A Chance Meeting on the Track Highlights the Strong Ryman Connection Between Beth and Chris
The rugged beauty of Mt Aspiring is often associated with adventure, spectacular landscapes and an opportunity to reconnect with nature. For two members of the wider Ryman Healthcare community, however, a recent hiking trip created something even more memorable: an unexpected connection built around nursing, outdoor adventure, independence and community.
Beth Andrews, an independent resident at Richard Hadlee Village, joined a hiking trip organised with the Milton Rotary Tramping Club, continuing a lifestyle that has kept her active throughout retirement. At 73, Beth remains passionate about walking, cycling, hiking, swimming, golf, volunteering and spending time with family and friends.
Also taking part in the trip was Chris Moir, a Clinical Education Advisor for Ryman based in Christchurch. In her role, Chris supports the professional development of Ryman’s clinical teams across New Zealand, including nurses working across the organisation’s communities.
Both women arrived at Mt Aspiring with a love of the outdoors, but neither expected that the trip would lead to a personal connection through their shared nursing backgrounds or their relationship with Ryman.
Over several days, the group explored some of the region’s spectacular surroundings, including the tracks leading to Rob Roy Glacier and Aspiring Hut. With around 30 trampers participating, the trip offered plenty of opportunities for conversation and camaraderie.
Yet it was an unexpected medical situation involving another member of the group that ultimately brought Beth and Chris together.
An Unexpected Call for Nursing Expertise
One evening, a 79-year-old tramper discovered that she had suffered a skin tear on her leg. By the time she went to bed, she noticed there was blood covering her leg.
Chris, who is a registered nurse, offered to assess the injury the following morning. As word spread among the group that there was a nurse available, another participant mentioned that there was another nurse on the trip.
That nurse was Beth.
Chris recalled that someone suggested the two women connect so they could work together to assess and treat the injury.
“That’s when I met Beth,” Chris said.
The meeting was initially prompted by a practical need, but it quickly became the beginning of a much broader connection.
Beth brought extensive nursing experience to the situation. Her career had included work in paediatrics, oncology, emergency nursing and rural healthcare in Australia. She also happened to have the appropriate dressing needed to treat the skin tear.
Together, Beth and Chris assessed the injury and helped treat the affected area. Their combined experience allowed them to ensure the tramper was comfortable and able to continue enjoying the hiking adventure.
The incident demonstrated the value of having experienced healthcare professionals within a group undertaking an outdoor adventure. It also provided an opportunity for Beth and Chris to share their knowledge and discover their common professional background.
Putting Ryman Knowledge Into Practice
For Chris, the experience provided an unexpected opportunity to apply some of the knowledge she shares with Ryman’s clinical teams.
Since joining Ryman, Chris has developed greater expertise in caring for skin tears, an area that can be particularly important when supporting older people.
“I’ve learned a lot about skin tears since coming to Ryman,” Chris said.
The situation also gave Chris an opportunity to remind members of the hiking group about the importance of taking care of their skin.
She encouraged the group to moisturise regularly, highlighting the importance of moisturising twice a day as part of maintaining healthy skin.
Although the advice emerged from a minor injury during a hiking trip, the moment reflected the practical nature of Chris’s professional role. Her work at Ryman involves supporting clinical staff and helping them develop the knowledge and skills required to provide quality care.
The unexpected situation therefore created a connection between Chris’s professional responsibilities and Beth’s long nursing career.
Discovering Another Ryman Connection
As Beth and Chris continued talking during the trip, they discovered that their connection went beyond nursing and their mutual love of the outdoors.
Beth revealed that she had recently moved into an independent apartment at Richard Hadlee Village.
“I said, ‘I’ve just moved into Ryman,’” Beth recalled with a laugh.
For Chris, the revelation was an especially meaningful surprise.
Beth had only recently become part of the Ryman community, but she was already embracing the lifestyle she had hoped retirement village living would provide.
For Beth, moving into a retirement village was never intended to mean giving up the active lifestyle she had built for herself. Instead, she wanted a home environment that would provide security while allowing her to remain independent and continue pursuing the activities she enjoyed.
“It’s fantastic for me,” she said. “I can lock up and get out to go meet up with friends to go for walks, get out on my bike, and go on extended hikes. It suits me perfectly.”
Her experience illustrates how retirement living can support an active and independent lifestyle. Rather than viewing the move as the end of her adventures, Beth saw it as an opportunity to create a secure base from which she could continue exploring the world around her.
Retirement Has Not Slowed Beth Down
Beth’s lifestyle since moving to Richard Hadlee Village demonstrates just how active retirement can be.
A lifelong runner, cyclist and tramper, she has continued to pursue many of the interests that have been important to her throughout her life.
Her activities include tramping with the Bishopdale Tramping Club, cycling, swimming, playing golf and volunteering. She also volunteers with Age Concern and helps travellers at Christchurch Airport.
