A Tale of Two Decades with Blue Haven

Ninety-nine-year-old Mavis Stephens has been an in-home support client of Blue Haven for eighteen years.  Her services were originally delivered under the old Illawarra In-Home Support Program.  Blue Haven employees Tania and Sue were her original support workers, 18 years on and Sue is now Mrs. Stephens Service Facilitator.
 
Mavis is a farm girl, she has resided in the old farmhouse for over 99 years, she moved to Kiama when she was three-months-old.  Mrs. Stephens has lived with two husbands, Mr. Chittick, and Mr. Stevenson on the farm.  10 years ago, Mavis moved into her own granny-flat on the property, when her son and daughter-in-law moved into the homestead.  Her son Rob still resides in the homestead.
 
To keep in good shape Mavis undertakes the care of her chickens every day in the morning and afternoon.  Blue Haven support workers assist with the afternoon feeds now.  Mrs. Stephens has also looked after her pony of 39 years, but he sadly passed away two years ago.  In her early years, Mavis was well known in dressage.  Mrs. Stephens said, “My secret to a long life is no drinking or smoking and to get up early every morning.”  Mavis also likes the simple life; she doesn’t like to waste anything.
 
Mrs. Stephen’s fondest memories of Blue Haven are the staff.  “I love all the workers, I have eighteen years of good memories with Blue Haven,” she said.
 
Mavis has lived an exciting life, in the past, she has been a member of the Country Women’s Association (CWA) for 60-odd years, she has been a judge and initiated the state CWA cookery competition.  Mrs. Stephens still cooks and collects empty jars for her pickles and jams, she still loves to cook cakes as well. Mavis had a cookbook developed by her granddaughter and published showing her best recipes and based on Mavis’s history on the farm and her cookery skills.
 
Blue Haven is very lucky to have Mrs. Stephens as a client and the longevity of the relationship (spanning 18 years) is a credit to our wonderful organisation.