Celebrating Love on Valentine's Day
When Valentine’s Day falls on 14 February annually, The Salvation Army Aged Care Centres celebrate not just romantic love, but also love shared between family and friends new and old.
From Volunteer to Friend - Seaforth Gardens Resident and Volunteer, Jean and Janice
Jean has been a resident of Seaforth Gardens Aged Care Centre (“Seaforth Gardens”) for 5 years and met Janice 4 years ago, when Janice first began volunteering at Seaforth Gardens. The pair clicked straight away, sharing a similar sense of humour – you can always find them sharing a good chuckle.
Both ladies say the bond between them is a “very special one” and that their time together is precious. The key to their great friendship is always being there for each other, with the pair noting the most important key to any friendship is “honesty.”
Neighbours to Friends - Seaforth Gardens Residents, Karen and Betty
Karen has lived at Seaforth Gardens for 9 years, whilst Betty has lived at the Centre for 8 years. The two friends both have a room in the same wing, which has strengthened their friendship, as they chat daily and discuss what activities they should join in on.
They both enjoy each other’s company and have found many similar interests including table games, dominoes and knitting. In fact, Betty will often help Karen with her knitting projects, and they note that the key to their friendship is “being able to confide in each other whenever required.”
A Tale as Old as Time – Bethany Husband and Wife, John and Norma
At Bethany Aged Care Centre, John and Norma recently celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary. Staff celebrated their special milestone with a tasty cake, a visit from their so and his wife and even cards from various politicians and the new King of England!
Their love story is a tale as old as time, with John noting he fell in love with Norma “at first sight.” They were married on 21 January 1953 and whilst they typically didn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day, the couple have always celebrated their wedding anniversary with a nice meal.
You’re Never Too Old to Make New Friends – Woodport Residents Janice and John
“I first met John in the reception area. A member of staff mentioned to me that he was going on holiday, so I went up and asked where he was going and our friendship started from there!” say Janice, a Woodport resident.
The pair soon became inseparable and whilst they have only been friends for around 10 months, their fondness for each other is clear. When asked what Janice most admires about John, she noted, “he just makes me happy, he is very easy to talk and get along with. I admire him in many ways but what I most admire is that he treats me with respect and kindness.”
For John, the feeling of friendship and fondness is shared. “We spend a lot of time laughing and joking together, it’s a very easy friendship,” he says, before noting his favourite thing about Janice is her “great sense of humour and very good company, I admire the fact that Janice is always happy.”
Two Peas in a Pod – Bethany Residents Doreen and Lola
Lola first moved into Bethany in 2021, with Doreen moving in shortly after in 2022. The pair, who are joined at the hip, can often be found playing cards, which is one of their favourite past-times.
They can often be found at the back of a room, giggling together and making a lot of ‘joyful noise.’
