Jeunesse Lindsay recently celebrated her 80th with colleagues at Suncity Travel in Maroochydore. Photo: Cade Mooney
SUNSHINE COAST Daily, Queensland
August 19, 2008
By Claire Bruynius
They tap dance around like penguins to the lively, up-beat tune, Hit Me Up, from the much-loved animated penguin movie Happy Feet, complete with black sequined tail coats and in front of a large crowd.
You would expect to be watching a group of young twenty-somethings. However, this is part of the performance put on by a group of senior citizens from the villas at a retirement community at Kawana.
It seems that 80 is the new 40, as Sunshine Coast seniors are living lives which would put most of the middle-aged residents on the Coast to shame.
It was surprisingly hard to catch up with these ladies, as they had to fit me into their schedules instead of vice versa.
And with the wide range of competitive and social activities for the elderly becoming increasingly popular, it is no wonder.
Most of the over-50s complexes and retirement villages which have popped up around the Sunshine Coast offer a vast range of activities their residents can participate in.
Apart from the traditional lawn bowls and card games, our golden oldies are enjoying more unconventional activities, including tap dancing, belly dancing, aqua-aerobics and bocce, ensuring they can make the most of their twilight years.
Pat Kelaher, 81, takes part in all of these activities at the Kawana Island Villas.
Pat Kelaher doesn't let age get in the way of her love for dancing. Photo: Brett Wortman
“It’s just rubbish that people think that you’re over the hill once you hit 60,” Pat said.
“It’s absolutely fantastic in these communities, everything is going on in here.”
Just a couple of months ago, a group from the complex went on an eight-day P&O cruise to Port Douglas.
“We did a lot of dancing,” Pat said with a cheeky smile.
“We wanted to use the gym, too, but when we went in there, there was a group of half-naked men sweating all over the equipment and not a towel in sight,” she said.
“So we ran laps around the ship and up and down the stairs. We had a lot of fun.”
Most of the retirees who live in Pat’s community are still very active as well. She noted the bicycle club as an example, which cycles 15km at least three times a week.
With Seniors Week at the end of August fast approaching, Pat explained the complex had big plans to celebrate.
“There are so many activities planned, it’s going to be a great week,” she said.
“A talent quest is organised which any senior can enter, and competition will be fierce,” Pat said.
Another elderly lady whose competitive edge has not left her is Hilda Betton, who will turn 85 in November.
Hilda greeted me all rugged up in fleecy jacket and coat on an unseasonably cold August Monday.
When I asked how she was doing today, almost shouting at me she replied “I’m cold!” and then followed it with a warm smile.
Hilda, a Hibiscus Retirement Village resident at Mountain Creek, still participates in competitive lawn bowls, and bowls from 9am to 4pm Sunday to Wednesday most weeks.
“I don’t play socially. I play because of my competitive instinct,” she said.
Hilda, who was born in the United Kingdom and migrated to Australia as a “10-pound Pom”, said that the secret to her spirit was having enjoyed everything in moderation and generally living a healthy, happy life.
“I’m a laid back, positive person,” she said.
“I like to just go with the flow.”
Hilda proudly proclaimed that in her life, she had only been to hospital once, and that was just five weeks ago to have a cataract removed.
“My son jokes that I will out-live him,” she smiled.
She said that a lot of her friends don’t know how she stays as active as she does.
After losing her husband in 1981, Hilda concedes that although she loves the sport, lawn bowls has kept her company.
“It gives me something to do and a way to fill my days,” she said.
“I will keep bowling and winning for as long as my health allows me.”
However, should the day come when she is no longer able to bowl at her best, Hilda will still be able to enjoy crocheting, knitting, cooking and especially bingo, which are also her hobbies.
Past-times and social activities are a couple of ways these ladies are appreciating their twilight years.
However, another special lady, Jeunesse Lindsay, 80, has chosen to continue working, although she was eligible for retirement decades ago.
Originally from South Africa, and fluent in Pidgin English, Jeunesse has organised trips for four generations of happy travellers.
She enjoys working in the travel industry because she loves helping people and can’t stand the thought of being home doing nothing.
“I make myself available to my clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” she said. “I make sure everything is perfect right down to the last detail.
“I guess that’s why they keep coming back.”
Jeunesse is in the Suncity Travel Maroochydore office two days a week, and works from home the rest of the time. She also organises weekly aqua-aerobics classes in her own 30-degree-heated pool, where eight ladies are taught by a professional instructor.
Jeunesse and her husband have received state and federal awards for their service to the community and the elderly.
“I’ll keep working until I start making mistakes,” she laughed.
Pat, Hilda and Jeunesse are living proof that life doesn’t stop after 60, and as they say “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” but we could all learn a thing or two from these dynamos who have done just that.
© APN News & Media Ltd 2008.
