When Arthur retired from his 35-year-career as a semi-trailer driver hauling loads across the country, he envisaged a quiet retirement in his Gold Coast home of 34 years with his wife, Beverley. Instead, he was faced with neighbours from hell and tensions simmered until he felt like he couldn’t take it anymore.

Arthur lived through a suicide attempt and the impacts of his recovery journey have reached far and wide. After being hospitalised he was apprehensive to return home, which led to a referral to RFQ’s Capstone program as a way to create a sense of community and safety through weekly engagement activities.

Arthur and Beverley have been married for 63 years, and Bev has been instrumental in assisting Arthur through his recovery journey, encouraging and supporting him to attend Capstone.

“Arthur was a little bit anxious about going, but my feelings were fear for the future because I didn’t know how I was going to be able to handle without some help” she said.

Beverley said the changes have been so noticeable, both by herself and those around them.

“The art of communication has increased ten-fold plus! Arthur has never been a big communicator, he has been quite passive aggressive as well in his life; using me as the mediator all the time and that’s been quite difficult – there is a time in your life when that becomes really hard.”

“At Capstone there is no judgement, all the staff are so professional and there is no talk about ‘why’ you are there, it’s a social activity – it’s the active part of therapy that works…

Arthur and I have done more together now than we ever have in 60 years. We think we know about life, but really, we don’t know the extensions and branches that go out from our daily lives. We knew nothing about mental health, nothing whatsoever,” Bev said.

The Capstone community is one Arthur and Bev have embraced wholeheartedly, with Arthur using his new-found communication skills to have conversations with other participants and Bev bringing along her delicious baked goods to try and encourage younger participants to share their skills.

“We are living in a much calmer environment now Arthur isn’t focused on the little things that irritate him. It’s all ceased, the house is so calm and easy to live in now.”