Don McLennan stays healthy in mind, body and spirit at Amberlea

His wellbeing practice also extends beyond the physical. “I meditate for between one and one-and-a-half hours every day. The meditation has been a long term thing. It is so subtle. You look back on yourself, there are things that have just dropped away, and you may not have realised that was happening at the time. It’s fascinating.”

Wide reading is another of Don’s great pleasures. “I have always been interested in spirituality, and still enjoy reading things towards it,” Don said. He has several books by Carl Jung close at hand in his Amberlea room.

“I’ve read them for years but still can’t understand them,” he laughed.

He revels in the access to the trove of books at Amberlea, and also spends time at the library, with Australian history and bush literature favourite categories, as well as the occasional Agatha Christie.

While Don enjoys his own company, he is also delighted that his room is next door to an old friend, Lesley.

Individuals have always lived their lives in different ways, yet there has been a long-standing false assumption that everyone should spend their older years in a similar fashion.

Acknowledging that ageing lifestyles are diverse and that agency and individualised experiences are important is the philosophy that underpins Baptcare’s Living Well Together model of care. It is also exemplified in Don McLennan’s individual and meaningful lifestyle at Amberlea.