When she is not busy with these activities, Beth enjoys spending time with family and taking her caravan away for extended weekends.
Her schedule reflects her determination to remain involved in the community and maintain the independence she values.
Since moving into Richard Hadlee Village earlier in the year, Beth has embraced the convenience and security of village life without compromising her freedom.
“My life didn’t stop because I moved into a retirement village,” she said.
“I wanted somewhere that would let me keep doing all the things I enjoy.”
That philosophy appears to have made the transition particularly successful for Beth. The village provides her with a home base while allowing her to continue travelling, socialising and participating in outdoor activities.
Independence and Community Can Go Together
Beth’s experience also highlights an important aspect of retirement village living: the balance between independence and connection.
For some older people, moving into a retirement community can raise concerns about losing independence or changing the lifestyle they have enjoyed for many years. Beth’s experience at Richard Hadlee Village has been quite different.
She values the security offered by the community while also appreciating the freedom to come and go as she chooses.
“I feel secure here,” Beth said. “Not just physically, but emotionally.”
She also highlighted the sense of community and companionship available within the village.
“There’s a sense of community, and companionship if you want it. But you can still come and go and live life on your own terms.”
That combination has allowed Beth to maintain an active social and outdoor lifestyle while knowing that support and companionship are available when she wants them.
A Reflection of Ryman Residents
For Chris, meeting Beth on the Mt Aspiring trip provided a valuable reminder of the diverse and active lives many Ryman residents continue to lead.
As someone who works closely with Ryman’s clinical teams, Chris understands the importance of supporting residents in ways that recognise their individual needs, interests and goals.
Beth’s story provides a clear example of how residents can continue pursuing passions and maintaining strong connections outside the village.
Her participation in a multi-day hiking trip at 73 demonstrates that age does not necessarily define the activities someone can enjoy. With the right environment and support, older people can continue participating in demanding outdoor adventures, travelling and contributing to their communities.
For Chris, discovering Beth’s connection to Ryman made the hiking trip even more meaningful.
Another Ryman Connection on the Same Trip
The connection to Ryman did not end with Beth and Chris.
During the same hiking trip, another participant recognised the Ryman name and shared her own experience with the organisation. She spoke warmly about the care her sister receives at Hilda Ross Village.
Chris said the woman had nothing but positive things to say about the team caring for her sister.
“She couldn’t speak more highly of the team,” Chris recalled.
For Chris, moments like this are particularly meaningful because they provide an insight into how Ryman’s care and support are experienced by residents and their families.
Hearing positive feedback directly from members of the community can reinforce the purpose behind the work of healthcare and support teams. It can also provide employees with a stronger connection to the people and families they ultimately serve.
Shared Values Create Unexpected Connections
What began as a routine hiking trip ultimately brought together two people who shared much more than an interest in the outdoors.
Beth and Chris discovered common ground through their nursing careers, their passion for adventure and their connection to Ryman. The experience also demonstrated how professional knowledge can become valuable in unexpected circumstances.
The skin tear that initially brought them together required practical assistance, but it also opened the door to a conversation about their careers, lifestyles and shared connection to the Ryman community.
Their story demonstrates that connections can emerge in the most unexpected places. A hiking trail in the Mt Aspiring region became the setting for a meeting between a Ryman resident and a Ryman clinical education professional who may otherwise never have crossed paths.
Celebrating an Active Ryman Community
For Beth, the experience is another example of why she chose to move into Richard Hadlee Village. She wanted a home that would provide security without restricting her independence.
Her continued participation in hiking, cycling, volunteering, golf, swimming and travel demonstrates that village life can coexist with an active lifestyle.
For Chris, meeting Beth provided a real-world example of the independence and engagement that Ryman seeks to support among its residents.
And for both women, the Mt Aspiring adventure became a memorable reminder of the importance of community.
Their story began with a skin tear and a request for nursing assistance, but it developed into something much more significant. It brought together two nurses from different stages of their careers, connected a Ryman employee with a Ryman resident and highlighted the active lives and strong relationships that exist across the wider Ryman community.
The experience also illustrates the value of shared knowledge and professional expertise. Beth’s decades of nursing experience combined with Chris’s contemporary clinical education knowledge to help another tramper receive the care she needed.
Most importantly, the encounter reflects the spirit of connection that can emerge when people share their passions and experiences.
For Beth, life at Richard Hadlee Village has provided the freedom to continue doing what she loves. For Chris, her meeting with Beth offered a memorable reminder of why supporting people to live fulfilling lives is so important.
And for both, a chance meeting on the track at Mt Aspiring became an unexpected Ryman connection—one built on nursing, adventure, independence, community and a shared commitment to making the most of every opportunity.
Source link: https://www.rymanhealthcare.co.nz/
