A 105-year-old footy fan is ready to line up for another season, defending her title as the reigning tipping champion at her aged care home.
Laurence Grovermann, from Williamstown north of Adelaide, still follows the form of every team every week and couldn’t be beaten in last year’s resident-only comp, despite being the oldest tipper. The youngest footy tipper in the comp at Wirraminna Care is 77 years old.
Many other residents, in their 80’s themselves, still refer to her as Mrs Grovermann. It’s not because of her tipping prowess, but because of the respect she garnered as the town’s postmistress for nearly 40 years. As well as footy and supporting her beloved Adelaide Crows, she still enjoys playing bingo and loves a good sing along.
Happy birthday was the tune when she recently celebrated her 105th birthday, scoring a visit with Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) CEO Tom Symondson.
“Meeting people like Laurence is incredibly humbling and keeps us focused on the things that matter most – caring for and supporting older Australians,” Mr Symondson said.
“Laurence has led an amazing life. As a child she experienced the dynamic decades of the 1920s and 30s, and the Great Depression years.
“She epitomises resilience, having survived rheumatic fever as a child, and going on to work tirelessly in various roles to eventually operating her own store and post office alongside her husband – all while raising a family.”
Demand for aged care will spiral
Centenarians like Laurence represent a growing cohort of older people leading the charge of Australia’s rapidly ageing population. According to the 2023 Intergenerational Report, the number of people aged 85 years or more is expected to more than triple and those aged over 65 will double in the next 40 years.
“In the decades ahead, we will see many more Australians reach this remarkable milestone,” Mr Symondson said.
“It’s important that we continue to honour the achievements of our oldest residents and congratulate the dedicated teams of carers who work tirelessly to support them, like the excellent team at Wirraminna.”
