Last month was Seniors Month. A time to celebrate our elders with thanks and appreciation of their years in helping to grow the next generations with knowledge and experience.
Our first big event for over 12 months was a comedy festival at Hunters Hill Town Hall which we put on in partnership with Hunters Hill Council. I introduced the morning with the following words.
“This time last year we were all in lockdown and trying to work out how to cope with loneliness and isolation. There wasn’t an awful lot of joy or things to laugh at.
At Sydney Community Services we had to find ways to still provide the essential supports but remain socially distanced and protect our staff and volunteers. In Hunters Hill and Lane Cove meals had to be delivered, beds were made, nurses did home visits, shopping needed to be ordered and our builders still needed to install ramps and modify bathrooms and kitchens so patients could leave hospital and go home.
But we did have to stop doing activities at our centres which were not considered essential, like group outings, organising Bridge and Scrabble games and having coffee and lunches together.
People got lonely, felt isolated, even imprisoned. Humans are social animals, we need the company of others. We need things that make us laugh – it has been scientifically proved that laughing lifts your mood and makes you happy.
So I think it is very fitting that one of the first big events we are doing with Hunters Hill Council this year is a comedy show. I hope you enjoy the show, feel happy and enjoy the Covid safe morning tea.”
The morning was a big hit with over 70 seniors enjoying stand up from four talented comedians followed by a beautiful boxed morning tea – Covid affects everything, even down to how you provide sandwiches and cake!
At The Meeting House we had two morning teas with entertainment from Mal Partridge (the bus driver) who is also a professional jazz musician.
On Friday 23rd April we had over 25 seniors attending an outdoor exercise event at Blackman Park using the permanent exercise equipment with audio equipment to provide guidance and music.
Everything is slowly getting back to a “new normal” with Bridge, Scrabble, Mahjong, Table Tennis and Book Club coming back but still operating under the new restrictions of social distancing and sanitising everything. If you don’t move you are at risk of being sprayed and wiped down at regular intervals.
We are not out of the woods yet but the beautiful autumn weather (my favourite season, all mists and mellow fruitfulness) means we can get out and about doing normal things, but in a new way, ever cautious that Covid lurks around every corner like a dark shadow.
So come on 2021, do your worst, we are ready for you and thanks to Astra Zenica we are prepared and looking forward to a better year than poor old 2020.
Enjoy the sunshine, get out and about and let’s get going again, but never again can we walk past hand sanitiser without having a reassuring squirt!
