Peta Watson worked for forty years as a hairdresser until her son-in-law convinced her to try something different.

Four years ago she moved into a beach side retirement village in Perth. At the same time, Peta began learning how to drive a 60 tonne dump truck and now works in the mines in Pilbara.

"I never dreamt I'd be doing this but when my husband died suddenly, I was lost . . . my son-in-law pushed me to try something different," she said.

Retirement village life provides support and a sense of community for people who want to keep living active, fulfilling lives. While not everyone who moves into a village automatically starts working in the mines, Peta Watson’s personal circumstances are not that uncommon.

Research by McCrindle Baynes for villages.com.au found that an overwhelming number of people who move into a retirement village do so because of health issues: physical, financial, emotional.

Having decided to move, 97% of respondents said they were happy with their decision.

In Peta’s case, the emotional support of a retirement village lifestyle helped her try something new, something she may never have otherwise done.