Sunshine Coast centenarians share their secrets to long life

Keeping your friends close and staying in good health are the keys to ageing well for Sunshine Coast centenarians Joy and Lorraine.

The pair have almost 206 years between them and now both live at Bolton Clarke’s Buderim Views residential care home where they spend their time doing what they enjoy the most – socialising.

While Joy might only be a few months shy of 105, she says she hasn’t felt any different since joining the Centenarian Club.

“I never thought about what it would be like to live this long,” Joy said.

“I have always had a pretty healthy outlook on everything and it’s important to have an interest in the things around you.

“I think a lot to do with ageing well is having a healthy childhood as I had parents that looked after us well.”

The pair are looking forward to celebrating Queensland Seniors Month, which kicked off with International Day of the Older Person on 1 October and will continue until National Grandparents’ Day on 27 October, celebrating older people and their ongoing contributions to our community.

For Lorraine, her early 20s were a pivotal time in her life and one that taught her the value of friendship as she built a supportive community while her late husband Alick was away for work.

“We got married and then I didn’t see him for nine months because he was in the Navy,” Lorraine said.

“When the men were away, you had to get out and be social and I think I have tried to be like that throughout my life - I think being around people is really important.

“I have always been busy working, raising our children, looking after my mother and then returning to work for a while.”

Both Lorraine and Joy are enthusiastic participants in community activities, getting involved in bingo and hoi regularly while Lorraine stays active always being the first one to exercise class in the mornings.