When Ruby, resident at Villa Maria Fortitude Valley Residential Aged Care Home turned 108 years this week it was a precious occasion to celebrate.
At the Home in Brisbane, staff and fellow residents gathered to wish Ruby a very Happy 108th Birthday. The staff put together a photo collage board with images of Ruby and her family, and presented her with a large celebration cake to mark her special milestone.
“Happy birthday to a very special and forward-thinking lady who cared so deeply for family and community in her younger life – quite the ground-breaker! Of her many accomplishments, Ruby rode a Harley Davidson motorbike in her 90s and had a cyclone named after her,” says Wendy, Catholic Healthcare’s Lifestyle Manager.
“Mum is such a generous woman who brought us three kids up on her own when our father tragically passed away from meningitis when we were only very young. She has such a kind and nurturing spirit,” says Peter, her son.
So what are Ruby’s secrets to such a long and prolific life?
“Ruby kept her mind active up until her late 90s. She learned to play mahjong, studied Indonesian and undertook bible studies in her late 80s. This has really helped her to age well,” says Peter.
“I think Ruby has always challenged herself and others which has helped her to stay healthy mentally. She was a prolific letter writer in her younger days, writing to politicians, business leaders and Councils and voicing her opinions widely.”
Ruby’s children are now all settled with families and she is a proud grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great grandmother to a mob of many!
From all of us at Catholic Healthcare we wish Ruby a very Happy Birthday!