Ryman Celebrates 40 Years With Village-Wide Birthday Events

Ryman Healthcare marked a major milestone this week, celebrating its 40th birthday with a series of events held across its villages in Australia and New Zealand. Residents, team members, and guests came together for a variety of activities, including an ‘80s-themed Happy Hour held at each village on 19 September, to honour four decades of kindness, care and community.

Celebrating occasions such as this highlights Ryman's commitment to creating vibrant communities that enrich the lives of residents. In 1984, co-founders Kevin Hickman and John Ryder set out with a vision to transform retirement living. Inspired by the poor conditions he witnessed at a fire-damaged rest home, Kevin was motivated to enhance the quality of life for older New Zealanders. This led them to convert a block of flats in Christchurch into their first rest home and name the company 'Ryman,' a blend of Ryder and Hickman.

Today, with 49 villages and over 14,000 residents across Australia and New Zealand, this vision continues to guide Ryman Healthcare. As the organisation has grown to become a major NZX-listed company, it has remained true to its founding principle of ensuring that everything we do is 'good enough for Mum and Dad.'

As a pioneer in the retirement village industry, innovation has played a key role in Ryman’s evolution, leading to ongoing improvements in care, facilities, and resident experience. Our continuum of care model, which integrates retirement living and aged care into one community, has set a new industry standard. Meanwhile, the award-winning myRyman app enhances residents' lives by providing easy access to village news, events, and personal scheduling, all tailored to be user-friendly for older adults.

Alongside building vibrant communities within its villages, Ryman partners with organisations that share its pioneering values and contribute to the wider community. It supports an annual charity partner, with past partners including the Fred Hollows Foundation and the Stroke Foundation, and offers scholarships to develop its people and support community initiatives. Additionally, the Ryman Prize, presented eight times by New Zealand prime ministers, was most recently awarded to renowned clinical neuroscientist Professor Vladimir Hachinski for his globally significant contributions to dementia prevention.

Ryman has been recognised many times for its commitment to quality and excellence. In 2024, it was voted New Zealand’s Most Trusted Brand in the aged care and retirement industry for the tenth time, and also won Canstar Blue’s award for Most Satisfied Customers in Retirement Villages in New Zealand. At the Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards, Ryman was named ‘Operator of the Year 2024 - Ageing in Place’ for the second consecutive year, and the myRyman resident app won the ‘Innovation of the Year 2024 - Technology Social Engagement’ award.

Dean Hamilton, Ryman Healthcare Executive Chair, said: “We are deeply grateful to our residents, team members, and the wider community for their support and dedication over the years. As we celebrate 40 years of success, our focus is firmly on the future. We are committed to meeting the evolving needs of the sector, including the growing ageing population, changing consumer expectations, and shifting market conditions. By continuing to innovate and adapt, we will ensure that Ryman remains at the forefront of retirement living, delivering exceptional experiences and care for our residents for years to come.”

This video captures some of Ryman's key milestones and achievements over the past four decades.

About Ryman: Ryman Healthcare was founded in Christchurch in 1984 and owns and operates 49 retirement villages in New Zealand and Australia. Ryman villages are home to 14,600 residents, and the company employs 7,700 staff.

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