‘If only my son could see me now’

Half a dozen residents of Mercy Health’s Edgewater Mercy Hostel felt the wind in their hair when they were taken for a spin on a giant Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

The exciting excursion was thanks to Mercy Health maintenance manager and avowed Harley-Davidson fan Pete Grant, who decided he wanted to give residents a pre-Christmas gift to remember.

Resident Merle Kinnane said she remembered going for rides years ago.

“We used to have a Harley, we were going for rides with our children. I don’t know how four of us used to fit on the bike! It is good to do it again,” Merle said.

The senior revheads had photos taken on the day and Merle enjoyed the experience so much that she now has a framed photo of herself on the bike in her room with the words “born to be free” written on it.

Fellow resident Mary Cramp couldn’t wait to show the pictures to her family in England and son in Perth. “He won’t believe it: he would like to go on the Harley!” she said.

Mercy Place Edgewater service mana- ger Helen Fullarton said the residents were excited about the outing for weeks leading up to the day.

“Some of them hadn’t been for a trip on a motorbike for more than 50 years,” she said.

“Even some residents with limited mobility decided they wanted to participate so we had extra staff around to help them on and off the bike.

“It was great to see the residents on the Harley and wearing all the gear. It is a beautiful bike and it was a different experience. “We got together later to see the pictures and they could choose the ones they’d like to print. It was fun to see them smiling and being excited about the pictures.”

Helen said Mercy Health is focused on ensuring residents continue to have joy, excitement and happiness in their lives. Located in Perth’s north and close to Lake Joondalup,

Edgewater Mercy Hostel is home to both an aged care facility and independent living units. Mercy Health is a Catholic community not for profit care provider founded by the Sisters of Mercy, with facilities in WA, Victoria, NSW, Queensland and the ACT.