The elderly’s dreams for Christmas and 2022

Karen Watkins|Published 3 years ago

Enjoying the Tokai Estate Christmas market, from left, Merry Dewaar, Carol O'Carroll, Jacqueline Cole, Margie Bloemink, Ruth Suter, Heather Campbell and Felicity O’Connor.

As people get older it gets more difficult to select a gift for them.

Some will say not to bother, they have everything they need, yet you might still want to treat them at this special time of year.

We asked some of our older readers what they would like for Christmas and also what they wish for in 2022.

At Tokai Estate, Andrew Wilson said the only New Year’s resolution he has ever kept, is not to bother with New Year’s resolutions.

Rosemary Lapping Sellars wants to listen to Glenn Gould play the Goldberg variations as she sips a chilled glass of Moët in her beautiful garden. And a partridge in my pear tree, said Rosemary.

Penny Marek of Evergreen Diep River wished to spend Christmas with her family overseas and to see the end of the pandemic next year.

Estelle Twiggs, also of Evergreen, wants to have good relationships with everyone she knows and wishes everyone in the country good health, a successful year and happiness.

Jean Pyle of Evergreen, who had Covid and was self-isolating until last week, said it has been wonderful to receive phone calls and messages from many people.

“Some just to have chats and most asked if there was anything they could do, especially shopping. Others dropped meals off, which has been such a treat. Then Woolies had a 25% discount off any meat or chicken items for braaiing,” she said.

Jean always contributes Woolies spare ribs for Christmas festivities so she phoned the store, told them her problem and organised for four packs of ribs, salads and other items to be collected. When they were collected there, in the packet, was a bunch of flowers from the management and staff of Woolworths Blue Route wishing her well. “Now that’s what I call going the extra mile for a customer,” said Jean.

Martie Kotze, 96, of Plumstead Rusoord, would love some nice fragrant soft perfume. For the new year her wish is for good health for herself and a quiet and prosperous new year to everyone.

Marjorie Bedford, 98, also of Plumstead Rusoord, does not wish to have any gifts but in the new year she would love to see more of her loved ones. “It is always pleasant having my family visit me, it brings joy to my heart,” said Marjorie.

Margaret Raven, 99, another Plumstead Rusoord resident, would like to visit Kirstenbosch Gardens and the family bench in memory of her parents. Her wish for the new year is for good health for herself, her friends and her family.

Brian Dalton of Evergreen Diep River dressed the part for this picture. He and wife Carol wish for some normality in 2022 after almost two years of the Covid pandemic.

Jenny Mockford, also of Evergreen Diep River, wished her daughter and granddaughter could be with her. And for 2022 she hopes the pandemic can be brought under control and we can resume living our lives like we used to.

Smiling, cheerful Brenda Hill of Evergreen Diep River wants blessings from the Lord for everyone in 2022.

Charles Miller’s wise words are that you can’t pick what you want. “You need to learn to appreciate what you have. Opening your eyes to see another day is by far the best gift ever. My wish for the New Year is that everything goes well for all of us. I pray that we have a good health status,” said Charles, 79, a Plumstead Rusoord resident.

James Parker, 95, of Rusoord, said he has everything he needs in his life but the best gift has to be the gift of life. “For the New Year I hope that there will be no disorganisation in my life, spiritually and mentally. Life at PlumRus has been so wonderful and we are being cared for to the best of the staff’s ability. I pray that God gives them the strength and courage to continue looking after all of us so well,” said James.

And Hilda Robertson, 93, would just like good weather. “It should either be warm or cold but it shouldn’t change just like that during the course of the day. For 2022, I would like the violence to end and for the service delivery in our country to improve. I hope that the staff taking care of me continue to treat me like a queen,” said Hilda.

Evergreen Retirement Village resident Amanda George’s wish for Christmas is to see her son and granddaughter who live in London. She has not seen them for seven years.