us. Up here there is a group called the Sunshine Kidney Support Group. They are magic. For a small weekly donation, they collect my wife from RSL Tantula Rise and take her to dialysis at the Nambour Hospital and return to Tantula Rise, three days a week. This community service is run by volunteers and is sponsored by the Lions, local RSL's and public donations."

"In 1968, I was one of a small RAAF group sent to France for three weeks as part of Australia's Defence Force representation to celebrate with France the fiftieth year since the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. This included a visit to Villers-Bretonneux and Amiens. What an experience and honour that was."

"This year, I returned to France and Belgium with my nephew as part of a tour group. I revisited these areas as well as many others to participate in the functions and remembrance services for the ninetieth anniversary of the battle of Villers-Bretonneux and Amiens on April 25, 1918. This battle took place three years to the day after the Gallipoli landing. This was all very special for me."

"I was away for four weeks. Without the support services and facilities available for my wife here at RSL Tantula Rise, I would not have been able to revisit France and participate in this very moving event."

"The Air Force was my life. I was born in Brisbane and attended the Banyo High School. I did two years in the school Army Cadets. In 1958, I enlisted in the permanent Air Force as an aircraft engineering trainee and made it a lifetime career."

"On completion of the helicopter crewman training course in 1965, I topped the course and was offered a posting to Butterworth, Malaysia. It was a dream posting at age 24! At the time, the small remaining communist force was involved with the drug smugglers and causing trouble with the villages on the Thailand / Malay border. There were plenty of clandestine-type activities. We were also training the Ghurkhas in helicopter operations and providing medical support in the remote jungle villages for the Malaysian Government."

"A year later, I was in Vietnam as a helicopter crewman / gunner while my wife was pregnant back on Penang Island. The helicopter war in Vietnam had its dangers and challenges and we lost and bent a few planes - but the biggest smash was when I was a flight engineer and we were just out of Amberley at 1000 feet when our number one engine disintegrated. I received a few bumps and bruises and got a big dose of delayed shock."

"From Vietnam, I went to the RAAF Rotary Wing School in Fairbairn ACT as senior instructor, training non-commissioned aircrew and gunners. I was humbled but proud when my superiors and colleagues nominated me in 1994 for an Order of Australia in recognition of my services to the RAAF and RAAFAR."

"The more we allow ourselves to get involved with the people of the Sunshine Coast, the more we enjoy our lives in retirement. It is amazing the number of people from my air force days that are keen to reconnect in this part of Australia. Our greatest pleasure is going to the beach as often as possible."

"On Friday afternoons, my committee and I have organised drinks and nibbles for all residents, which we all enjoy and help to solve the problems of the world!"

"My wife and I are very happy and pleased that we made the decision to take the opportunity to retire at RSL Tantula Rise apartments on the Sunshine Coast."

"Life is busy, enjoyable and fun!"

For more information on RSL Care Tantula Rise please click here.