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In this heartfelt article, Shamaila Hamayoon, a certified nurse residing in Australia, shares her own experiences while working with the elderly. Read on…
working with older adults for about a decade and a half has shown me the true meaning of life and how the little things matter the most. The following stories of two elderly people have touched my heart and will hopefully inspire you too. Read on…
Choosing life, not just survival: Last week on a routine workday, I visited a 90-year-old lady, Jane. She opened the doors with enthusiasm, walked to it without a walking aid. To my surprise, during the assessment, she also disclosed that she is no longer taking any medications and feels extremely energetic.
Jane and I formed a rapport straight away and connected. I could not hold myself back and asked her the secret to living such a healthy and long life. She started by explaining that she had a beautiful marriage and one day she found her husband dead at 60, next to her. He had suffered a massive heart attack.
For a while, Jane moved through the days wrapped in fog. The silence in the house was heavy. The smallest things - the scent of his aftershave, his favourite chair, the songs he loved - would open the floodgates of memory and ache. There were moments when she didn’t know how to move forward.
But slowly, through the waves of grief, she began to realise something profound: that her husband’s life was not meant to end her own. So, she chose to move forward, while keeping her husband’s presence alive.
With a big smile on her face, she shared that she had started small: a morning walk, coffee with a friend, volunteering once a week. Then she began to explore the dreams that she had once put aside: writing, travelling and reconnecting with her spiritual side.
Jane further told me that she rediscovered herself, and connected with old passions, saying yes to new experiences. She surrounded herself with people who brought warmth and meaning to her life.
Having supportive children was the cherry on the top, however after moving in with her son for six months, she decided to sell her house and buy a camper van to pursue travel across Australia. “It has been my dream for a long time,” Jane exclaimed. She also wrote about her journey and learnt to enjoy her own company.
Each new day became a reminder that she is still here and is capable of loving, growing and inspiring others. Jane told me that now, instead of focusing on what she has lost, she would rather focus on what she carries - the memories that shaped her and the strength that loss revealed.
Jane continued that, as she healed, she realised that sharing her story could help others who are walking through the same darkness. That’s why she began to speak openly about widowhood - not just as an ending, but as a transformation.
Jane was a bit teary by this time and added that she is no longer the same woman she was before her husband’s passing. She felt she was rather softer, wiser and stronger.
She told me that she lives now not just for herself, but for both herself and her husband. Every new joy, every act of kindness, every sunrise she witnesses feels like a tribute to her husband’s life and love.
A life that still inspires: Another story that holds a very special place in my heart is that of John James, a man whose courage and determination continue to inspire me deeply. Despite facing life-changing challenges, he refused to let his disability define or limit him. Instead, he chose to live a full, independent and meaningful life. John passed away last year at the age of 75, leaving behind a legacy of strength and hope.
John came from a large family of farmers and grew up on their property in Western Australia. In 1967, when he was just 19 years old, tragedy struck. While driving a utility vehicle during a fox hunting trip, he was accidentally shot in the back with a shotgun that had been left loaded and pointed toward the driver’s seat - a heartbreaking reminder of how vital firearm safety truly is.
He was airlifted to one of Western Australia’s largest hospitals, where he underwent multiple surgeries, followed by 11 months of intensive rehabilitation. Despite the doctors’ best efforts, John was left paraplegic and confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. But what truly defined him was his incredible strength of spirit. He never allowed his circumstances to dictate the boundaries of his life. Instead, he chose to embrace every moment with courage and quiet determination.
I came into John’s story as his nurse during the last five years of his life. From the very beginning, I was moved by his zest for living, his determination to remain independent and active, even as he continued to grieve the life-altering accident that had changed his path so many decades earlier.
Over time, as I cared for him during regular visits for wound management - the kind often caused by long hours in a wheelchair - John slowly opened up to me. With each visit, he shared a new piece of his extraordinary life. He always looked forward to our conversations, waiting eagerly to tell me another of his incredible stories.
He told me how, in his school years, he had been a natural athlete; competitive, driven and full of energy. That same passion didn’t fade after his accident; it simply found new direction. Joining the local wheelchair sports association, John discovered wheelchair basketball, where his talent quickly shone. He travelled across Australia and even abroad, to New Zealand, Japan, and ultimately to Holland in 1980, where he proudly represented Australia at the Paralympic Games.
In his later years, John found joy in simpler pleasures. Music became one of his greatest companions; he loved playing his guitar and busking at local markets, his warm smile and gentle spirit drawing people in. He also volunteered as a radio presenter at a local station, sharing his love of country music with the community he cherished.
Those who knew John often spoke of his unwavering independence. He never sought pity instead, he sought only respect. His laughter was infectious, his kindness genuine and his optimism quietly powerful. To his family, friends and everyone fortunate enough to meet him, John was a living example of resilience.
Caring for John was far more than just a part of my nursing work; it was a gift. Through him, I learned that strength is not the absence of struggle, but the courage to keep showing up each day with a smile. John taught me that even when life changes beyond recognition, there is still music to play, stories to tell and kindness to share.
As for my journey, I encounter these beautiful stories everyday through my work. It fills my heart with gratitude and joy. Thinking of all the heart felt stories that I hear, I can take away a message, that life is short, so make the most of each moment. Life is what you make of it.
Caring for John was far more than just a part of my nursing work; it was a gift. Through him, I learned that strength is not the absence of struggle, but the courage to keep showing up each
As for my journey, I encounter these beautiful stories every day through my work. They fill my heart with gratitude and joy. Thinking of all the heartfelt stories I hear, I take away one clear message: life is short, so make the most of each moment. Life is what you make of it.
The writer is based in Perth, Australia. She can be reached at [email protected]
