They knew in advance in Grolloo that it would be a long-term road. But after about eight years of struggle, the desired care homes in the village are ready and the first residents are moving in.
Ten years ago there was an old thatched farmhouse, now there are twelve brand new houses in different sizes at De Pol. They are intended for seniors who want to grow old in Grolloo. “What we want is for people to be able to live happily in Grolloo all their lives,” says Roelof Dilling of Grolloo Zorgt, which took the initiative for the homes.
“For people in the last years of their lives, the house became too big, the garden became too big, but they did not want to leave Grolloo. At a certain point, that is no longer possible and then they still leave, to Rolde or Gieten,” says Dilling. With the construction of care homes, there are now places in your own village to move to if mobility decreases.
The houses are intended for people over 50. An additional advantage is that larger houses in Grolloo may also become available earlier, allowing younger villagers to move to a larger house in their own area.
Dilling is very proud. “Everyone has cooperated from the start, but it took quite a lot of work. When we started in 2017, they said: it will take you ten years,” he looks back. It went a little faster than that, but it still took years.
The construction itself was no problem and once all procedures were completed, the houses were built quickly. “They are close to the village hall, close to the activities, close to children and grandchildren,” says Dilling. That made the new cuttings attractive. “Everything has now been said.”