Nadine Williams

My father Frank

My father, Frank, has reached the grand age of 91, which is the first thing he tells anyone he meets. He immediately follows with the statement “I’m travelling very well for an old bugger.’’ And yes, dad is in excellent health, and God-willing I have inherited those longevity genes (because my mum, Florrie, died at age 77 of heart disease).

Dad is remarkable because he takes no medication whatsoever, a fact which amazes the clinical nurse at the Renmark low care facility where he lives.

He has been known to pop the odd Panadol for “old man’s problem’’ when his hip slips occasionally, but he never complains of pain and has a remarkable constitution.

However, age has left dad profoundly  deaf and he is also seriously visually impaired through advanced glaucoma. He lost his licence at age 70 because of glaucoma and has walked everywhere since, which contributed to his amazing good health and agility now.

Dad is still stick thin. We placed him in low care when he was not eating his Meals on Wheels lunches or anything else much, living on his own.  The Aged Care Assessment Team approved his admittance into low care, despite his protestations that he had no arthritis (true) and didn’t take any pills.

“I’m alright in my own home,’’ he had said.

But, he wasn’t. His blindness meant his environment was deteriorating into squalor and his children are all based in Adelaide.

His life deteriorated after his second wife, Elizabeth, who was profoundly disabled, was placed into high care and dad followed her into the same facility (low hostel care) 18 months later. In that time, without his wife, dad did not care for himself, although he continued to go to church each Sunday and walk to the shops for the paper daily.

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