Colourful images challenge perceptions of ageing

Many of the featured residents, who live at Tabeel aged care service at Laidley in south-east Queensland, have rural backgrounds — and this is reflected in many of the photographs.

LCCQLD clinical nurse, Melanie Wagner, is the driving force behind the project.

During her work duties, Ms Wagner spent hours talking with residents about their interests and the lives they led before coming to Tabeel.

Her main motivation was to show seniors as people with unique histories and experiences to share.

“So, the calendar is not a way to make money, it’s about celebrating the service’s 60^th anniversary… and a way to celebrate our residents,’’ she says.

Once Ms Wagner and local photographer, Loren Hayne, from Tall Timber Studio, had spoken to the residents, they devised scenarios for the images and organised props and locations to set the scene.

Phyllis Meere, now known around Tabeel as 'Miss July', says posing with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Maggie and Angus, was great fun.

The animal lover was photographed wearing some jaunty red sunglasses.

“That’s what (people) tell me – that I’m ‘a groovy old girl’,’’ Mrs Meere laughs.

Finding the right locations and props was an enjoyable challenge, photographer Ms Hayne says.

“(The subjects) were full of life and had such wonderful stories to tell,’’ she adds.

“Melanie knew their interests and hobbies and had discussed with them what they had done when they were younger. Basically we started from there and then set up the photos to show their interests.’’

Imaginative set-ups involving motorbikes, horses, poddy calves and army vehicles were the result.

The calendar is available for $25 from Tabeel aged care service.

For more information, visit Lutheran Community Care Queensland or phone (07) 5465 1133.