When a Halloween nightmare left Jackie, 85, with a broken hip, she turned to AnglicareSA’s allied health team at Westbourne Park to help her get back on her feet – and now she’s ready to dance.
A former long-time volunteer at the Westbourne Park Residential Aged Care site, Jackie spent almost a decade interacting with the residents and supporting the efforts of staff.
But a fall last year that resulted in an initial rehabilitation period at Flinders Medical Centre saw Jackie accessing services with our Health and Wellbeing program.
“When I had my fall it was Halloween night,” Jackie recalls. “I had been in the shower, and I had big dish of lollies for children who were trick or treating.”
“I heard the doorbell ring and I said ‘I’m coming, I’m coming’ – and down I went.
“That was about five o’clock in the afternoon and then I wasn’t found until about seven next morning.”
Her nightmare behind her, Jackie says her recovery and rehabilitation with the support of AnglicareSA at her side has been nothing short of brilliant, particularly physiotherapy.
“It’s the way they treat you, the way they greet you, and the way they monitor you,” Jackie says.
“It’s also the way they encourage you to reach your goals and tell you just to keep aiming for your goal – they don’t set the goal, you’re the one who sets the goal.
“We have wonderful gym equipment, and everything is for a reason you know, for instance I wouldn’t do exercises that someone with a knee replacement does – they’re just a great team.”
I’ve got to work on my balance, it’s not very good, but you have to move your hips with the Jerusalema and I can’t whip my hips and my feet together, but it’s a crazy, lovely, wonderful, and colourful dance.
With the help of AnglicareSA Jackie is regaining and maintaining her mobility, freedom, and independence.
These are all things that mean the world to her.
“Everything, everything. If they took my feet away, or if I couldn’t walk anymore it would be terrible.
“Not as bad as taking my mouth away,” Jackie adds with a grin, “but not my legs or my feet, I’ve got so much to do that I just can’t not do these things.”
Now back on her feet and ready to take on the world, Jackie has a particular dance in mind that she’d like to perfect – an online YouTube sensation being filmed around the world by young and old call the Jerusalema.
“It’s alive, it’s music, it’s colour and you just feel good. I’m just hoping I can do it – no, I will do it!
“I’ve got to work on my balance, it’s not very good, but you have to move your hips with the Jerusalema and I can’t whip my hips and my feet together, but it’s a crazy, lovely, wonderful, and colourful dance.”
Colourful is just one way to describe Jackie, a mother of four, grandmother to four and great-grandmother to three, who marks every decade milestone birthday with something a little out of the ordinary.
“I think that if I make the zero birthdays, I’m so lucky and I’ve had birthday parties all the way through,” Jackie says with her trademark spark in her eye.
“I’ve been in the divorce courts for my fortieth, but I’ve also jumped out of a plane (tandem sky dive), I’ve been up in a hot air balloon, and I’ve been to Kangaroo Island for dinner.
“For my 90th I plan to party, I’m going to have a drag queen party and dance to ABBA.”
Learn more about AnglicareSA’s Health and Wellness Services.