Keith's Changing Life in 2020

I always liked my days filled with functions and hobbies. When my wife passed away in November 2017 after 67 years of marriage, I not only lost my love but all my normal life activities.

My family was a great help and gave me support. But it was still a lonely life and I had to find a reason to get up in the morning. But like the old saying, ‘where there is a will there is a way’, over the next few months I built up the necessary things to keep my social life, body and mind in a reasonable state. These included the shopping, finances, joining a card club, golf, volunteer work (at an Aged Care centre), exercise and pool work out. I found these new activities gave me a proper balance and also left relaxation time. All was going well until I had health problems which required five visits to Maroondah Hospital in early 2020.

The result being cancelled activities, except for cards. These cancellations were detrimental to my mental health and were further hit by the Covid-19 lockdown. This led to a replanning of my lifestyle to ensure that I had a reason to get up each morning.

My family helped rectify my isolation by supplying an iPad and connecting me to Netflix which made it possible to have a selection of entertainment. They also visited three times a week with papers and groceries and contacted me each day on the iPad. My other children and their families contact me on a regular basis either by phone or on Skype.
Breaking the day up into morning, afternoon and night, I was able to walk around the block a distance of 1.1 km, then body and balance exercises in standing and sitting positions. In the afternoons I proceeded to concentrate on tidying up both sheds.

I got a personal alarm to wear around my neck in case of emergency and received Council assistance with house cleaning fortnightly and meals-on-wheels. My gardener checked on me each week also.

To keep a healthy body and mind, I find you can’t do it without family, friends and activities.

By Keith Wade