“Keeping my brain active keeps me happy,” says Southcare Star Shirley, who also says she makes time to “be creative and laugh everyday.”

“Sometimes I laugh at myself, but it’s best when I laugh with others,” she says.

“I live alone and know it’s easy to feel depressed if things are quiet.  I worked up until I was 71 and when that routine stopped, I decided to keep busy in different ways.”

For Shirley, the answer is being creative, and accepting help at home so she can spend her time doing what she loves.

“I’d rather be sat at my sewing machine than standing at my washing machine!,” she laughs.

“I have sewn since I was 10, I made all my kids clothes and still sew for my family now, making cushion covers for them and quilts for me.

“I like knitting too, and donate many of my creations to charity, and when I don’t use my hands creatively, I use my brain to complete extreme puzzles. It’s fun, and relaxing too.

“I like being busy and have always been independent – I moved out of home when I was 18 and when I was a young mum did everything, even chopped wood!

“What made me slow down was a fall and a small bleed on the brain which meant I had to learn to slow down and I tell you that has been a learning curve for an old girl like me!” she laughs.

Slowing down comes in the form of help from Southcare, who visits Shirley at home once a fortnight to keep her home clean and her body moving with physio visits, in line with Shirley’s assessed and approved care needs.

“It’s nice to have someone treat your home as if it were their own and the physio has taught me easy ways to keep moving so I stay in the best shape I can,” Shirley says.

“I am still very capable of doing things around the house but find it hard to lift my arms very high or low, so things like vacuuming or hanging out the washing is hard.

“My carer does those things for me so I can keep living at home, keep being creative and keep laughing.

“The best part is that I talk to my carer while they work, and we laugh together too.  Sometimes I sit back and chat from my chair, other times I follow them around the house for a natter!

“Welcoming a trusted carer into my home is something I look forward to, and I love the social aspect of the visit too.”

And with an infectious smile like Shirley’s and her zest for life, we agree that’s great advice too.

Read more about Southcare Stars Noreen and Richard and how they choose to live their best lives too.

 

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