The Sky is the Limit for Mercy Health Aged Care Residents

Five residents from Mercy Place Montrose took to the sky in vintage planes on Saturday 13 May 2017 as part of a program to help them fulfil their bucket list. The residents, ranging in age from 70 to 82, were picked up from their residential aged care home and taken to Yering to enjoy Tiger Moth flights over the stunning Yarra Valley.

Resident Tony Hopkins is 82 years young and has fond memories watching his younger brother take flying lessons in a Tiger Moth.

“My brother worked at an aircraft factory in Belfast so he received his flying lessons half price,” Tony said.

“I would always watch his lessons and I’m thrilled that I can finally say that I’ve also flown in a Tiger Moth.”

One of Tony’s fellow flyers was Eileen McNabb, 77, who had been so excited for the experience she had been counting down the days.

“I’ve flown in many small planes over the years but never a plane with so much history,” Eileen said.

“I loved being able to fly in an aircraft which had been built with so much care and pride.”

The Tiger Moth flights were made possible thanks to a Mercy Health Foundation innovation grant which was given to each of Mercy Health’s 22 aged care homes.

Lifestyle and Volunteer Manager Karren Gooding said the idea of the bucket list program is to encourage residents to maintain the same hopes and dreams they had before moving into residential aged care.

“We want our residents to think of residential aged care as the next stage in their journey, where they can continue living a high quality of life,” Ms Gooding explained.

“We’re not just focused on big ticket items either: it could be as simple as taking a resident fishing, to the MCG for a football game or going on a ferry. We know our residents have a variety of interests and we hope to cater to as many of them as possible.”

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