WATCH: Singing ‘Happy Birthday’ from the pavement outside Alberton Home for the Aged
There was no way anyone tried to hide their emotions when the family gathered outside the Alberton Home for the Aged to wish her a happy 90th birthday.
The family of Susan Roos thought they would hold a big 90th birthday party with friends and family, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, things changed for them.
With Susan residing in the Alberton Home for the Aged, family members were only allowed to sing happy birthday to her from outside the fence.
“This breaks my heart as I wanted to hug my mother and spend the day with her, but we stayed positive and thought of an idea to still make her birthday special,” said her daughter, Sue Castle.
Birthday celebrations
On August 30, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other family members visited the Alberton Home for the Aged with balloons, cake, snacks and gifts. Management from the home agreed to take Susan out on the patio so that she can see her family.
“We also made my mother a birthday shirt which the staff helped to put on her.”
What a moment it was when a staff member pushed Susan out on the patio in a wheelchair and she saw her family. Susan cried and smiled all at once when she saw them.
From the pavement, her family members sang for her and also watched how Susan cut her own cake with the help of a staff member.
“We want to hug and comfort her and spend this day with her, but sadly we can’t and it is heartbreaking. All we can do is wave and blow kisses,” said the family.
Afterwards, Susan enjoyed birthday celebrations in the home where residents enjoyed some delicious cake and snacks.
How the pandemic changed their lives
It has been a very difficult time for Susan and the whole family due to the pandemic. Susan’s children placed her in the Alberton Home for Aged in September 2019 after she had a bad fall and broke her leg – an incident that happened twice.
“It has been a very difficult past seven years for her. We had to place her into the home to ensure she will get nursing care after she had another operation,’ said Sue.
“I have been going around at least twice a week and dropped some snacks or eats off and have managed to wave to her from the street while they staff opened her curtain.”
“We try to phone and talk to her but she is deaf. Because she is deaf her speech has deteriorated so bad that she stutters very badly.”
Living life to the fullest
Susan was born prematurely on August 30, 1930, in Johannesburg.
“She was very tiny and apparently could fit into a shoebox,” said Sue.
Susan grew up in Bezvalley with her seven brothers and one sister who passed away when she was about three years old.
On November 5, 1948, Susan got married to Johannes Roos and they have four children.
“We grew up in Wychwood, Germiston. Mom and dad loved playing tennis. My father was a very hands-on dad who loved gardening and planted a lot of fruit trees. He was also always busy building onto the house which he did himself,” said Sue.
Susan worked for Afrox for many years as well as at Up John Pharmaceuticals in Isando for about eight years.
“Our mom enjoyed sewing and making all our dresses, even school dresses, when we were young. She also enjoyed cooking and baking. “My parents moved down to Uvongo of the Natal South coast once they retired and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Natal, but sadly my father passed away on March 12, 1999,” Sue said.
Susan is a proud grandparent of 11 and she has 15 great-grandchildren.
According to Susan’s children, their mother has always been a strong-willed person.
“She still drove her car at 83 years of age,” they said.
