The idea of Plum Living was always in the back of mind of Dean Malone, CEO Plum Living.  Led by the example of very active and healthy grandparents who all lived well into their late 80's, 90's and 100's, Dean saw what was possible for the lives of older adults.  There were no barriers. Living independently, travelling, and even choosing to work to near 90 years of age were all part of what seemed to be "normal".  This didn't mean that every day of their lives was easy. Yes, their were chronic illnesses, acute health crises, and the wear, tear and strain of life on the aging body.  A big part of the success of quality of their lives was being able to take independent decisions about their lives and asking for help when they needed it.  They never considered that asking for help was somehow a loss of independence.  It was part of their key to survival.

Building upon these values, and after years working in the finance and health care sectors, Dean knew it was time to take the ideas from the back of the mind to the forefront.  Dean was also very aware that as a gay man with no children, and peer groups of those similar and older in age, looking to eachother to look after one another was not a realistic future. Examining the options in both the private and public sector only confirmed that too often support services are transactional in nature, dealing with the "must haves" of surviving, rather than valuing the "wants and wishes" of unique, self-determined individuals. There were also no options that valued the unique diverse lives of LGBTQ people. The options available were not the options he would choose for anyone.  Through many conversations with peers it became clear that it was time to stop talking and start doing.

In 2006, Dean and his partner Darren, began Plum Living with two purposes. One, to provide home health care services that respect the unique lifestyle values of respect, independence, support, happiness and trust.  Values that span a lifetime and focus on the goals and dreams of all from infant to aged. The second purpose, to develop a community living environment that includes older LGBTQ people as the majority culture instead of the minority.  Where growing older was not going to mean a step back into the closet, but rather an evolution of life balancing the human drive for independence while celebrating what can be achieved through mutual interdependence.

Plum Living is an evolving endeavour. Thanks to a great team and trusted advisors, 2011 marked five years of what has become a challenging but every rewarding journey.  The Best is Yet to Come!