Suzie Revisited
It’s been 12 months since I last caught up with lifestyle volunteer Suzie. We first met Suzie when she began her volunteering journey in 2023 (Blog dated August 2023) and revisited her story in (blogs dated) August 2024 and August 2025. Here is how her journey has unfolded over the past year.
Suzie is from the Silent generation which precedes the Baby Boomer generation. Suzie was born in June 1944, and this year she is 82 years young. I asked her how her last 12 months had been, and this was her response:
“I am going really well. I have had no more problems with my heart, which is really pleasing. I have regular visits to the doctor and have all my yearly shots—flu, shingles, RSV, COVID—and a quarterly injection for bone health.
My diet is OK; I am trying to eat more protein, and during this winter I used the slow cooker to make some nice dishes like lamb shanks and vegetables. I also like to make soup. A favourite is chicken and creamed corn, which I make from the carcass of a rotisserie chicken. I always look forward to having more salads when the weather warms up, though. My favourites are homemade coleslaw and bean salad.
It’s hard to get much exercise, as I am finding it really cold this year. I mainly get exercise looking after my husband and doing household chores such as washing and cooking. I look forward to the warmer weather so I can get back outside to the garden. I am eligible for a few hours’ help each week with chores such as vacuuming and heavy housework. That has been a great service provided by My Aged Care.
I was a bit worried about my memory and went to see a geriatrician. She sent me for an MRI. After seeing my GP he was happy with the results but we decided I should have a restricted driver’s licence. I can only drive in my local area, which is fine as I wouldn’t need to drive a long distance.
My license now has a ‘C’ on the front meaning ‘Conditions’. On the back the conditions are listed- 1. Only to drive in a 50 kilometre radius from home. 2. Only to drive between sunrise and sunset. That also means that when I turn 85 I wont need to go for a driving test unless I want to drive more than 50 kilometres.
I still need my license to get out and about each week. I drive to do the banking and shopping and often pick up a friend and we play Keno at our local club. I enjoy being out of the house even if its only for an hour or so.
I still have my little cockateel ‘Wally”. He is very messy, he likes to scatter his seed everywhere. He keeps me company and he is a great guard bird- he ‘shrills’ loudly if someone comes to the front door. He is hilarious he loves to have a chat in his ‘bird jibber’. I swear he calls out my husbands name, Graham!
I keep my mind working by doing word finders and playing computer games. I like a good binge watch on Netflix and enjoy music documentaries and listening to music on YouTube.
I rarely drink alcohol now but I still love a ciggy and a coffee. I know I should give up but I did have a chest Xray and my lungs are clear. My motto is ‘A girl can’t be perfect’!
I think I have had a good year overall. I do notice I feel more tired that I used to, and on days when motivation is low I’m happy to just relax and watch Netflix. Apart from a fall that resulted in a grazed leg and bruised toe I have been doing fine. Falling is certainly unnerving so I know to be extra careful now. But all in all, I feel good and happy.”
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````Its inspiring to see Suzie thriving at 82 years young. She embodies so many key principles of healthy longevity. Eating a diet of fresh, home cooked unprocessed meals, being active around the house and and enjoying being socially connected. She also stays proactive about her well-being by keeping up with vaccinations and looks after her brain health.
Thankyou, Suzie, for sharing an insight into your last twelve months and best wishes for the year ahead!
Till next time- ‘Keep on Rocking and Rolling’
Kim