The secret to living well for Joan Tucker is doing the things she enjoys.
Joan, who at the age of 95 is treasurer at Pascoe Vale South Uniting Church, doesn’t need a calculator to work out her equation for happiness.
“It’s your attitude to life,” she explains.
“You can be old at 45, but young at 95. It’s up to you!”
Her cosy unit is her sanctuary where she spends her days reading, watching a bit of telly and doing crosswords and puzzles.
“Puzzles keep the mind sharp,” she says.
An astute mind and a flair for numbers is something Coburg-raised Joan has always had. She first used the comptometer, which preceded the calculator, and worked for 47 years in accounts and wages at what is now Vic Roads.
Over the years, Joan stayed with her parents and looked after them in their old age. Her Mum passed away at the age of 101.
Joan sold the old family home and bought her unit – all in the space of one day!
“The moment I saw my unit I thought yes, I can live happily here for the rest of my life,” Joan explains.
Thanks to a government-funded home care package through Uniting AgeWell, she continues to be content in her home and has some help when she needs it.
Joan reckons the longevity in the family can be attributed to a healthy lifestyle and good genes.
“My Mum and Dad were given a bottle of whiskey on their wedding day in 1924, and they put it in the cupboard to be used for medicinal purposes only. We must all have been pretty healthy over the years – it’s still unopened. I can honestly say I’ve never had a drop of alcohol in my life!”
If you are interested in learning more about home care packages with Uniting AgeWell, call 1300 783 435 or visit unitingagewell.org/our-services/home-care