Jeunesse Lindsay recently celebrated her 80th with colleagues at Suncity Travel in Maroochydore. Photo: Cade Mooney
SUNSHINE COAST Daily, Queensland
August 19, 2008
By Claire Bruynius
They tap dance around like penguins to the lively, up-beat tune, Hit Me Up, from the much-loved animated penguin movie Happy Feet, complete with black sequined tail coats and in front of a large crowd.
You would expect to be watching a group of young twenty-somethings. However, this is part of the performance put on by a group of senior citizens from the villas at a retirement community at Kawana.
It seems that 80 is the new 40, as Sunshine Coast seniors are living lives which would put most of the middle-aged residents on the Coast to shame.
It was surprisingly hard to catch up with these ladies, as they had to fit me into their schedules instead of vice versa.
And with the wide range of competitive and social activities for the elderly becoming increasingly popular, it is no wonder.
Most of the over-50s complexes and retirement villages which have popped up around the Sunshine Coast offer a vast range of activities their residents can participate in.
Apart from the traditional lawn bowls and card games, our golden oldies are enjoying more unconventional activities, including tap dancing, belly dancing, aqua-aerobics and bocce, ensuring they can make the most of their twilight years.
Pat Kelaher, 81, takes part in all of these activities at the Kawana Island Villas.
Pat Kelaher doesn't let age get in the way of her love for dancing. Photo: Brett Wortman
“It’s just rubbish that people think that you’re over the hill once you hit 60,” Pat said.
“It’s absolutely fantastic in these communities, everything is going on in here.”
Just a couple of months ago, a group from the complex went on an eight-day P&O cruise to Port Douglas.
“We did a lot of dancing,” Pat said with a cheeky smile.
“We wanted to use the gym, too, but when we went in there, there was a group of half-naked men sweating all over the equipment and not a towel in sight,” she said.
“So we ran laps around the ship and up and down the stairs. We had a lot of fun.”
Most of the retirees who live in Pat’s community are still very active as well. She noted the bicycle club as an example, which cycles 15km at least three times a week.
With Seniors Week at the end of August fast approaching, Pat explained the complex had big plans to celebrate.
“There are so many activities planned, it’s going to be a great week,” she said.
“A talent quest is organised which any senior can enter, and competition will be fierce,” Pat said.
Another elderly lady whose competitive edge has not left her is Hilda Betton, who will turn 85 in November.
Hilda greeted me all rugged up in fleecy jacket and coat on an unseasonably cold August Monday.
When I asked how she was doing today, almost shouting at me she replied “I’m cold!” and then followed it with a warm smile.
Hilda, a Hibiscus Retirement Village resident at Mountain Creek, still participates in competitive lawn bowls, and bowls from 9am to 4pm Sunday to Wednesday most weeks.
“I don’t play socially. I play because of my competitive instinct,” she said.
Hilda, who was born in the United Kingdom and migrated to Australia as a “10-pound Pom”, said that the secret to her spirit was having enjoyed everything in moderation and generally living a healthy, happy life.
“I’m a laid back, positive person,” she said.
“I like to just go with the flow.”
Hilda proudly proclaimed that in her life, she had only been to hospital once, and that was just five weeks ago to have a cataract removed.
“My son jokes that I will out-live him,” she smiled.
She said that a lot of her friends don’t know how she stays as active as she does.
After losing her husband in 1981, Hilda concedes that although she loves the sport, lawn bowls has kept her company.
“It gives me something to do and a way to fill my days,” she said.
“I will keep bowling and winning for as long as my health allows me.”
However, should the day come when she is no longer able to bowl at her best, Hilda will still be able to enjoy crocheting, knitting, cooking and especially bingo, which are also her hobbies.
Past-times and social activities are a couple of ways these ladies are appreciating their twilight years.
However, another special lady, Jeunesse Lindsay, 80, has chosen to continue working, although she was eligible for retirement decades ago.
Originally from South Africa, and fluent in Pidgin English, Jeunesse has organised trips for four generations of happy travellers.
She enjoys working in the travel industry because she loves helping people and can’t stand the thought of being home doing nothing.
“I make myself available to my clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” she said. “I make sure everything is perfect right down to the last detail.
“I guess that’s why they keep coming back.”
Jeunesse is in the Suncity Travel Maroochydore office two days a week, and works from home the rest of the time. She also organises weekly aqua-aerobics classes in her own 30-degree-heated pool, where eight ladies are taught by a professional instructor.
Jeunesse and her husband have received state and federal awards for their service to the community and the elderly.
“I’ll keep working until I start making mistakes,” she laughed.
Pat, Hilda and Jeunesse are living proof that life doesn’t stop after 60, and as they say “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” but we could all learn a thing or two from these dynamos who have done just that.
© APN News & Media Ltd 2008.
