After four fast games of shuffleboard, Alma Lonnon is ready for a break.

“It’s great fun,” she says of the tournament that’s on the second and fourth Thursdays each month.

When she moved to Lane Cove 14 years ago, much of Alma’s time was enjoyably taken up with grandchildren after school. But time flies … Since the youngest started high school, she’s been much less busy.

“I live independently in my house. To get out and about I just had to look out for social activities outside home,” she says, “and they’re not hard to find. I’ve been coming to things hosted by Sydney Community Services now for a couple years.”

She also joined Lane Cove Ladies Probus Club and became its membership manager so shuffleboard is just one of Alma’s regular  social activities. She often joins in themed lunches and other special events at SCS. She makes new friends and has introduced old friends to SCS activities, too. One friend who’s only recently stopped working now joins Alma for special events such as an upcoming fashion parade.

“I’ve bought my last couple of seasons’ new clothes at the parade,” she says, “because it’s an easier way to shop than the high street, and  SCS puts on a good spread for morning tea.”

“There’s a good range of clothes on show, they’re modelled by people who look like me, and you don’t have to try everything on because someone’s already done that for you.  You can just try on the ones you did like the look of.”

Alma wants to stay in her home with her companion, a 16-year-old Maltese-Pomeranian cross but finds it challenging, not to mention expensive, to maintain a house. She’s managing with help from SCS service teams doing home maintenance and gardening plus cleaning via My Aged Care. She has no problem finding things to do while not doing the gardening!

“If you’re in a retirement village, all sorts of things are put on for residents. If you’re at home you have to look further. And, if you’re in this area, you’ll find that between Sydney Community Services, the Council and the clubs, there’s quite a choice of things to keep you going.”