On Sunday night, Neil Smith passed away at the age of 90. It is the end of an era for me.
Neil (pictured right above) was the first resident of a retirement village that I ever met. In June 2006, we were launching villages.com.au and our print directory Village Communities. The front cover photo featured Neil’s home at The Landings village in Sydney.
Over the next 17 years, I have known Neil as an activist. He has featured in the NSW village residents’ scene as the most active advocate for respect of residents, demanding that respect from Government and operators equally.
Neil played a big role in pushing then NSW Consumer Affairs Minister Matt Kean, who had The Landings in his electorate, to appoint Kathryn Greiner to investigate retirement villages, and that one act is still generating new village regulations around the country.
Doing nothing in half measures, he established a political party, the Seniors United Party, and made a splash on TV programs like A Current Affair.
In recent years, we have been regular correspondents, with Neil always presenting well argued views that many village and care operators set expectations for residents and then fall short on delivery. And Neil always remembered the detail.
In one of his last emails to me, he said:
“All more ‘detail’ I’m afraid, most of the oldies here now have forgotten a lot of what happened 5 years ago and just float along in a Stockholm Syndrome state … wish I was like that but I’m cursed with a life in accounting, system analysis, finance, business etc that won’t allow me to shut up. Ho-hum.”
We respected Neil and his integrity. In July, my colleagues James Wiltshire and Ian Horswill (photo below) visited Neil, who was very unwell with late stage cancer, together with his mates, to develop a story he wanted told about ‘expectations’ (again).
It was so good that we made it the cover story for SATURDAY.
Neil had a full life and being a member of a village community gave him built in friends and purpose, to speak out for all older people. He did it very well.
And typically, he specified he was not to have a funeral, as he didn’t want a fuss.
Vale Neil.