What does your typical week look like?

Every week I have ‘meetings’ on Tuesdays and Fridays. ‘Meetings’ are organised get togethers for the elderly Asian community where we play bingo, have lunch, socialise and do activities, sometimes we will go on excursions and they will take us to places like Byron, New Fark Park or Kangaroo Point. On other days I will go Yum Cha with my friends or brothers. On the weekends I normally stay home, I will read, write, do chores around the house, and talk to my friends who live around the world on the phone.

How would you rate your general overall health?

My overall health for my age is good. Physically I can move around, go up and down stairs, pick things up, bend down without any problems. My back and knees hurt sometimes if I stand or more too much. I have to sit down to rest.

What are each of your sense like? How do they compare to when you were much younger?

My senses aren’t anywhere as good as they were when I was younger. My eyes get blurry, I can’t properly see things that are far away, and I need to wear glasses when reading. My hearing isn’t as sensitive anymore. I can’t taste things as well anymore either.

How does the deprivation of your sense/s affect your day to day life?

It can be a bit hard when you can’t see things that are far away, this makes it difficult when I am outside and things around me aren’t clear like signs, especially at restaurants. When people are talking to me, they will have to talk a bit louder so I can hear them.

What are some things you struggle with in your day to day life?

I need help getting to and from places, it is hard now for me to walk to the bus stop and take the bus, because I can fall over easily. So, I need someone to drive me to and from places. I don’t have much of an appetite, so I only eat breakfast and lunch, I am normally still full from lunch by dinner time.

How does your environment around you affect you? How does it make things difficult or easier?

Things like stairs and steep slopes makes it a bit more difficult for me to travel around. Things that are high up or low to the ground can be hard to access too. It makes things easier when things like the toilet are close to me, so I don’t have to walk around as much.