Couple continues love story into aged care

Being married for over five decades hasn’t hindered the love Bolton Clarke Carrington aged care residents Les and Myrtle have for one another.

The couple dedicated their working lives to helping others, travelling extensively together around Australia and overseas as missionaries.

“We went to New Guinea for three years in 1988 but I got a bad infection in my lung and the doctor told me I couldn’t recover there because of the wet air – it would be too much for my body to cope,” Les said.

“So we moved to a drier climate in Western Australia in the Kimberley for 12 years, working with local indigenous communities.

“Both of us were hands on supporting with schoolwork, medical work and so on - we both thoroughly enjoyed it,” he said.

Les and Myrtle’s love story dates back to the 60s when the two crossed paths and instantly knew they wanted to be with one another - despite a few curve balls.

“I was at Bible College in Toowong and on a Friday night in the city they used to run an outreach program,” Les said.

“I happened to see a young lady, which was Myrtle, who came with some nurses from the PA Hospital and that’s how we met.

“We were engaged on Christmas Day in 1960 and I then left to go to the Solomon Islands while Myrtle stayed here and finished her nursing studies.

“I came back four and a half years later - that’s when we got married and went back to the Solomon Islands together.”

After settling at Chambers Flat later in life, Les and Myrtle found themselves in need of extra care after Myrtle developed memory loss.

“It all happened suddenly - we were in our own home at Chambers Flat and then everything came unstuck when Myrtle had a knee replacement.

“Something went wrong when they used pain relief medicine when she got into the operation, and it took away her memory. “

Luckily for the couple, they moved into a double room at Carrington where they could continue to live together while receiving residential aged care support.

“I think it has a lot of benefits - we can now continue this part of our lives together,” Les said.

“We have been married for 57 years and never had any problems because we have worked together and supported each other throughout our lives.”