Care isn’t something you can easily quantify – but this year, thousands of residents and their families across Aotearoa have done just that. Their voices have recognised Settlers as a place where knowledge, care and excellence shine. In fact, ours was the only village to receive the Knowledgeable and Caring Staff Award.
But that’s not all.
Settlers has also been recognised with the 2025 Best Awards – Enduring Excellence, an honour reserved for villages that have demonstrated outstanding results over five or more years.
It’s a rare distinction – only six facilities nationwide have ever achieved it.
Achieving excellence once is an accomplishment; maintaining it year after year is truly exceptional – the lifestyle village equivalent of being inducted into the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame!
NZ’s Top-Rated Village for Knowledgeable Staff and Care
Our culture of care starts at the top. It began long before the first resident moved in – before we even put pen to paper to design the village itself.
You can see it in the little details that make a big difference: the wide, welcoming corridors that make movement easy; the large, light-filled restaurant and café where residents and their families can gather; the expansive grounds with shared spaces to connect, or quiet alcoves to sit and reflect.
You can see it in how we care for each other – staff and residents alike.
Settlers is a happy place to live – and to work. With exceptionally low staff turnover compared to industry norms, the people who join us stay. That longevity brings more than familiarity – it brings knowledge.
Over time, our staff develop an instinctive understanding of the people they care for: what brings comfort, what lifts a mood, what makes someone feel at home. We understand that care doesn’t just mean addressing physical needs, but emotional needs too.
Excellence That Endures
The Enduring Excellence Award recognises something deeper than performance – it celebrates consistency. To qualify, a village must demonstrate exceptional results over five or more years, proving that its standards of care and culture of excellence have become part of its DNA.
For Settlers, this award reflects the philosophy that has guided the village from the very beginning. These aren’t just values displayed on a wall or written in a handbook – they’re lived and breathed every day.
You can see our commitment to excellence first-hand by visiting us – or read about it in our Village News section. Each article is thoughtfully written through the lens of resident wellbeing, because we genuinely care. We’re curious about the research and insights that shape wellbeing in older adults, and we prepare these articles to share that knowledge and help lift the lives of our residents.
Beyond the Brochures - what you can’t see
Retirement living is an emotional decision as much as it is a practical one. Beyond the amenities and floor plans, what matters most is how a place makes you feel.
Culture can’t be captured in a brochure – though marketers often try! It’s experienced in the warmth of a welcome, the sound of laughter in the lounge, and the quiet reassurance of knowing you belong.
Awards like the NZ’s Best Awards 2025 help reveal that culture, because they’re based on the lived experiences of residents and families themselves.
A Season to Reflect and Celebrate
As the year draws to a close, this recognition offers a moment to pause and reflect – not only on what we’ve achieved, but on how we’ve achieved it.
Behind every award is a story: of staff who go the extra mile, of residents who bring warmth and vitality to village life, and of families who trust us with what matters most.
The NZ’s Best Awards 2025 are a proud milestone, but for the team at Settlers, they also serve as a reminder of something timeless – that genuine care isn’t just recognised; it’s felt, shared, and lived every single day.
Experience the warmth of genuine care.
Visit Settlers Lifestyle Village in Albany and discover what enduring excellence feels like.
