Highlights
- 88-year old Lourdes Dellamas or "Mummy Ludy" makes sure to keep physically and mentally fit.
- She became digitally connected at the age of 87 with the help of AFCS (Australian–Filipino Community Services).
- She eats mostly fish and vegetables.
Swaying to the rhythm
For as long as she can recall, dancing has been a part of her life. Having worked as a dance teacher in Manila and continued to teach dance when she relocated to Australia.
"At the age of two, I fell from our dining table as I was dancing to the beat of the sewing machine. Dancing gives me what they call the second wind" says Mommy Ludy who adds in Filipino ‘nasa buto ko na ang pagsayaw’.
'Dancing makes me feel alive' says Lourdes Dellamas who continues to volunteer her time teaching Philippine folkdance and remains active in community events Source: supplied by AFCS
Never be afraid to try new things
Keeping a positive mindset is very important as well as challenging yourself to learn new things. At the height of the 2020 Coronavirus lockdown in Melbourne she learned how to be digitally connected.
"It’s important to remain active and healthy not only physically but also mentally," says the grandmother to 8 grandkids and three great grandchildren. It was important for her to remain in touch not only with her children and grandchildren living in Australia but also with her family in the Philippines.
Being active keeps me young
In the Philippines she worked as a teacher, dance choreographer and continued teaching dance since the migrating to Australia in the 1990s. Weekends were spend performing in various community events.
Her most recent adventure was teaching Philippine Folkdance to senior citizens, she describes herself as "self-appointed volunteer at the Eastern Region Wellness Group in Boronia run by the AFCS before COVID-19; at the moment we have weekly sessions in Knox."
A ten-week teaching session with Dance Up! Australia from April this year also kept her busy. When the most recent lockdown was implemented in June, she readily switched to online classes.
"Keep on moving, be active" she adds "sway your hips while cooking, switch on your radio and keep on moving to the rhythm of the music, stretch your legs. Socialisation is also an important part of our overall wellbeing."
"Make sure you go out and meet your friends, being old doesn’t mean you are confined to your home, take walks, enjoy the sunshine."
It is important to be physically active, "kung di gagalaw di na din gagalaw ang ating puso. Kung di gagalaw ang ating puso aba, mag rerest na din yan," she adds as she ends the conversation with a promise to catch up one afternoon over coffee and possibly on the dancefloor.
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