The regional Victorian couple are busy and happy, as Sandra holds cake decorating lessons in between doing flower arranging and whipping up her famous jams, preserves and chutney.
Bruce teaches bonsai classes from the shed in their beautiful garden, which also has a fernery with 125 miniature trees he has cultivated and sells.
Now he’s started the Bonsai Friendship Group, with regular get-togethers in the shed.
“People ask me what I do in my spare time and I tell them I don’t have any,” he says with a laugh.
Bruce, 80, and Sandra, 79, are certainly proving that enjoying life is key to ageing well.
“We’re both constantly meeting new people, making friends and doing what we love,” the grandfather said.
“I always look for the good in things — even during bad times.”
Neither drives, but Bruce has a mobility scooter.
They’ve both navigated health issues.
“They keep on patching me up, but I’m a persistent old bugger, I’m not going anywhere,” Bruce said.
“I reckon I’ve got another 10 years at least!”
Meanwhile, Sandra is now well after a lengthy battle with leukaemia.
“I thought to myself ‘there’s no way this is going to beat me. I’ve got cakes to bake and a whole lot of living to do!’”
Sandra and Bruce continue to live up to the theme of Victorian Seniors Month: ‘Connect. Create. Celebrate.’
They say that living at home is integral to their happiness.
This is possible thanks to the services they receive through their government-funded home care packages through Uniting AgeWell.
Whether you’ve got a green thumb like Bruce or prefer eating cakes rather than baking them, receiving home care services certainly makes a difference in enabling older people to live well and safely at home for longer.
Uniting AgeWell director of regional Victoria home care Meagan Thomas totally understands how people never want to leave their homes in this beautiful corner of Victoria, where the Murray River and the gum trees are part of the magic of everyday life.
“We serve older people living across the vast Shire of Campaspe,” Meagan said.
“It doesn’t matter whether they live in cities, towns or on small-holdings or farms — we’re there for them. In their home, enabling them to live the lives they want.”
As part of the Victorian Seniors Festival, Uniting AgeWell has a stall at the Echuca Moama Healthy Ageing Festival from 9am to 3.30pm on Thursday, October 23 at 5/10 Radcliffe St, Echuca.
Friendly staff will be on hand to chat to people and provide information to take away.
Visit the stall to learn more about Uniting AgeWell’s services in the area and how the team can support you or your loved ones in ageing well.
The Echuca team is based at Shop 2/188 Annesley St. To find out more about home support services, visit unitingagewell.org
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