After 14 days in isolation, 103-year-old coronavirus survivor Kitty Venn is back in her pretty room at Ron Smith Care Centre in Lyndhurst just outside of Johannesburg.
“It is exceptionally
remarkable that someone of her age has survived a pandemic that has ravaged old
ages homes throughout the world,” says Dr Christina Eleftheriades, who cared
for the centenarian during her time in the care centre’s isolation facility.
Dr Eleftheriades is one
of two in-house doctors with practices at the Rand Aid Association-run care
centre. She and colleague Dr Carmella Mielke have worked tirelessly with Ron
Smith Care Centre’s dedicated nursing team to ensure Kitty and other aged
residents who contracted the virus received professional yet loving care.
Kitty’s daughter Carol
Cunningham was in Australia when South Africa went into lockdown and is
sheltering there until the nation’s borders re-open. The news of her mom’s
illness left Carol feeling extremely anxious, given the distance separating
them.
“Fortunately, the care
centre’s Sr Leanie Bessinger contacted us daily to report on Mom’s condition,
which gave us incredible peace of mind,” says Carol.
“Huge thanks must go to
Dr Mielke, Dr Eleftheriades and Sr Bessinger and her team who tenderly nursed
my mom though this awful virus,” says Carol. “They made her comfortable,
administered her oxygen and for 24/7, nursed her back to health.
“She has now returned
to her room at the Lakeside wing of the care centre, much to the delight of the
staff there. Her carer, Elizabeth Peterson, quickly set to work brushing and
styling Mom’s hair and putting lipstick, eye shadow, earrings and a necklace on
for her return photo.
“Mom has always been a
special lady with a heart of gold. She never complains, is kind and loving,
generous and compassionate and never demands anything! She always said: ‘If you
don't have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything’.”
Sr Bessinger adds that
Kitty remained her usual happy self while in isolation. “On day three, she
started to improve and asked for tea with milk. When we did our rounds, she
always gave us a big smile.”
Kitty was born Doreen
Ruby Mole in Swakopmund, South West Africa, on 5 April, 1917. She grew up in
Pretoria where her father was a magistrate. At the end of World War II, she
married Oliver Venn, an air force pilot, and they raised their four children in
Sandringham.
“Mom has 18
grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren who love her as much as she loves
them,” says Carol. “Elphin Lodge – the retirement village where Ron Smith Care
Centre is based – was her happy home for over 15 years until she moved into the
care centre four years ago.
“She supported all the
wonderful social events at Elphin Lodge, frequented the popular on-site
Elphino’s coffee shop and, of course, played her bridge at least twice a week.
Mom was always an active lady and played tennis until she was 89.
“Her move to the care
centre was a blessing and although she was sad to give up her cottage, she
adapted easily into her lovely room, which opens out onto the garden. She has
made new friends and her friends from the cottages have one by one joined her
at Lakeside.”
For more information,
call Ron Smith Care Centre at 010 534 6595
